We’ve got an Epson EcoTank and an HP Laserjet, both network-connected.They’re both driving me nuts.
I’m looking at getting rid of both, and buying something that prints and scans over the network flawlessly in linux, without using proprietary software.
Anyone got something they can recommend?
Thanks 
Moving to Non-Technical Questions
Printer Database at OpenPrinting
https://openprinting.github.io/ (scroll down)
HP Supported Printers
https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-imaging-and-printing/supported_devices/index
Linux friendly supported printers as reported by ubuntu users
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsPrinters
Check the sources above for your exact printers and see how they rate.
Also explain what “nuts” means , perhaps there might be a solution.
PS: I got an error from the forum saying I could not include links. Please copy/paste
into your browser’s address bar.
Ok, some background:
We’ve got a very basic wifi-enabled HP Laserjet (monochrome, no screen – really basic), and an Epson Ecotank color multifunction printer/scanner/fax/copier, etc.
Both machines have reliability issues with being available over the network, and the Wifi AP is in the same room as them, and the Epson reports high signal strength. I haven’t gotten the HP working in Linux yet, but the Epson works for about a day, and has to be rebooted and have its cups profile deleted about every day to work, at best. It used to be more reliable. The ecotank is great because the ink is cheaper than even cheap laser toner refills, but the print quality is meh, the screen is small, the sheet feeder is crap, and everything about the machine is just mediocre.
I’m going to go pick up a Raspberry Pi Zero W to serve as a CUPS server for the Epson, to see if I can make it more reliable, but it’s a last-ditch effort.
Also, scanning on the Epson is a pain, and the only way I was able to make it work is with a proprietary app called VueScan, which I paid for. I’d prefer to avoid proprietary software, when possible.
So, I’m hoping to find this grail device that’s a reliable printer/scanner, wherein both functions work flawlessly under linux with FLOSS drivers/software.
Another problem I’m having is that while I can find a lot of good information about Linux-compatible printers, and some decent information about linux-compatible scanners, very little of that info indicates how well the wireless connectivity works, if at all, and I haven’t been able to find anything about how well multifunction devices work, as both printer and scanner.
I have a cheap hp envy 4570 with hplip - it is capable of remote scanning using either the built-in web server or the simple-scan package.
but as with all hp consumer devices the ink is very expensive - in dk it is almost the same price for two cartridges (color and black) as it is for new printer.
But the device itself - works great - depending on usage pattern of course - we rarely use print though.
for me the device is so easy to set up and it just works - when the ap is powered that is 
I have an HP8710.
Wireless works great (I prefer wired, though). Easy setup via CUPS or hplip. Scanning works either by SANE/XSANE (from the desktop) or to a network location (from the printer panel).
I don’t send enough faxes to bother trying to setup something like Hylafax, but I’m pretty sure that would work, too.
Like @linux-aarhus says, frakking ink is stupid expensive.
That’s always the story. Printers with cheap ink kinda suck, great printers have stupid expensive ink.
Have either of you guys tried generic refills?
No, and I’ll tell you why (this is a first-hand account):
The USG agency I retired from went with a test contract for generic toner cartridges for the HP laser jets. The one in my office went empty, and the ‘position occupier’ from IT came to change the cartridge. Well, after 2 hours, the goof finally was able to power the printer back on and printed a test page…
Damn toner started spewing out the exhaust fan. Sh*t was everywhere. Investigation finally revealed that the vendor had been obtaining defective (cracks, holes, etc) cartridge bodies, filling them and selling them.
Yeah, I know that it could happen with the HP cartridges, but (for whatever reason) I kinda trust HP QC a little more than @chewie’s refilled cartridge bazaar. 
I think I’d try one if it had high ratings on amazon, though.
4.5 stars, I have bought it twice, for a third of the price of HP toner, and have no complaints so far.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KXMKKB8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Sorry for the necro bump. I’d also like to find a printer (combination printer/fax/scanner ok) that simply works perfectly under Linux without proprietary drivers. I’ve just been burned by an HP Envy 5540 that worked for a while under Manjaro (never with the full functionality one gets under Windows) and then stopped working a few updates ago, perhaps because HP EOL’d the Linux driver for this model.
I looked at the database on Printer List | OpenPrinting - The Linux Foundation and the Ubuntu-friendly printers lists, but both seem out of date, if not abandoned. The printers on the Ubuntu list tend to be from around 2005 to 2010. The “works perfectly” printers on openprinting also seem to be generally 10, 15 or 20 years old.
Can anyone suggest a relatively current printer (i.e. one that can still be bought) ?
Man, most compatibility lists are horrible.
I’ve heard several people say that the Brother laser printers (black and white) work really well with linux, even over the network.
I’d recommend getting one at a local store so you can box it up and return it if needed