Print on the cheap with $64.99 laser

Brother HL-2040 laser printer

(Credit: Brother)

Sometimes good deals come by way of the morning paper. To wit: Wednesday's Staples insert lists the Brother HL-2040 laser printer for $69.99.

That's pretty good, but I wondered if any e-tailer could do better. Sure enough, Newegg.com has the same model for $64.99 shipped, and you don't have to pay that pesky sales tax. (Note: Actually, many states do require you to pay sales tax for Internet purchases, but few people know this and fewer still comply.)

The HL-2040 looks like a fine choice for homes and small businesses, as it can churn out about 16 pages per minute. That's according to CNET's review, which gave the printer a respectable 7.1 out of 10 rating. I wish it had network capabilities, but I can forgive that given the $65 price tag. (Plan on an extra $5 or so for a USB cable, not included.) Even if you already own an inkjet or multifunction printer, you'll love having a laser on hand for fast, cheap, razor-sharp document printing.

[cardfan1212]

You can always find that or a similar laser printer for that price or better if you look. This isn't news..

[jds3266]

Where have you found state laws that require you to pay sales tax on items purchased on the internet if shipped across state boundaries and where there is not an office of that company?

To tax that is an unreasonable restraint on interstate trade (Commerce Clause). A citation to such a law would be appreciated.

[appledogx--2008]

As far as what I know, Ohio at least, has such a law. I believe they call it a use tax or something like that. Government will go to no ends to separate the people from their money.

[IndyGopher]

In Indiana, it is the use tax. Anything purchased out of state you are supposed to report on your state income tax. The same is true of Illinois and Missouri. Don't know for certain about the other states. States without income tax rely even more on sales taxes, so I would assume they have similar laws. In fact, I am curious which states DON'T require this.

[ewestby]

Massachusetts and California also have use tax statutes on the books that apply to all out-of-state mail order purchases.

[GymW]

The common problem with most if not all of the 'cheap' laser printers (and inkjets) is that most if not all come with 'starter' toner (ink) cartridges. In the majority of cases most will only print around a ream of paper before needing new toner, which usually cost equal to more than the printer. The only company that I am aware of that does not do this is Xerox. Their printers come with full cartridges. While Xerox might be significantly more expensive initially than their 'cheap' competitors, they actually cost less in the long run because you do not have the expense of replacing the toner in 3 months or less. I bought my color Xerox unit over 20 months ago, us it daily, and it still has about 25% of the original cartridges left. While it did cost around twice as much as its competitors, I also get faster and better quality prints out of it, than the cheaper printers and at far less cost per print. I do my calculations by adding the cost of replacement toner of the 'cheaper' brands soon after you buy it to the overall cost of the printer. That is why I believe that buy purchasing ink jets or 'cheap' lasers, you are being penny wise but pound foolish. As a bonus the better printers, with full toner cartridges are usually designed for business use, and therefore are more rugged, last longer and are generally more trouble-free. In many cases given that the cost of the toner (full cartridges) equal or exceed the original cost of the 'cheap' printer, many users elect to toss the printer and buy a new one when the toner runs out. Manufactures know this so they design the printer with this in mind, which is why they are so cheap as they are not built to last much beyond the warranty. So buy purchasing a 'cheap' laser printer you may be getting exactly what you paying for aside from the fact that the more expensive units that last tend to be 'greener' as they require less recycling.

[rickbroida]

It's true that the Brother comes with only a "starter" cartridge, but at least it promises to yield around 1,500 pages. What's more, replacement cartridges can be had for around $30.

This isn't meant to be a business workhorse, but rather a personal laser for home users or small businesses with minimal printing needs.

[IllustratedSermons]

So true on the cost of consumables. For home and small office use, the most economical printer I have found is no longer made, but can still be had used on eBay. The Brother HL-1440 produces about 6,000 (real numbers) great laser copies on a single cartridge that can be had from www.4inkjets.com for $25/cartridge with free shipping if you get 6 cartridges at a time. This has been great for our church. We currently run three of these machines. They are not speed demons at just 14 copies per minute, but they are work horses. We still run an old HL-1240 that we bought in 2001, and it still runs like new. Drums need to be replaced after about 25,000 copies, but they can be had for under $50 from the same place we get toner. I don't know if there is any printer on the market that can compete with these numbers.

[Pixelslave]

I just bought a Samsung ML 2510. There was a rebate that made the total price down to $59.99. I had some bad experience from my previous Brothers printer. It emitted such a strong odor that I couldn't tolerate putting it near where I would stay.