Hey, sorry if this isn’t the right place to ask this (feel free to show me the way). I want to get myself a printer that can also scan. Main purpose is to not have endless sheets of paper laying around, but to scan Documents I recieve and then throwing them away so that I only have them digitally and can print stuff out only when I need them. Now I know that printers are the worst piece of hardware known to man and my needs not office-level.It doesn’t have to have any more buttons or features than are needed to scan a doublesided document and print them, without clogging/eating paper, and print black and white text without complaining about being low on yellow ink.

So my question generally is: what is the most minimalist, non-bullshit printer/scanner that I could get? But since all my devices run Linux I figured I’d just ask this here. Are there any big issues I have to look out for? Brands to avoid? (i.e nvidia being a no go for a lot of linux users) Preferably

  • _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works
    26·
    1 year ago

    I just have a simple Brother laser printer: It has never failed me. Not even sure what model it is but I imagine their scanners/MFPs are pretty similar.

    • EmasXP@lemmy.world
      6·
      1 year ago

      The Brother printer I bought recently was easier to install on Linux than on Mac. I think that says something. Always works too

    • nebs@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 year ago

      Agreed, Brother!

      I got a Brother MFC-L2750DW and networked setup was so simple. My every device I own detected it including my phone.

      Note I haven’t tried connecting it via USB, just network.

  • DoWotJohn@lemmy.ml
    26·
    1 year ago

    I have a Brother laser printer/scanner and it just works. I’ve never had to install or configure anything.

    • Elsie@lemmy.ml
      6·
      1 year ago

      I have one and I forgot when I got it, it’s just that old and it has never failed me

    • 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘬@lemmy.ml
      3·
      1 year ago

      Absolutely!

      Not a multi function device, but a plain printer, but I have a Borther HL-2365DW connected via 2.4 GHz WiFi and that is detected as HL-L2360D. The printer works absolutely fine. It still has the original toner cartridge and it is used 3-5 times a year without any issues.

      Before that I had a HL-2030 that died after ~14 years.

      • ikidd@lemmy.world
        3·
        1 year ago

        To be fair, I have a 4P that I still use. But yah, my Brothers have always lasted a long time and toner/ink isn’t crazy expensive. And they don’t pull DRM shit like HP and get their peepees slapped time after time.

  • empireOfLove@lemmy.one
    14·
    1 year ago

    I’ve had fantastic luck with a Brother MFC b&w laser. Aftermarket toner cartridges are $20 and last a ridiculously long time. The wifi is jank so I’d recommend keeping it connected to your computer via USB, but I was able to get it running on a CUPS server via a Pi easily enough, and brother does make Linux drivers available.

    • wjs018@lemmy.ml
      8·
      1 year ago

      I have a Brother MFC Color Laser and everything here is true for the color version as well. I haven’t had too many issues with wifi jank after I set a static ip both on the router side and the printer side, and then map the printer by ip port on the computer. However, it still acts up every now and then. I plan on fishing some ethernet to that corner of the office, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

      • empireOfLove@lemmy.one
        1·
        1 year ago

        My wifi jank was less related to routing as much as it would just… forget how to send data. Especially when scanning. I think it was a controller issue so YMMV depending on which model. USB is still vastly more reliable.

  • feral_hedgehog@pawb.social
    13·
    1 year ago

    I got two Brother laser AIOs (MFC1910W) for my folks and myself.
    All I had to do on Arch was install brother-mfc-1910w for printing, brscan4 for scanning and oh-brother for (occasionally) upgrading the firmware, all over WiFi.
    I think more user-friendly distros come with these packages preinstalled, so it should just be a matter of opening the printer manager and waiting for it to show up.
    Don’t think they make the specific model anymore, but any Brother laser AIO should do.

    • superminerJG@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 year ago

      When I used Ubuntu, I had to install the .debs off of Brother’s site by myself. They provide .deb/.rpm packages.

  • Random Dent@lemmy.ml
    8·
    1 year ago

    As others have said, Brother laser printers are great. I’ve had mine for ~10 years, it works better on Linux than it does on Windows, and the toner cartridges last an absurdly long time. I don’t print heavily but I think I’m only on my third toner cartridge since I bought the thing.

    • camr_on@lemmy.world
      4·
      1 year ago

      And here’s 275 words about printers I asked ChatGPT to write so this post ranks in search because Google thinks you have to pad out articles in order to demonstrate “authority,” but I am telling you to just buy whatever Brother laser printer is on sale and never think about printers again.

      Lmfao

    • addicted_to_coffee@feddit.de
      3·
      1 year ago

      I have a slightly different version of this printer (HL-L2350DW) and can confirm that it just does what it is supposed to do without any issues. It pretty much worked out of the box with all devices in my household and after about two years I am still on the toner cartridge it came with.

  • estebanium@lemmy.world
    6·
    1 year ago

    I recently ordered a Brother printer, and it just works. “Brother MFCL3730CDNRF1” At one point it was a bit tricky to add it to Cups, but after it, it worked flawless.

  • TenderfootGungi@lemmy.world
    6·
    1 year ago

    A Brother laser. If buying today, I would get a document feeder, duplexing, and wireless. The $150ish version is fine for home use. Mine lacks wireless so we use special software to add it that adds a step. But it just works and only needs a new toner ever couple years at our printing pace.