So my mother recently bought an ET-2800, By HP we had an HP printer before and we got a new one because the old one would not work with my sister's Windows 11 Laptop. So I had to set it up for my mother, the manual said you can use it without the app. But there was no way to physically do that. Anyway, I downloaded the app on my phone (android) and the app would not connect to the printer. So I used my mother's iPhone and it would connect. The setup process was stupid proof. And after I got it all full of ink, it was very painless. However, this is where the H in HP should stand for HELL. Because a few months go by and my sister and my mother need some papers printed. No problem. I thought to myself, so my sister tried to print it wirelessly. Couldn't find the printer, I said ok maybe it's a dumb driver, USB didn't work either. I asked my sister to send it to me, so I can print it on my w540 running rocky 9. Rocky picked up that I needed drivers and installed them. Wireless didn't work but wired showed up, I thought sweet I can just print the paper and get back to what I was doing. However, when I clicked print, the printer would grab the paper and run it though but not put ink on the paper. My mother asks me to forward the email to her to try to print it on her phone. I send it, and it prints, and the paper come out how it should with ink and the paper is finally printed.
After this experience with this printer, it makes me rather aggravated at this purchase, and no longer want to buy from HP. I have looked at Brother printers and there are no Proprietary ink cartage, and or laser printers. I purely wanted to talk about my experience with HP printers and would like to know what others have for a printer for recommendations, for when eventually HP kills support and makes it a paper weight, I've read many negative experiences with HP printer, specially from Lois Ross man and their anti consumer products.
![](https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/8a5800d5-4c6a-47f3-8d34-df0d21928057.webp)
Rule 1: don't buy an HP printer
Rule 2: don't buy an inkjet printer
Rule 3: don't buy a printer unless you absolutely need to.
Rule 4. If you absolutely need to, buy a Brother.
*Brother laser printer.
This. Every brother laser printer I've ever used (both in my own home and at work) has been reliable and never failed aside from the occasional cartridge change/etc. And even those were proceeded by a dismissible software warning or just caused mild artefacts on the print out. You can still print even when they need maintenance.
Im afraid if we keep sharing this, they might take a dive too.
Brother inkjet really aren't better than HP. I have one and the scanner doesn't work if the ink is out. And it reports no ink waaaay too early. I can trick it into printing longer and almost double the life of the cartridges.
Maybe brother laser jet is better? I'm sure hp laser is too though
HP laser is still markedly worse than Brother laser. Much more expensive toner, harder to find and use off-brands, and (in my experience) much higher failure rates.
In general, toner is more robust than inkjet, but also HP is worse than Brother.
Don't bother, buy Brother.
Whyyyy, brain? Why?
There are good reasons to buy an inkjet. Just not any under $150. Photographers don't touch lasers, but their inkjets might have 11 ink cartridges.
Rule 3 should be considered more often, though. For what you're paying for the convenience of printing at home, you can buy a lot of printed pages at FedEx.
Fair, but if you know that much then you know the exception.
Rule #4: if possible, have work pay for your printer and other home office shit.
I 100% agree with this. Sadly, rule #3 applies to me (my job involves dealing with banks and lawyers).
I have had two HP inkjet printers which were unmitigated dogshit. Money-grabbing, thrown together pieces of shit. You get more types of jams than at a craft jam shop.
Five years ago, moved to a Brother laser printer. Little difference in purchase cost. AND IT NEVER FAILS.
I'm now on my second (dropped first one downstairs when moving house) and it is just as reliable.
Each to their own, but for me: Brother Laser Printer every time.