Related Articles
Brother
I’m in the process of starting a new small business, and try as I might to keep it paper-free, there’s no escaping reality: certain documents must be printed, copied or scanned.
Any multifunction printer (MFP) can handle those jobs, but it seems like most of them are inkjet models. I don’t need to print in color, and I don’t like spending a fortune on small ink cartridges that don’t seem to last long at all. In other words, I wanted a laser-powered MFP.
Serendipity! For a limited time, and while supplies last, B&H Photo has the Brother MFC-L2700DW all-in-one for $149.99 shipped. Normally $199.99, and priced at least $169.99 most everywhere else, it prints, scans (in color), copies and faxes — and does it all without wires.
Update: Sigh. Well, that didn’t last long. The sale appears to be over, at least at B&H. Office Depot/Max also has the printer for $149.99 (plus tax), but only for in-store pickup — and it didn’t appear to be in stock at most of my local stores. (My advice: Call and see if you can get a rain check.) Alternately, Newegg has it for $169.99.
Update No. 2: It appears the printer has returned to B&H at the $149.99 price. Get one while you can!
Well, mostly. It has both USB and Ethernet interfaces, but it’s the Wi-Fi you’ll want. And the printer supports both AirPrint and Google Cloud Print, so you can easily output documents from your iPad, Chromebook and so on.
Another perk: duplex printing. For draft copies and other non-essential documents, it’ll print on both sides of the paper. And it has a 250-sheet input tray, so you shouldn’t need to refill it too often in a home or small-office setting. An auto-document feeder (ADF) allows for easy faxing, copying, and scanning of multi-page jobs.
More serendipity: I’ve actually been testing one of these for a full-on review, and I like it a lot. It’s fast and quiet, with an admirably small footprint and an output tray that’s actually contained within that footprint (so it doesn’t stick out where it can get knocked loose). Some two dozen Amazon customers agree with the liking: The MFC-L2700DW has a 4.4-star average rating. (Why so few scores? This is a pretty new model, having just debuted in August.)
If you don’t need color printing but do want fast, efficient, low-cost monochrome output, plus scanning, copying and faxing, this is a steal at $150.
Bonus deal: If you’re a student with a .edu email address — stay in school! It’s hard out here in the real world! Also, head to Best Buy to sign up for some exclusive coupon codes (delivered via email), one of which will net you a Pebble Steel smartwatch for $169.99, after applying your code at checkout. Regular price: $199.99. This is without question my favorite watch right now, and with this deal I’m officially jealous of all students.
CNET
Bonus deal No. 2: Sometimes I think hybrid PCs are better on paper than in real life, but it’s hard to argue with their versatility. While supplies last, Groupon has the refurbished Asus Transformer Book T100TA for $179.99 shipped when you apply coupon code SALE at checkout.
It’s a 10-inch Windows 8.1 tablet with a keyboard dock, 32GB SSD, and battery that’s good for nearly 10 hours, according to Scott Stein’s review . The last time I shared a deal on this model, just a few months ago, it was $202. Cheap things come to those who wait!
