Reader Request: "I Need a Printer"

The following conversation took place today on our Facebook page.

Samantha - Not a printable! You wouldn't happen to know where I can get a cheap printer, would you? ^.^

Making Cents of It - When you say not a printable, is it not working? Or you don't have a printer to print it? I just want to clarify because I checked the link. As for a cheap printer, what features do you want? Just the basics? An all in one? You tell me and I'll help you find it.

Samantha - ‎:) I meant I do not own a printer. Just a basic, cheap one, that will print in color. Oh, and I use a laptop if that makes any difference.

Before I tell you the prices I found, I would like to point out that printers are the type of item that everyone will have their own opinion about.  Some will say brand A is the best while others swear by brand B.  I personally love HP products and find the quality and overall cost to be the best.  I currently have the model C6380 which is a wireless all-in-one and was purchased on Black Friday for a fraction of the cost.

Based on your comment about a basic, cheap printer that will print in color, I have found you the HP D1660.  As with most budget printers, this is not for heavy use.  I also recommend that you set your computer's defaults to print in draft mode.  For everyday printing, it looks fine and will save you ink.


Now for pricing and deals...

Office Depot - The best deal you can get is if you live near an Office Depot.  Now the Catch-22 is you need to print a coupon for this deal, but perhaps you can find a friend to help you out.  There is a coupon for $10 off $25 at Office Depot which is only good until tomorrow (July 15, 2010).  The printer is priced at $29.99 on the website but your local store might vary slightly.  Your final price should be $19.99.

Walmart - If you decide to make your purchase through Walmart, I highly recommend ordering online where it is priced $29.00.  You can get free shipping to the store and benefit from the cash back on eBates (1% back) or Shop at Home (3% back) plus an additional $5 if you are a new member to either site.

Target - The final choice I will provide is Target where the printer is priced $29.09.  A benefit of buying it at Target is for an extra $4, you can get a two year replacement plan.  Since this is a budget printer, I recommend the replacement plan so if anything happens they'll give you a new one.  Target does not offer free shipping so you should check your local store to see if they carry this printer.  If you buy online, use eBates (3% back) or Shop at Home (5% back) plus an additional $5 if you are a new member to either site.