I'm looking for a multifunction printer (prints,copy,scan,and FAX). But, my main objective is to find one that will still print/work if one of the color cartridges is out of ink. My current printer Brother MC420 is nice, and works well, but if the yellow cartridge is low or out of ink, the entire printer shuts down and will not do anything! So frustrating.

I'd like to keep my price under $140. I use this mainly for household stuff. Sometimes print pictures, but never get a good enough quality that I'm comfy with. I use the copy feature alot to copy coloring pages and workbook pages for my kids. Fax has come in handy when dealing with insurances/doctors/etc.

Any recommendations??? I'm open to inkjet or laser which ever will be cheaper in the long run.

Thanks
Jan

I have a Brother monochrome laser multifunction printer, and I really like it. It works well for minor copying, and prints crisply. I really like that Brother's replacement black toner cartridge is a good $20-30 less than other brands. However, I don't know if that holds up for a Brother color laser machine.

My wife has a Dell color laser printer (not a multifunction device) and it has worked well for her. It prints beautifully but can be a pain to set for specialty (i.e., photo) paper. (The model she has is five years old and has been superseded at least twice. New ones could quite likely be different.)

My bottom-line suggestion is to get a laser multifunction printer, but check in advance on the cost of replacement cartridges. One other thought: Look at Kodak multifunction ink-jet printers. For at least a while, Kodak had excellent prices on replacement cartridges -- something like $10 per cartridge.

Good luck!

--Bob