The Linux kernel mostly supports any printer that you can plug into a serial or parallel port, but there are things to look out for, and printers that you won't be able to use, even though they can (electrically speaking) communicate with Linux. Primary among these incompatible printers are those referred to as "Windows" or "GDI" printers. They are called this because part or all of the printer control language and the design details of the printing mechanism are not documented. Typically the vendor will provide a Windows driver and happily sell only to Windows users; this is why they are called Winprinters. In some cases the vendor also provides drivers for NT, OS/2, or other operating systems.
Many of these printers do not work with Linux. A few of them do, and some of them only work a little bit (usually because someone has reverse engineered the details needed to write a driver). See the printer support list below for details on specific printers.
A few printers are in-between. Some of NEC's models, for example, implement a simple form of the standard printer language PCL that allows PCL-speaking software to print at up to 300dpi, but only NEC knows how to get the full 600dpi out of these printers.
Note that if you already have one of these Winprinters, there are roundabout ways to get Linux to print to one, but they're rather awkward and I've never tried it myself. See Section 12 of this document for more discussion of Windows-only printers.
As for what printers do work with Linux, the best choice is to buy a printer with native PostScript support. Nearly all Unix software that produces printable output produces it in PostScript, so obviously it'd be nice to get a printer that supports PostScript directly. Unfortunately, PostScript support is scarce outside the laser printer domain, and is sometimes a costly add-on.
Unix software, and the publishing industry in general, have standardized upon Postscript as the printer control language of choice. This happened for several reasons:
Postscript arrived as part of the Apple Laserwriter, a perfect companion to the Macintosh, the system largely responsible for the desktop publishing revolution of the 80s.
Postscript programs can be run to generate output on a pixel screen, a vector screen, a fax machine, or almost any sort of printer mechanism, without the original program needing to be changed. Postscript output will look the same on any Postscript device, at least within the limits of the device's capabilities. Before the creation of PDF, people exchanged complex documents online as Postscript files. The only reason this standard didn't "stick" was because Windows machines didn't usually include a Postscript previewer, so Adobe specified hyperlinks and compression for Postscript, called the result PDF, distributed previewers for it, and invented a market for their "distiller" tools (the functionality of which is also provided by ghostscript's ps2pdf and pdf2ps programs).
Postscript is a complete programming language; you can write software to do most anything in it. This is mostly useful for defining subroutines at the start of your program to reproduce complex things over and over throughout your document, like a logo or a big "DRAFT" in the background.
Postscript is fully specified in a publically available series of books (which you can find at any good bookstore). Although Adobe invented it and provides the dominant commercial implementation, other vendors like Aladdin produce independently coded implementations as well.
Failing the (larger) budget necessary to buy a Postscript printer, you can use any printer supported by Ghostscript, the free Postscript interpreter used in lieu of actual printer Postscript support. Note that most Linux distributions can only ship a somewhat outdated version of Ghostscript due to the license. Fortunately, there is usually a prepackaged up to date Ghostscript made available in each distribution's contrib area. Please help improve the Ghostscript printer support page by reporting your successes and failures as it asks.
Adobe now has a new printer language called "PrintGear". I think it's a greatly simplified binary format language with some Postscript heritage but no Postscript compatibility. And I haven't heard of Ghostscript supporting it. But some PrintGear printers seem to support another language like PCL, and these printers will work with Linux (iff the PCL is implemented in the printer and not in a Windows driver).
If you want to buy a printer, you can look in several places to see if it will work. The cooperatively maintained Printing HOWTO printer database aims to be a comprehensive listing of the state of Linux printer support. A summary of it is below; be sure to check online for more details and information on what driver to use.
Ghostscript's printer compatibility page has a list of some working printers, as well as links to other pages.
Dejanews contains hundreds of "it works" and "it doesn't work" testimonials. Try all three, and when you're done, check that your printer is present and correct in the database, so that it will be listed properly in this document in the future.
This section is a summary of the online version. The online version includes basic specifications, notes, links to driver information, user-maintained documentation, manufacturer web pages, and so forth. The online version of this list is also interactive; people can and do add printers all the time, so be sure to check it as well. Finally, if your printer isn't listed, add it!
Note that this listing is not gospel; people sometimes add incorrect information, which I eventually weed out. Entries I have not sanity-checked are merked with an asterisk (*). Verify from Dejanews that a printer works for someone before buying it based on this list. If you can find no information in Dejanews, mail me and I'll put you in contact with the person who added the printer.
