I tried a cheap panasonic once. What a piece of crap it was.

I would not get a cheap panasonic or any other type with ribbon transfer or inkjet technology. Spend a few bucks (around $200) for a b&w laser fax. Brother makes excellent products. If you spend $200 or so, the thing will last you virtually forever with light to moderate use.

I have a voice mail/fax/etc service. It doesn't do anything when you need to fax something from the house that isn't scanned in to the computer. But I do use the fax service number for all incoming faxes, and then, if necessary, print them on my old HP4P b&w laser printer which is another one of those things that's lasted forever. (And no, I don't think HP makes them like that anymore.) It's probably 11 - 12 years old already.

-David