UK: cheap laser printer for printing on both sides

[shore pot]

I'm not looking for duplexing, only printing on one side, turning the
paper over and then satisfactorily printing on the ther side.
My defunct samsung laser printer used to mangle the paper if I tried
to print on the back of a previously printed sheet, but I found that
if I put the paper back in upside down and set it to print upside down
(180% turn) I got brilliant results.
So I'm in the market for another small cheap printer. Another Samsung
would be fine but I would like to find out about the competition. Can
somebody please tell me:
1) Do other printers mangle the paper when you try to print on the
back?
2) Do other printers have a 'print upside-down' facility to fall back
on?
3) Do newer Samsungs still mangle the paper?
4) Do newer Samsungs still have a 'print upside-down' facility?
Specifically say, the HP 1022 - does it easily print on the back, does
it have a 'print upside-down' facility? Any other recommendations?
Thanks all
shorepot

 

[shore pot]

Oh and I also want a setting that economises on toner - do the HP
printers have that?
thanks
shore pot

 

[DaveG]

Oh and I also want a setting that economises on toner - do the HP
printers have that?

It's normally called Economode on HPs

 

[DaveG]

1) Do other printers mangle the paper when you try to print on the
back?

That's a sign of the wrong paper or a fuser running too hot.

It may not always be obvious unless you know what to look for but paper
intended for laser or photocopier printing can be either single sided or
double sided. Single sided usually has a higher moisture content and
curls more on printing which can cause jamming or creasing if put back
through the print process the other way up. Likewise, if the paper is
stored open in a humid environment it can absorb moisture and cause the
same effect.

An overly hot fuser can cause the same effect by drying out one side more
than the other as it passes through.

 

[shore pot]

Thanks for that info. I'm using Xerox Laserprint paper. Is that one-
sided?

 

[DaveG]

Thanks for that info. I'm using Xerox Laserprint paper. Is that one-
sided?

No idea

Normally, single-sides paper has an arrow on the end of the packaging
pointing to the printable side. If there's no arrow or there is some info
specifying it for duplex use then it should be ok, but I do see some cheap
"no name" paper which is not marked for single/double sided but which
consistently fails with double sided use.

I should add that single sided paper only has a "finish" on one side too
so using the other side may result in lower quality printing or toner not
adhering properly (can't say I've noticed, but that's the "official" line

 

[Phred]

No idea

Normally, single-sides paper has an arrow on the end of the packaging
pointing to the printable side. If there's no arrow or there is some info
specifying it for duplex use then it should be ok, but I do see some cheap
"no name" paper which is not marked for single/double sided but which
consistently fails with double sided use.

I'm not sure about printers, but all the office laser photocopiers
I've met [even $20,000 Fuji-Xerox] tell you to put the paper in the
"right way up" and all the laser copier paper I've met tells you on
the wrapper which side to print first.

I'm led to believe this "one sidedness" is due to the inherent curve
in all such paper because it is cut off a *roll*. The effect of
printing [copying] on it will either counter or amplify that inbuilt
tendency to curl. In the latter case, you get jams.

Of course, the other major consideration is to keep the damn stuff
*dry*. If it gets too moist it will curl due to heat drying one side
irrespective of the latent tendency.

I should add that single sided paper only has a "finish" on one side too
so using the other side may result in lower quality printing or toner not
adhering properly (can't say I've noticed, but that's the "official" line

I guess that's possible, but even the $4/ream stuff here in Oz seems
to work great on both sides -- though *brand* can make a difference,
with the "green" recycled papers notoriously prone to jamming,
especially in high volume production runs.

Cheers, Phred.