Printers here are categorized into three types:
Perfect printers work perfectly - you can print to the full ability of the printer, including color, full resolution, etc. In a few cases printers with undocumented "resolution enhancement" modes that don't work are listed as perfect; generally the difference in print quality is small enough that it isn't worth worrying about.
You can print fine, but there may be minor limitations or one sort or another in either printing or other features.
You can print, but maybe not in color, or only at a poor resolution. See the online listing's notes column for information on the limitation.
You can't print a darned thing; typically this will be due to lack of a driver and/or documentation on how to write one.
And without further ado, here is the printer compatibility list:
MD-1000, MD-1300, MD-2000, MD-4000, MD-5000.
Dot Matrix, ImageWriter*, ImageWriter LQ, LaserWriter 16/600, LaserWriter IINTX*, LaserWriter Select 360.
12/640ps, LaserWriter NT, StyleWriter 2500.
Personal Label Printer+.
Personal Label Printer.
HL-1070, HL-10V, HL-10h, HL-1260, HL-2060, HL-4Ve, HL-630*, HL-720*, HL-720*, HL-730, HL-760, HL-8*, HL-820.
HJ-400, HL-1040, HL-1050, HL-1060, HL-1240*, HL-1250, MFC 6550MC, MFC4350*.
MC-3000, MFC 7150C, MFC8300*.
HL-1030, MP-21C.
M8510.
Artisan 1023 penplotter*.
BJ-10e, BJ-20, BJ-200, BJ-330, BJ-5, BJC-210, BJC-250, BJC-4000, BJC-4100, BJC-4200, BJC-4300, BJC-4400, BJC-600, BJC-610, BJC-620*, BJC-70, BJC-800, GP335/405*, LBP-1260*, LBP-1760, LBP-4+*, LBP-4U*, LBP-8A1*, LIPS III*, LIPS-III*, bjc5000*.
BJ-300*, BJC-1000, BJC-2000, BJC-210SP*, BJC-240, BJC-4310SP*, BJC-7004*, BJC-80, LBP-4sx*.
BJC-4550*, BJC-6000, BJC-7000*, BJC-7100*, MultiPASS C2500*, MultiPASS C3500*, MultiPASS C5000*, Multipass C3000*, Multipass C5500*.
BJC-5000, BJC-5100, LBP-430, LBP-460*, LBP-660*, Multipass L6000*.
ProJet II*, ProJet IIc*.
printiva600C*.
DECWriter 500i*, DECwriter 110i*, DECwriter 520ic*, LA50*, LA75*, LA75 Plus*, LN03*, LN07*.
LJ250*, LN17.
1800*.
ASCII 250*, ASCII+*, EL40*, EL60*, LabelWriter II*, LabelWriter XL*, LabelWriter XL+*, SE250*, SE250+*, Turbo*.
9 Pin Printers high-res*, 9 Pin Printers med-res*, AP3250*, ActionLaser 1100*, LP 8000*, LQ 850*, LQ-24*, LQ-2550*, LQ-500*, LQ-570+*, LX-1050*, SQ 1170*, Stylus Color*, Stylus Color 1520, Stylus Color 400*, Stylus Color 440, Stylus Color 460*, Stylus Color 500*, Stylus Color 600*, Stylus Color 640*, Stylus Color 800*, Stylus Color 850*, Stylus Color I*, Stylus Color II*, Stylus Color IIs*, Stylus Color PRO*, Stylus Pro XL*.
EPL 5700*, Stylus 300*, Stylus Color 3000*, Stylus Color 660, Stylus Color 740*.
Stylus Color 300*, Stylus Color 900*, Stylus Photo 700*, Stylus Photo 750*, Stylus Photo EX*.
1200*, 2400*, 3400*, PrintPartner 10V*, PrintPartner 16DV*, PrintPartner 20W*, PrintPartner 8000*.
