[Ekaros]

Printers are the most mechanically complex computer related product. Just think, fans are basically single bearing and motor. Pumps are pretty much same. Traditional spinning disk, nearly closed system with two motors.

Printers have multiple times this complexity. And the products bought are bought for lowest price. Or at least reasonable price. You get what you pay for. And what is paid is often very little. Thus poor quality and need for other revenue streams.

[nirimda]

But we don't really have the option to buy a good quality printer. We can spend more on a printer, but the printer companies don't say "here we have a cheap printer that is designed to cause you trouble so that it becomes effectively a subscription service; there we have a quality printer that will last". And if they tried, it's unlikely we could reasonably believe them because everyone else lies. Cost is no indicator of quality, the reputation brand names are not protected, business do not have pride in their products. All they want is to take more money out of you than you gain in benefit.

[ajford]

I've found that second-hand small-business or light enterprise printers tend to be far more reliable than consumer level printers.

I have a Dell small-business multi-function color laser and it's run like a champ for about 5 years now, with only one round of toner changes in that time. The only downside is that this particular model doesn't support cardstock or any thicker types of paper (~60lbs cover stock max IIRC).

But that's only been an issue a couple of times in the past.

[delecti]

> But we don't really have the option to buy a good quality printer

Sure we do. A few years ago I looked for a list of the best printers (I used wirecutter, but there are other comparable options), and got one they recommended. It works great, even going a few months between prints, was easy to setup, and is still running great with just the toner it shipped with.

[scarface74]

Sure you do. But printers aimed at the commercial market.

[popotamonga]

It's still magic for me how they can get just 1 sheet of paper at a time.

[WithinReason]

Sometimes it takes me 10 seconds to separate 2 sheets

[jeffmcmahan]

I lol'd at this. :D

[BeFlatXIII]

> Printers are the most mechanically complex computer related product

1. Even more so than cars?

2. Printers are also one of the few devices that need to measure liquid by the picoliter.

> products bought are bought for lowest price. Or at least reasonable price. You get what you pay for. And what is paid is often very little. Thus poor quality and need for other revenue streams.

This reminds me of the perennial discussion on airline quality. People comparison-shop by the sticker price, so the entire industry evolved into nickel-and-dime scams instead of having honest all-inclusive pricing.

[withinboredom]

Cars don’t require a computer to function. You literally can’t print off a computer without a computer.

[snickerbockers]

i understand that but 90% of the time that i try to print something it just sits in the queue all alone with no error code and no attempt at printing, i don't think that's a mechanical problem.

[hugh-avherald]

Could be a sensor problem, or a part of the startup mechanism has failed.

[geoduck14]

Printers are powered by spite and vengeance

[aaaronic]

Office Space has relevant scenes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9wsjroVlu8

[amelius]

Still, showing no error message is inexcusable.