Replace a printer

My much loved Brother MFC640CW seems to have breathed its last.
It says “Can not clean” and the book says that means jammed or mechanical issue.
I will try the screwdriver approach, but I would be interested to hear what is a good Linux compatible multi function (print scan copy) printer?
My thoughts go to HP or Brother.
I want ethernet connectivity.
Would consider color laser or inkjet.

I’ve had good luck with my HP OfficeJet Pro 8720. It’s more than a few years old now and still running fine.

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Hello @nevj

The machine
Epson Workforce WF-2630

The WF-2630 has a newer version or should have by now

I remember this post that it had the info.
Now I don’t bother what with the price of ink cartridges not worth the expense/hassle.
I just goto

Officeworks

  • print out what I need
  • pay with > print and copy recharge card
  • top up the $ on the card

The link
https://forums.solydxk.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7014&p=66328&hilit=Finding+a+printer#p66328

Regards
artytux

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I got a similar message 4-5 years ago on my 10 year old Cannon. Something about not able to clean. The manual said It was the end of its life. I’m sure, you did some search of what the message really meant. I got the info, that there was a small pc of sponge in there, that sucks up the leftover ink after cleaning. When it gets full, it stops sucking. However, companies train their products to tell you that you need a new printer.

I’ve said it before - I’ll say it again - I will ALWAYS stick to Brother

Did try HP for a couple years - but that was so dodgy - it had ethernet - but - back then my daughters and wife were all Windows 7 users and those gobshites at HP decided not to make a WINDOWS 7 driver for it (at a pinch, could print using the 64 bit Windows Vista driver - but it was dodgy and would often fill the page with BLACK toner - which strangely enough, made printing pretty f–king expensive!)…

So - in 2016 bought a Brother MFC - MFC-9335CDW… I think it’s been through 3 whole sets of toner in 6 years… a solid reliable workhorse…

Had to spend about $250 recently to get it repaired (jamming issue that I couldn’t fix myself)… IT was WORTH it to keep that reliable workhorse going for another 6 years (and I really REALLY hate e-waste landfill).

Can’t recommend them enough (the repairers) https://printcom.com.au/ - not much help to you @nevj sorry…

I also have a self-imposed embargo on ALL HP products over their apalling record of giving away (or selling) surveillance equipment to questionable regimes (I won’t go into specifics as my viewpoint might be considered controversial in some quarters). Note : also - I bought my beloved HP N40L Microserver with FreeNAS some 10 years ago - before my self-imposed embargo…

Another thing - Ubuntu just goes out and finds that printer on my network in the background and installs it and knows I’m in Australia and sets the paper to A4!

I support CUPS printers across the whole of WA running at power stations in the “regional areas” - Brother are BY FAR the most reliable and easy to setup compared to any other vendors…

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My HP Envy 4520 has been kicking over steadily for 6 years. I did have to buy a new print head, but that was cheap and easily installed. Look into their InstantInk program as well.

I’ve probably loaded a hundred distros during the printer’s life, and every damned one of them picked it up during installation. Linux and HP seem solid together.

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Thanks. I had a similar issue some years ago. I did a factory reset and it recovered. Will try that again

I have 2 HP Deskjet print/scan/copy printers and both work fine with Linux Mint. Model numbers are F4280 and 1510. But neither one has an ethernet connector.

Definitely purchase a laser printer. You’ll be far ahead of the game.

I tend to agree.
I have a monochrome laser postscript printer , that is 20 years plus.
It never has trouble with drivers in any Linux or in Win.
Replaced the drum once.

If I could find a color laser postscript printer with multifunction for a reasonable price, that would it.

I’m sure you can get a colour laser MFC from the likes of Brother for the $500 ballpark…

considering my first Brother laser printer I bought in 1994 was $900 and it ONLY did monochrome and printing - and wasn’t networked - $500 THIRTY years later seems like a bargain to me :smiley:

Yes I can. Will not be Postscript though. Might be able to get IPP… that would help with Void. Debian/Devuan would be OK… there would be .deb file drivers.

Thanks
Neville

I have a Canon MX 490 multi-function Printer/Scanner/Fax device. Clients can connect to it using either Wi-Fi or USB (I use Wi-Fi here). Windows and Linux Mint Debian Edition both recognize it, and it works well with clients on both platforms. This is an older device, but it works well here.

I hope this helps,

Ernie

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Hi Shamu,
You were right. I put it into maintenance mode and reset the counter.
I think it counts pages then calls a halt at a certain number.
It now works.

The whole thing became rather confusing, because at the same time something went wrong with either CUPS or my printer drivers in Debian. I had to move to Devuan to sort it out.

Thank you
Neville

I think I will still be looking to get a color laser MFC. Inkjets are pretty high maintenance and do not like long periods on inactivity.

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Yes, I remember, I had to do it too. Then, after cleaning, reset it. Spent more time googling for info how to do it, then cleaning it, of course, manual doesn’t say anything about it. Something that companies don’t want you to know. At least Cannon.

Could be. Or it counts automatic cleanings, new cartridges? They definitely counting and lying, very good at it!

I’m glad you fixed it. 8 out of 10 people would’ve just bought a new one.

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Get one free by buying inks at ijtdirect.co.uk, new printers for the cost of a few inks which you would need anyway.
This of course, assumes you are in the UK.

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I’ve had the most luck with Canon printers. I had a Pixma MX922 for a few years. I loved that printer as it was a my first printer capable of printing on both sides of the page. I know I paid < US$150 for it around 2015. Now it’s selling for > $3-400. :astonished: I don’t know know what’s up with that.

Anyhow I wound up needing a new printer over the holidays last year and got this one for $60. It’s nowhere near as nice as the MX922 but for $60 it works and still prints on both sides.

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Epson for me no matter what.
Cannon and brother, make great cameras, not bad photocopier and wonderful door stops but as for printers I would not touch them
No don’t work for Epsom just experiences out of the box and working for years. Mine has been running over 15 years no problems only thing I may change is getting one with refill bottles of ink as I always run out when I need it most even if I buy a stock it’s one colour more than others used.

What is Linux support like at epsom?

Brother for the win for me - always… My 8 year old Brother MFC (colour) still going strong - had to spend $200 to get it fixed last year, but well worth the money rather than create more landfill and shell out for a new printer (I always go for laser). Does duplex printing too! Unfortunately it doesn’t do duplex copying or scanning… Note : I don’t use the scanner from any of my PCs / Macs - I just FTP from the MFC to my NAS…
One thing I kinda miss, I did have an Epson ink MFC, but didn’t use it to print - but the scan to cloud option was way more “elegant” than Brother’s clumsy interface (I gave up on Scan to Cloud on Brother - was too clunky)…

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