2000C*, 2500C, Color LaserJet 4500, DeskJet 1200C, DeskJet 1200C/PS, DeskJet 1600C, DeskJet 1600Cm, DeskJet 400, DeskJet 420C, DeskJet 500, DeskJet 500C*, DeskJet 510*, DeskJet 520*, DeskJet 540*, DeskJet 550C*, DeskJet 560C*, DeskJet 600*, DeskJet 610C*, DeskJet 610CL*, DeskJet 612C*, DeskJet 660C*, DeskJet 670C*, DeskJet 672C*, DeskJet 682C*, DeskJet 690C*, DeskJet 692C*, DeskJet 694C*, DeskJet 697C*, DeskJet 812C*, DeskJet 850C, DeskJet 855C*, DeskJet 890C, HP LaserJet 2P Plus*, LaserJet*, LaserJet 1100*, LaserJet 1100A*, LaserJet 2 w/PS*, LaserJet 2100M*, LaserJet 2D*, LaserJet 2P*, LaserJet 3*, LaserJet 3D*, LaserJet 3P w/PS*, LaserJet 4 Plus*, LaserJet 4050N*, LaserJet 4L*, LaserJet 4M*, LaserJet 4ML*, LaserJet 4P*, LaserJet 5*, LaserJet 5000*, LaserJet 5L*, LaserJet 5M*, LaserJet 5MP*, LaserJet 5P*, LaserJet 6*, LaserJet 6MP*, LaserJet 8000*, LaserJet 8100*, LaserJet Plus*, Mopier 320*, PaintJet*, PaintJet XL*, PaintJet XL300*.
DesignJet 650C*, Designjet 750 C Plus*, DeskJet 1100C*, DeskJet 1120C*, DeskJet 310, DeskJet 810C, DeskJet 832C*, DeskJet 870C*, DeskJet 880C*, DeskJet 882C, DeskJet 895C*, DeskJet 895Cxi*, DeskJet 970C*, DeskJet 970Cse, LaserJet 2*, LaserJet 2100*, LaserJet 6P*, OfficeJet Pro 1170Cse*.
Color LaserJet 5000, DeskJet 1000C*, DeskJet 710C*, DeskJet 712C*, DeskJet 720C*, DeskJet 722C*, DeskJet 820C*, LaserJet 6L*, OfficeJet 500*, OfficeJet 600*, OfficeJet 625*, OfficeJet Pro 1175C*, PhotoSmart P1100*.
LaserJet 3100*.
3853 JetPrinter*, 4019*, 4029 10P*, 4303 Network Color Printer*, Page Printer 3112*, ProPrinterII*.
ImPress*.
F-3300*, FS-1700+*, FS-3750*, FS-600*, FS-800*, P-2000*.
FS-3500*.
4039 10plus*, Optra Color 1200*, Optra Color 1275*, Optra Color 40, Optra Color 45, Optra E*, Optra E+*, Optra E310*, Optra Ep*, Optra K 1220*, Optra R+*, Optra S 1250*, Optra S 1855*, Valuewriter 300*.
1000, 1100*, 2070*, 3000*, 5000*, 5700, 7000*, 7200*.
1020 Business*, 2030*, Winwriter 400*, Z51*.
1020*, 2050*, 3200*, Winwriter 100*, Winwriter 150c*, Winwriter 200*, Z11*.
PagePro 6*, PagePro 6e*, PagePro 6ex*, PagePro 8*.
PagePro 8L*.
CP50 Color Printer*.
P2X*, PinWriter P6*, PinWriter P6 plus*, PinWriter P60*, PinWriter P7*, PinWriter P7 plus*, PinWriter P70*, SilentWriter LC 890*, Silentwriter2 S60P*, Silentwriter2 model 290*, SuperScript 660i*.
Silentwriter 95f*.
SuperScript 100C*, SuperScript 1260*, SuperScript 150C*, SuperScript 650C*, SuperScript 750C*, SuperScript 860*, SuperScript 870.
SuperScript 610plus*, SuperScript 660*, SuperScript 660plus*.
3165*.
OL 410e, OL 600e, OL 610e/PS, OL 800, OL 810e/PS, OL400ex, OL810ex, OL830Plus, Okipage 10e, Okipage 12i, Okipage 20DXn, Okipage 6e, Okipage 6ex, Okipage 8c, Okipage 8p.
Microline 182, OL 400w, OL 610e/S, OkiPage 4w+*, Okipage 4w, Super 6e.
Microline 192+, Okipage 6w.
Okijet 2010, Okijet 2500, Okipage 8w*.
JP350S*, JP450*, PG 306*.
1030*.
KX-P1123*, KX-P1124*, KX-P1150*, KX-P1180i*, KX-P2023*, KX-P2135*, KX-P2150*, KX-P4410, KX-P4450*, KX-P5400*, KX-P8420*, KX-P8475*, kx-p1624*.
KX-P2123*, KX-P6150*.
KX-P6500*.
KX-P6100*, KX-P6300 GDI*, KX-P8410*.
820 DL*.
2425 Turbo EX*, magicolour 2*.
ps-810*.
4081*, 4801*, 6000*, Aficio AP2000*.
Aficio 401*.
Aficio Color 2206*, Afico FX10*.
ML-5000a*, ML-6000/6100*, ML-7000/7000P/7000N*, ML-7050*, ML-85*, QL-5100A*.
