If You Own One Of These 7 Vintage Printers STOP Looking For An Upgrade

This video ranks seven vintage laser printers from HP and Brother, released between 1987 and 2010, that are still functioning decades after their original launch, and explains why they outlast most printers sold today. The video argues that laser printers built before the 2010s remain reliable because they use toner instead of ink, which does not dry out or clog during long idle periods. It counts down from number seven to number one, giving each printer's release date, original retail price, core specifications, and owner reports of long-term use pulled from eBay reviews, forum threads, and tech publications. It also covers why modern printer makers have shifted toward subscription models and how that shift compares to the older, simpler design of these machines. What's covered in this video: The countdown opens by citing Consumer Reports survey data on inkjet ink-replacement complaints and a comment from former Consumer Reports writer Thomas Germain on why laser printers are the better long-term value. Number seven covers the Brother HL-2240 and HL-2270DW, released around 2010 at $119.99 and $150, including their separate toner-and-drum design and The Verge editor Nilay Patel's repeated public recommendation of Brother laser printers. Number six covers the HP LaserJet 1020 and 1022, launched in 2005 at $179.95, including TechRadar's "workhorse" review and a 2026 eBay listing showing refurbished units still selling for roughly $200. Number five covers the HP LaserJet 1200, 1300, and 1320 series from the early 2000s, including the 1200's $399 launch price, its Motorola ColdFire processor, and owner reports of 15-plus years of use. Number four covers the HP LaserJet 4000, 4050, and 4100 series from 1997 to 2003, including a Hacker News account of a unit surviving five house moves and HP CEO Enrique Lores' January 2024 CNBC Squawk Box comments about turning printing into a subscription business, along with security researchers' skepticism of his cartridge-virus claim. Number three covers the HP LaserJet 4L, reviewed by the Baltimore Sun in 1993 at an $849 list price, including its single-button control panel and IDC analyst Marco Boer's comments on its design. Number two covers the original HP LaserJet 2 from 1987, priced at $2,695 and built on Canon's SX print engine, along with its smaller sibling the LaserJet 2P, the first laser printer to sell under $1,000. Number one covers the HP LaserJet 4 and 4 Plus from 1992, including their Canon EX print engine, their status as HP's first 600-dpi printer, and multiple reports of individual units printing past one million pages, including one cited by a University of Arizona telescope observatory web page. The video closes by connecting HP's current Instant Ink subscription model and Epson's waste-ink counter system to the broader shift toward planned obsolescence in the printer industry. Mentioned in this video: Brother HL-2240, Brother HL-2270DW, HP LaserJet 1020, HP LaserJet 1022, HP LaserJet 1200, HP LaserJet 1300, HP LaserJet 1320, HP LaserJet 4000, HP LaserJet 4050, HP LaserJet 4100, HP LaserJet 4L, HP LaserJet 2, HP LaserJet 2P, HP LaserJet 4, HP LaserJet 4 Plus, HP LaserJet 4M, HP LaserJet 5, Consumer Reports, Thomas Germain, PCWorld, Best Buy, The Verge, Nilay Patel, TechRadar, eBay, Neoseeker, Hacker News, AnandTech, The Register, Hewlett-Packard, Canon, Canon PX engine, Canon SX engine, Canon EX engine, Enrique Lores, CNBC Squawk Box, Steve Bellovin, Columbia University, Graham Sutherland, HP Instant Ink, Epson, Baltimore Sun, Marco Boer, IDC, University of Arizona, Wikipedia, Kodak, Motorola ColdFire processor, planned obsolescence. #VintagePrinters #HPLaserJet #Printers For any questions or inquiries, please contact us at : printworthcontact@gmail.com © PrintWorth 2026