I am not getting rid of my HP 6MP because it is the fastest and best LaserWriter ever but I can no longer reach where my scanner is and I have to keep going to the store to make copies, many of them duplexes, some color. I think I have already paid off the lease of that copy machine. I also need color laser prints sometimes and it takes too long to email them and then go out and pick them up.

So, I am looking at the following, last choice first:

3) HP M476dw. Con: print speed is way too slow
2) Canon MF 8580Cdw. Con: older model, very large footprint
1) Canon MF 726Cdw Con: very large footprint

I don't want a printer that has a door that drops open in the front. Would be nice to print envelopes, but not crucial. I'm pretty sure I want a LaserWriter because it seems all the ink jets have the same issue with using them for a stack of copies, they get streaks. What would be bonus is a company that has great tech support.

I have a Brother MFC-J4710DW. It is…

• wireless
• fast
• has a decent footprint
• inkjet but prints multiple copies flawlessly (no streaking)
• a flatbed scanner/copier/fax with reliable multi-page feed
• prints two sided
• scans/copies two sided
• the copier scanner are top loading
• the two paper trays load from the front and although the output tray pulls out rather than drops down it is still on the front (that may be a stopper for you)
• the single sheet feed pops out on the back
• Brother keeps the drivers current with each OS X release
• it has been 100% reliable
• photographic images are not as good as my rather elderly Canon Ip4500 but given photo paper it is not bad
• the cost per copy is on a par with laser printers

My fondness for Brother printers and multi-function devices is based on two things

1. They have excellent support for Macs and keep their drivers current better than any other brand I have used
2. Like the old Mac slogan, they just work

Oh, it needs a document feeder. And not one of those flimsy fold-up kinds. I'm copying like 20 duplex documents at a time. And fold out panels, front or back, will be a deal-breaker.

But I will check out other Brother printers.

I will hate to lose my Canon scanner. I won't have room for it plus a new printer at the right height to be able to use them both.

Brother MFCL9340CDW?

Brother MFCL8600CDW?

The 8850 is a behemoth, but the reviews are great. It might be the best choice. People are complaining about many technical issues on the others.

Based on my own experience with HP printers, I would never recommend any of their low end personal printers. Their industrial grade stuff is probably still okay though.

I bought an HP multifunction unit a few years ago, and it was a problem from day one. It could take several hours (yes hours!) to print a 10 page pdf file. A number of us concluded that these printers were severely memory starved, and just couldn't image a page that had anything other than bit of simple text. Some time ago I was in a discussion with a software developer who told me he was constantly answering user complaints that his software wouldn't work with certain HP printers. The printer's busy indicator would blink for hours and never print anything. I told him about the suspected lack of memory in them and he eventually managed to change his print routines to minimize the size of the print files so that he could finally get the HP printers to work.

Also HP didn't earn any goodwill when they dropped support for many of their printers under Yosemite. For a while after installing Yosemite, I couldn't print at all. I eventually found a driver update that now allows me to print, but the scanner is still nonfunctional.

Like Joemikeb, I'm leaning towards Brother for my next printer. They have them in one of the offices where I work, and I've never had a problem with them.

Thanks. Yes, I remember trying to set up the wireless on someone's HP. It was frustrating and late at night but he had bought some 24 hour support service. Like Steven Wright said once, "Open 24 hours, just not in a row."

The Brother 8850 looks like it will be my choice. It's big but when you think about it, it is a mechanical devise that needs room for large components and it would make sense that when the manufacturers try to make these things smaller, it can't be done with very much success, that's even aside from the software issues. Maybe the "home-office" models just assume you have more time to mess around with it and sit on hold with tech support!

Bob: Which Brother model does the office you mentioned have?

One of those is apparently a typo.