My scanner

 Actually a multifunction machine.

Here's the story; or my opinion:

Years ago, I was going into places like Walmart and Riteaid, frequently, to have my old family photos copied.  Finally, I asked an employee at a Riteaid what the scanner inside the box was.  I knew there was a scanner in there.  She, of course, didn't know.  So, I talked her into opening the box so we could find out what it was.  I knew it wasn't some magical thing, but a scanner that I might be able to buy somewhere.

It was an Epson.  I don't remember the model; it doesn't really matter at this point.  I looked it up online and, lo and behold, it could be purchased as a multi-functional printer, scanner, fax machine.  And, I bought one.  

My current printer is an Epson Workforce model.  I never use the fax; it isn't even set up.

The fact is, like automobiles, if you buy almost any of the major brands of multi-function machine:  Epson, Canon, HP, etc. - I wouldn't buy Brother - you should be able to get a good printer/scanner to do most of what most of us want to do.  I have had bad experiences with HP and Panasonic hardware so I won't recommend them.  Brother was originally a sewing machine manufacturer; printers are not sewing machines and Brother sewing machines were not highly rated at that.  These are all the major brands.

I can confidently recommend Epson and Canon.  You would probably be Ok with HP, I may have just had a few bad experiences and it was a while ago.  I recommend staying away from any machine with moving parts obviously made of plastic.

You can now buy a good (now called all-in-one printer) for under $200.  

If you're in the market for a printer, I suggest that you make a list of all the features you want:  wireless connection, wireless printing, able to print photos, color printing (if it can print color, it can print in black and white), will hold an entire ream of paper (100 sheets), can print on both sides, can collate (put pages in order), can print last page first so the pages stack and page 1 ends up on top. Can print on legal-sized paper and will hold legal-sized (8.5" x 14") paper.  Can automatically feed pages into the printer.  Most of these features are now standard on modern printers.  Compare costs of the printer and the ink cartridges.  Read reviews of real users, not reviews on the manufacturers' web sites.  Do they tell you how long the cartridges last?  Mine last a long time but I print mostly in black on white, even photo printing is "gray scale" which is black ink; but I print a lot.  Epson has a high yield, oversized black cartridge so I suspect that most others have also.  I do occasionally print in color.

I don't recommend refill cartridges but I haven't tried any in over a decade.  My experience in the past wasn't good.

All machines that have moving parts have possibilities for problems.  These manufacturers should work for you for a long time.  I haven't replaced my printer in years.  At some point I will have to because my printer drivers will no longer be compatible with my computer.  You may feel comfortable buying an extended warrantee when you buy a printer of any kind; I don't currently have one.  Printers are the weakest part of computing in my experience; they give you the most trouble although I can't say I have much trouble; the scanner software that came with mine is a little Hinky but I manage.

Most stores that sell printers can help you with answering questions and in making a final choice but don't let them sell you a no-name anything.

That's it....