Suggestion for an all-in-one color laser printer?

[Shurikane]

I currently own an Epson CX6600 multifunction printer. It used to work great, but my habits have changed and I feel they no longer correspond to what ink printers offer - as of now, my printing sessions are few and far in-between, but when I do print, it's usually 50+ pages of text and images. With the Epson, the ink has more than enough time to clog and dry, forcing me to perform a nozzle clean everytime I want to print. Another point of infuriation is the fact that the printer refuses to even attempt to print if it feels it's low on ink - as per Murphy's Law, it always happens when I need something printed fast and now and don't care about white streaks on the page.

So, I'm turning to the realm of laser printing. I know it's more expensive, but I feel that at least, there won't be consequences to long idle periods between printing aside from giving the carts an occasional shake. I also want to keep the ability to print in color, and the scanner component, which I use quite often.

Now for the question: I have no clue where to begin when it comes to looking for a laser printer, and I don't want to end up with a lemon outside of my own knowledge. I want to be extra-careful in my purchase since I'll be buying something that'll need to last a while to be worth its cost. As it stands now, the usual printer websites advertise several all-in-one color laser printers but the differences between them seem nonexistant. I'm at a point where I don't discriminate between brands anymore (I find them all equally bad!) All I want is something that's reliable and will print pictures with a decent quality to it.

Any suggestions?

[ptjeff1]

Actually lasers are cheaper than inkjets when you figure in the cost of toner vs ink. If you are looking for a B&W laser printer, it's hard to go wrong with an HP Laserjet 4000. If you need a color laserjet you will be spending a considerable amount of money for good quality. Generally the all-in-one printers have a much cheaper build quality than stand-alone printers.

[Shurikane]

Perhaps with a bigger desk, I could have accomodated a separate scanner and printer, but let's just say that my workspace is quite crowded already (http://www.shurikane.com/b/lulz.jpg).

I don't mind the expense that much - I know I'll be spending quite a few hundred on this one, but if it can net me an all-in-one that'll remain faithful, then I'm happy. I'm willing to fork over more cash if it means the device won't give me headaches later on.