ML-5050G*.
ML-85G*, SF/MSYS/MJ-4700/4800/4500C*.
SpeedJET 200*.
SLP*, SLP 120*, SLP 220*, SLP EZ30*, SLP Plus*, SLP Pro*.
AR-161*.
LC24-100*, NL-10*.
LC 90*, LC24-200*, StarJet 48*.
WinType 4000*.
MT908*.
3693d color printer, 8-bit mode*, 4693d color printer, 2-bit mode*, 4693d color printer, 4-bit mode*, 4695*, 4696*, 4697*, Phaser 780*, Phaser IISX*, Phaser PX*.
2700 XES, 3700 XES, 4045 XES, DocuPrint 4508, DocuPrint C55, DocuPrint N17, DocuPrint N32.
DocuPrint P12, DocuPrint P8e, XJ6C*.
Document Homecentre, WorkCentre 450cp*, XJ8C*.
DocuPrint P8, WorkCentre 470cx*, WorkCentre XD120f*, WorkCentre XE80.
It's a bit dificult to select a printer these days; there are many models to choose from. Here are some shopping tips:
You get what you pay for. Most printers under $200-300 will print reasonably well, but printing costs a lot per page. For some printers, it only takes one or two cartridges to add up to the cost of a new printer! Similarly, the cheapest printers won't last very long. The least expensive printers, for example, have a MTBF of about three months.
Inkjet printheads will clog irreparably over time, so the ability to replace the head somehow is a feature. Inkjet printheads are expensive, with integrated head/ink cartridges costing ten times (!) what ink-only cartridges go for, so the ability to replace the head only when needed is a feature. Epson Styluses tend to have fixed heads, and HP DeskJets tend to have heads integrated into the cartridges. Canons have three-part cartridges with independently replaceable ink tanks; I like this design. OTOH, the HP cartridges aren't enormously more expensive, and HP makes a better overall line; Canon is often the third choice from the print quality standpoint. You can't win.
Laser printers consume a drum and toner. The cheapest designs include toner and drum together in a big cartridge; these designs cost the most to run. The best designs for large volume take plain toner powder or at least separate toner cartridges and drums.
The best color photograph output is from continuous tone printers like the Alps series (thermal transfer of dry ink or dye sublimation). A few of the Alps units are actually affordable, but they have poor Linux support (the one report I have speaks of banding and grainy pictures). The more common photo-specialized inkjets usually feature 6 color CMYKcm printing or even a 7 color CMYKcmy process; only models with Postscript support work with Linux, since Ghostscript doesn't seem to support 6 and 7 color printing. Good CMYK output is nothing to sneeze at, though. All photo-specialized printers are expensive to run; either you always run out of blue and have to replace the whole cartridge, or the individual color refills for your high-end photo printer cost an arm and a leg. Special papers cost a bundle, too. See also the section on printing photographs later in this document, and the sections on color tuning in Ghostscript.
Speed is proportional to processing power, bandwidth, and generally printer cost. The fastest printers will be networked postscript printers with powerful internal processors. Consumer-grade printers will depend partly on Ghostscript's rendering speed, which you can affect by having a reasonably well-powered machine; full pages of color, in particular, can consume large amounts of host memory.
If you want to print on multicopy forms, then you need an impact printer; many companies still make dot matrix printers, most of which emulate traditional Epson models and thus work fine.
There are two supported lines of label printer; look for the Dymo-Costar and the Seiko SLP models. Other models may or may not work. Avery also makes various sizes of stick-on labels in 8.5x11 format that you can run through a regular printer.
Big drafting formats are usually supported these days by monster inkjets; HP is a popular choice. Mid-sized (11x17) inkjets are also commonly used for smaller prints. Much plotting of this sort is done with the languages RTL, HP-GL, and HP-GL/2, all of which are simple HP proprietary vector languages usually generated directly by application software.
I own an HP Deskjet 500 and a Lexmark Optra 40. Both work perfectly: the Deskjet is an older monochrome model, well-supported by Ghostscript; and the Optra is a more modern color inkjet with full Postscript and PCL 5 support (!).
I also own a Hawking Technology 10/100 Ethernet print server (model 7117, actually made by Zero One Technologies in Taiwan); this makes it possible to put the printer anywhere with power and a network jack, instead of just near a computer. It's a little dongle that attaches to the printer's parallel port and has an Ethernet jack on the other side. The only flaw with this is that it doesn't allow bidirectional communication, so I can't arrange to be sent email when the ink is low.