Erics Favorite Things Brother Hl 2170w Laser Printer

15 Sep 2011

Back in August 2008 I finally gave up on my Lexmark inkjet printer/scanner/copier that I had since I was a freshman.  It took up a lot of space, I rarely used the advanced functions, and most importantly it was constantly burning through ink.  Unless you changed the settings every time you printed it would use the color cartridges for black and white content!  With a recent windfall from the Coinstar machine (protip: there is no fee if you get the money as an Amazon gift certificate) burning a hole in my pocket, I decided it was time for a change.

During highschool my family relied on a laser printer for all our academic and recreational printing needs.  It was as monstrous as it was archaic, literally dimming the lights in the house when it was on.  But to its credit, it survived years of near daily use with very little maintenance or toner changes required.  This made an impression on me, and so when it came time to choose my new printer I decided to return to my laser roots.  In the end I went with the Brother HL-2170W laser printer, and it’s been a dream ever since.

Having both wired and wireless network connections, I can connect it anywhere in the apartment that has a power outlet, although it currently sits right next to my computer (usually with my pajamas on top).  Since the printer is network enabled I no longer need to print documents for Christine, as her computer can directly connect to it.  And on the rare occasions that I do need to scan or copy something the professional equipment at work does a far better job.

The printer is compact, reliable, and a workhorse.  It only prints in black and white of course, but I found I very rarely have the desire to print in color and almost never the need.  In the over three years that I’ve owned the printer I’ve had to change the toner cartridge exactly zero times.  The software started to complain about low ink levels recently, but a quick search online revealed that you could tape over the viewport in the cartridge to squeeze out some extra life.  Since then I’ve printed all our save-the-date and wedding invitation envelopes on the printer without any loss in quality.

Somehow the price of this printer has actually gone up over time, but the  newer HL2270DW model seems to be comparable at a similar price to what I payed back in ‘08.  If you’re fed up with buying expensive ink for a crappy printer, I suggest you take a serious look at this line of printers.  You won’t regret it.