Color Laser Multifunction Update – July 2020
A quick survey of current multifunction color laser or “Pagewide” inkjet machines comes up with some clear winners. All are print/copy/scan/fax, duplex printing, ethernet (most with WiFi), etc. – machines that can do it all, including high-speed, high-quality color.
Comparison based on 2 years, 1,500 pages/month black, 500 pages/month color.
The HP Pagewide machines are coming out ahead due to ink costs. They feature large ink cartridges:
* 7,000 pages color in the 972X
* 10,000 pages black in the 972X
* a whopping 17,000 pages black in the 976Y for the577dw!
The 477dn and 477dw are virtually identical, so we recommend the 477dw in case you ever need the WiFi.
The 577dw is faster and uses larger black cartridges but costs more up front.
The closest laser is the Brother MFC-L8900CDW.
As usual, Total Cost of Ownership is the key. Each of these will total between $2,000 and $2,300 for two years using HP or Brother toner/ink. Some laser printers will cost as much as $3,100 for the same usage, and some traditional inkjet printers even more. Plus the least expensive printers by TCO typically require the fewest cartridge changes, making them just a little easier to use.