Best printer 2024: a humorous critique of the Google search engine, LLMs and printer enshittification
Best printer 2024: a humorous critique of the Google search engine, LLMs and printer enshittification
After a full year of not thinking about printers, the best printer is still whatever random Brother laser printer that’s on sale.
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I actually think the Google LLM produced a really good summary of trade-offs. I didn’t choose a laser printer because it’s more expensive and larger and I don’t print very often. I got the Canon TS702, which has AirPrint and cheap knock-off ink available on Amazon. The older Verge article mentioned seeing Brother printers in the background of video calls. You won’t see a printer in my background, it fits in a cabinet. Why would I want a huge appliance that I use once or twice a month sitting on a table top in the background of my video calls?
If you can find an inkjet that removes the ink-racket of the business model, it’s a really good value. The company making the printer maybe even loses money on it. That’s a win in my book.
Infrequent printing is actually a reason to choose laser though. Toner cartridges are already dry but I have had to refill ink enough times due to dried out that the money could have bought three laser printers. That is only partially affected by the "no black print until you replace cyan ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)" thing.
Yeah IDK what they're talking about, I've got a 8yo cartridge in a 19yo printer. When's the last time you saw an inkjet last that long?
Last July I replaced a 1996 Lexmark BW Laser. Though I think I can fix it.
Current printer is a 2012 HP BW wireless that I "inherited".
Yeah, but the ink is very inexpensive.
That was the point. I could have bought a laser printer with the money. Instead I got one later and wasted money on e-waste before then.