Image: Brother
Printers suck. And since I used to work in a print shop, that’s not just an attention-grabbing opening line, it’s a professional opinion. Inexpensive inkjet printers are almost universally reviled for being pricey to refill and quick to break down. But if you absolutely need a printer for your home office, get a cheap Brother laser printer. Like this one, which is just $90 on Amazon today.
I’ve sung the praises of my Brother HL-L2315DW before, and this HL-L2405 looks like it’s almost identical. It’s a super-basic black-and-white printer that uses laser toner (the powdered stuff instead of the liquid-filled cartridges), which is both relatively cheap and lasts for-freakin-ever without running out or drying up. For someone like me who only prints the occasional shipping label or boarding pass, it’s perfect.
This series of Brother printers has earned a reputation across the web for being super reliable even though it’s cheap. And it has the one extra feature I really want in a modern printer: a Wi-Fi connection. The initial setup on my home network was a bit of a pain with a one-line LCD screen inputting password numbers and letters with just a couple of buttons. But once it’s ready, it’s good to go forever. I don’t think I’ve adjusted the settings at all since I moved almost three years ago.
And I haven’t refilled the toner, either. When I do, I have some cheap generic refills ready to go. Unlike some companies which shall remain nameless, Brother’s laser printers have no problem accepting generic toner/ink from third-party suppliers. Once again, this is a black-and-white printer, so you’ll still need to take your photos elsewhere if you want something worthy of framing.
These printers tend to move quickly when they drop below the $100 mark, so get an order in fast if you think you want one.
Get a super simple Brother laser printer for $90
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.
