Why no cheap colour laser printers with fax?

[Peter.H.M.Brooks]

I'm finding this very odd. I can get a multi-function B&W laser
printer, that is, with fax capability quite cheaply.

However, even though a colour laser printer is about the same price as
a multi-function printer, a colour printer with a fax is about ten
times the price.

Does any manufacturer do a low-cost colour laser printer with fax? If
not, what peculiar marketing decision led to this situation?

I think that the best option looks like having the fax run on the
server, but I just find it strange.

It is good, on a positive note, that it is now possible to get
affordable printers where you don't have to buy ink at prices that
would make a loan-shark blush.

 

[zakezuke]

I'm finding this very odd. I can get a multi-function B&W laser
printer, that is, with fax capability quite cheaply.

However, even though a colour laser printer is about the same price as
a multi-function printer, a colour printer with a fax is about ten
times the price.

Does any manufacturer do a low-cost colour laser printer with fax? If
not, what peculiar marketing decision led to this situation?

Probally because there isn't really a market for it. When you think
about it, while there "are" standards for color fax, fax is a B&W
standard. For your average SOHO... B&W laser is just fine for fax.
For anyone larger, ecconomicly speaking investing in stand alone copier
with network and fax makes sense. Using inkjets at 3 to 5p/page for
black and white does not. 5000 copies a year, not a big deal. 50,000
makes you wonder, 500,000 well plunk out the bucks.

I rarely use fax... PDF to e-mail, or even a grey scale jpg or gif does
the trick.

Inkjet is another story. There is a home and SOHO market for color
inkjet all in one units with fax, though here too you discover the fax
versions cost a tad more than the non-fax. But you have the fact photo
printing is really inkjet's bag, and the fact that it's too much bother
and effort to make true blue black/white equilivents, not when you're
going to be shelling out an extra $40 per color refill. Inkjets do
tend to spend ink just to keep the nozzles clear, which means you're
going them a good deal of money a year... sure they'll sell you it.
But lasers don't waste as much, and are happy to sit and not spend a
drop of toner.

This all being said, the only unit that comes to mind is the canon
MF8170c, but that was released two years ago. Current model is MF8180C
and i'm sure could be had for under 800 quid, not that I would want a 4
pass color laser, not that i'd want inbound faxes going to a unit
getting wear and tear which I plopped down 800 quid for. I'm a cheap
bastard, the printer I want planet earth to use is going to be a cheap
but good work horse. But if your space is so limited you can only have
one unit, and pc faxing isn't an option... here you go. Space costs
more than printers.