Best printer for reliability?

[kapooky]

Hello, unlike most other folks who primarily use their injet printer for photo printing, I exclusively use my printer for printing documents. This means I only use my black inkcartrdige in my Pixma mx532, and very much neglect the color cartridge.

Overall my printer(canon mx532) is pretty bad. It jams quite frequently.

I am wondering if there exists a reliable printer that doesn't jam and is refiller friendly(i,e it's easy to refill). My previous printers have been cheap Canon printers that only last 6 months before they start breaking. Ideally, I want something that is durable, or at the very least, can be repaired rather easily.

Can anyone give me some ideas?

* CISS integration isn't mandatory, since I only use my black inkcartridge.
* I am already looking into the Canon Maxify, it seems a bit pricey(2x the price I usually buy printers at) but if it's worthwile I may consider purchasing it. I have heard it has excellent build quality but I hope this wasn't derived just from it's price alone.

Edit: spelling

 

[The Hat]

* I am already looking into the Canon Maxify, it seems a bit pricey(2x the price I usually buy printers at)

Go with the Maxify, 5 models to choose from (Price) and there’s none better..

 

[PeterBJ]

If you don't use colours then how about a B/W laser printer? It is an office workhorse.

 

[Artur5]

Go with the Maxify, 5 models to choose from (Price) and there’s none better..

Except 3D printers..

I never had jams or multiple feed problems with my Pixmas IP3000/4000/4500 unless I unwisely used paper wrinkled or torn at the edges.
Maxifys, loading from a bottom cassette, are a different story. They’re more prone to double feed. You need to shake and vent well the pack of paper before putting it into the drawer. It depends a lot on the surface of the paper and ambient conditions. Some brands are so smooth that they stuck each other easily, specially in high humidity. To alleviate the issue, now I put the open packs in a ziplock plastic bag with a few sachets of silica gel, to keep the paper as dry as possible.
For the time being, this is the only (minor ) thing in that my former Pixmas were better than my Maxify MB5150.

 

[Artur5]

If you don't use colours then how about a B/W laser printer? It is an office workhorse.

Yes, with that same thought I purchased a cheap Brother monochrome laser, which is OK, but I soon missed the color capability, even if 99% of my jobs were text.

Another issue of home grade lasers are imaging drums. They soon start developing small defects in the surface, way before their estimated lifetime, Backgrounds aren’t spotlessly white anymore but sprayed with very tiny specs, a sort of weak fog which gives the background a faint grayish look. That happens not only with third party drums but also with OEM, at least on my Brother HL-L5000. Pro grade lasers surely are better. I don’t recall that issue on the machines that we used at work years ago, but those models were five or ten times more expensive than my HL-L5000D.

Now I seldom use the laser printer. When the current toner is finished probably I won’t buy more and the machine will go to retirement.

 

[stratman]

Maxifys, loading from a bottom cassette, are a different story. They’re more prone to double feed. You need to shake and vent well the pack of paper before putting it into the drawer.

I have not experienced double feeding, or any paper issue, with my Maxify MB5120.

Whether using a laser printer or an inkjet, the recommendation to fan the stack of plain paper before putting into the paper tray has always been a recommendation no matter the environmental conditions or age of the paper.

 

[The Hat]

the recommendation to fan the stack of plain paper before putting into the paper tray has always been a recommendation no matter the environmental conditions or age of the paper.

That recommendation tends to elude most guys, and so can cause all sorts of feed and paper jam issues, it’s just a pity it’s not included in every printer setup..
I must first fan apart my paper…

 

[Artur5]

I have not experienced double feeding, or any paper issue, with my Maxify MB5120.

It must be the brand of paper that you use. I tried several of them and none is totally free from occasional double feed, even if I always fan the stack before loading it into the drawer, although keeping the paper dry helps a lot.
Instead, never a single paper jam. Sometimes 'Maxie' may grab two or three sheets at a time but never fails go get them through.

 

[stratman]

Sometimes 'Maxie' may grab two or three sheets at a time but never fails go get them through.

Your Maxie is a great gal, never says no to party any time you want, even if she indulges in too much tipple on occassion.

 

[kapooky]

If you don't use colours then how about a B/W laser printer? It is an office workhorse.

A few reasons:
- I am concerned about the health issues related to being in proximity to laser printers.
- Laser printers tend to use more significantly more electricity than inkjet, and electricity isn't cheap where I live.
- I do not know how to refill toners, let alone the cost of refilling toners, or even the longevity of a standard toner, so there will be a significant learning curve.

if laser printers are indeed more cost effective and reliable than inkjet, then I may consider investing. However I have doubts they will ever come close to being as cost effective as Inkjet.

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Nevertheless, I thank everyone for their input
I will look into the Maxify 5 and monohcrome laser printers.