Ok, I'm looking for a laser printer to print posters 11x17, and flyers for local bands. I have 1100 dollars for this printer but would like to get extra toners so I don't have to buy them for awhile so 800-900 would be great. I'm the only one who will be printing off this and it will be in my basement so hooking up wirelessly would be ideal.
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Help with choose a laser printer for design
- Thread starter bntz313
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I like to look for my printers on Amazon - because you can find people who review these, who aren't trying to sell it to you. If I used it last time, I could have saved myself 500 worth of POS HP printers. 
Yeah, but... almost all laser printers have Postscript emulation in them making them easy to run straight from the Creative Suite, for instance. Photo inkjets don't, needing either a RIP or the intermediate step of PDF to print first for accurate reproduction.
Depends on the quantities the OP wants to produce. 500 posters on a laser printer is maybe a 30 minute run or so... on an inkjet, forget it.
I think you might be out of luck in that price range, especially with wanting to pick up some extra toner.
I know we have a HP LaserJet 5200 series at my paper for proofing on 11x17 sheets... and it's going for ~$1,500 through HP right now. And it's a B&W machine.
I would highly recommend it, it's going on 2.5 years right now, it's worked like a dream, no problems, print quality is good, it's reliable - I'd recommend it/another HP laserjet but it looks like you're out of luck for what you want (color, ability to print 11x17 pages) in your price range.
I know we have a HP LaserJet 5200 series at my paper for proofing on 11x17 sheets... and it's going for ~$1,500 through HP right now. And it's a B&W machine.
I would highly recommend it, it's going on 2.5 years right now, it's worked like a dream, no problems, print quality is good, it's reliable - I'd recommend it/another HP laserjet but it looks like you're out of luck for what you want (color, ability to print 11x17 pages) in your price range.
Bad timing for you:
http://www.buyerslab.com/news/viewarticle.asp?article=50806
The other question is how much it will cost.
http://www.buyerslab.com/news/viewarticle.asp?article=50806
The other question is how much it will cost.
how about this one, XEROX Phaser Series 8560DN here's the link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16828118204
That is an A4 printer. You were asking for A3 prints, that's why I didn't suggest any of the current models.
I haven't actually used solid ink, but when I finally get an MFP, I'd rather like it be this tech instead of laser.
There is the question of if you need to leave it on the whole time, or if the current models don't waste ink every time it's turned on.
Some people talk about a smell, but maybe this happens only at warm up, if it's a problem at all.
Also, Xerox uses REAL PostScript.
I haven't actually used solid ink, but when I finally get an MFP, I'd rather like it be this tech instead of laser.
There is the question of if you need to leave it on the whole time, or if the current models don't waste ink every time it's turned on.
Some people talk about a smell, but maybe this happens only at warm up, if it's a problem at all.
Also, Xerox uses REAL PostScript.
As mentioned, 8560DN does not support tabloid. When I read the original post I was thinking B+W. Your suggestion of a color printer adds more depth to the request. Within the limited price range, you might want to consider a tabloid inkjet printer. Wi-Fi networking is also mentioned as a desired feature. Would you consider hooking it up to AirPort (or a wireless router)? Printers with built-in Wi-Fi are generally overpriced (it can add $300 to the price).
There are truly advantages to having your own tabloid color printer. It is generally faster than inkjet. Years ago it would have cost upwards of 70 grand for this luxury. With multiple toner cartridges and drums, color laser printers are much more complex machines than inkjets. When they fell below 10 grand I made my move with a Xerox 7750GX. You can blow your $1200 budget just refilling toner on something like this (now 7760) and toner is just one of 35 listed consumables.
My advice, especially if you go with Xerox, is to purchase the extended warranty within the 90-day grace period. For my machine it seemed superfluous at $1400 (3 years) until I had to pay, after the grace period, over $1200 per year. I am told that a single visit from a Xerox technician to replace an average part can easily exceed a thousand dollars. At these prices, you obviously won't be purchasing a Xerox laser printer but even with HP, hopefully you'll see the value of a service contract.
Drum roll. If you are still longing for color laser, consider a used/refurbished HP LaserJet 5500n. Without warranty, here are a couple of links I've found to fit your budget. (Unfortunately extended warranties are unavailable for used printers.) An extra set of toner costs about $1100 for OEM or $400 for cheap third-party refills.
Printerology.net $575
Memory4Less $847
PostScript (Level-3) offers advantages like on-the-fly LZW compressed tiff decompression during printing. I have five printers with native PostScript. One of these, a Brother, includes an emulator (BR-Script). It works fine for most things except something many people will never need -- it won't print separations from Adobe software. For example, if you are working with spot colors and want to verify how each plate separates, InDesign will only allow a composite proof unless the printer has true Adobe PostScript built in.
Bottom line: color laser printers have dropped in price over the years but are still expensive to maintain.
As far as I know, once you start needing to print 11x17(US) or A3 sized sheets, especially in a color machine, you're looking at a minimum of $2,800...
Edit: Didn't even think to check refurb prices, but it would appear the point holds, and a color laserjet able to print in those sizes is way over-budget.
Edit: Didn't even think to check refurb prices, but it would appear the point holds, and a color laserjet able to print in those sizes is way over-budget.
Just for the record, for the A4 solid ink printer previously mentioned:
http://www.office.xerox.com/printers/color-printers/phaser-8560/serv-enus.html
http://www.office.xerox.com/printers/color-printers/phaser-8560/serv-enus.html
Another enthusiastic recommendation for Xerox. Your $1100 price point is a pipe dream. At $2500 after manufacturer's rebate, the Xerox Phaser 7400/N is about as cheap as you can get a 12 x 18 laser printer. FWIW, I have done prints like this on an HP inkjet. Each copy takes about a week to print.