Unfortunately, the OKI C5200 is no longer available. Mine is 12-14 years old, and they are a workhorse. I dread the day that I have to replace it. OKI made it too well, so less repeat sales (this from an OKI rep I talked to once). I highly recommend a laser printer with toner - less cost per page. I wouldn't own another printer that uses ink cartridges.
I have an AirPrint hp and a wireless HP. They are both decent printers. I don't however, do any kind of heavy-duty printing. At home I rarely print anything. At work, I have access to a laser printer, but I mostly print to the copier. Recently when I need lots of color copies I upload them to The UPS Store online and get them there. Great color, and the prices are reasonable.
We are looking for a replacement printer too. Our home printer recently became unreliable. It was at least 5 years old. We spent more time trying to print than printing. It was our daughter's in college and she graduated two years ago. I agree with the OKI comment above. My mom had a small OKI Laser in the early 90's. This was back when printing was all b/w. I think it was still running when she had an estate sale in early 2000. All the HP Laserjets from this era were bulky but good. Then Deskjets and color ink cartridges ushered in cheap and disposable. My years of IT experience tell me just pick one, and get used to replacing it within 5 years. Home printers are so cheap it is not worth the time comparing Consumer Reports ratings. Find the features you need and pull the trigger.
I have also heard great things about HP's ink program, but I don't know the details. I use a brother J480DW. I buy off-brand ink through Amazon (Kong Brand) and it works great. I don't mind printing color at home since the ink is so cheap.
I have Instant Ink and love it - I print very rarely at home, and they actually have a free plan for 15 pages a month. The next one is like 25 pages and it's only $3/mo I think? Then they send you new ink in the mail whenever it starts to run low. Printer ink is so expensive it's ridiculous, so the free instant ink plan is perfect. As for the actual printer - I have an HP Envy 5540 which is ok; it was within my price range when I bought it last year, and it works well enough. I don't print work stuff at home unless it's absolutely necessary - we have one color printer at my school (not counting the ones in people's classrooms, which the school actually does buy ink for if we ask), so it's never a problem if I need color copies of something. It takes a little longer, but it works.
An office-quality inkjet printer is pricier up front, but the draft-quality printing is better and the cartridges last noticeably longer.
I just bought a Brother MFC-J485DW. After spending 2 hrs. going between Best Buy and Office Max. It’s a printer/scanner/fax and you can print from your phone - eprint/airprint. This printer is small, but does a lot. It’s flat, but opens up for sheet feeding! It’s ready to pick up wifi from a laptop or desktop, and it can connect permanently to your desk top with a usb port cord that’s hidden under the flatbed scanner. There are individual print cartridges, easy to change right in the front - and the printer (and your computer) will tell you what color is low. It will still work if it’s low with blue - unlike the HP tri-color cartridges that you must replace entirely. You can get individual colors or a pack of 3. The paper tray slides in when not in use, which saves space and looks neater. Don’t just read the signs, because Office Max had some major errors on their signs. Check out the box and read online reviews. I really like the fact that I can sit in my bedroom, print anything from my phone and my printer (in the living room) turns on automatically! And after awhile, it will turn off too! I got it from Best Buy for $60
My school does not have a color printer, which is so annoying. BUT at home my HS and MS daughters are always printing stuff for school and projects that it is like I am buying ink ALL the time. We have an EPSON. It does well but runs out of ink too quickly.
For those of you who might not know, Office Max/Office Depot, and Staples has a teachers club. Besides the back to school giveaway and breakfast, which has really been cut - you get rewards savings and ink cartridges can be recycled. You earn $ for purchases on everything, not just school stuff.
