Recommend me a printer

24-07-2005, 16:29

Hello people, the title should really explain what I need - I'm wondering if anybody could recommend me a good printer. I only print text for college essays and coursework etc, and never print pictures or use colour - and I am also looking for economy. I don't like keep having to change inkjet cartridges, or refilling them or if necessary then as rarely as possible. Any ideas?

marky · 24-07-2005, 16:32

scan in bolton are doing cheap epson printers http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=123363

Gareth · 24-07-2005, 16:32

I use an Epson Stylus Photo RX420, but this would be overkill for your needs, as it has a built-in scanner/photocopier. Ink cartridges are good value for money, much better than the Lexmark we replaced.

marky · 24-07-2005, 16:38

the likes of dell lexmark and h/p are mega expensive for cartriges
i have 3 at home and never bought new ones just replaced the printer

nffc · 24-07-2005, 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gareth

I use an Epson Stylus Photo RX420, but this would be overkill for your needs, as it has a built-in scanner/photocopier. Ink cartridges are good value for money, much better than the Lexmark we replaced.

Do Epson print heads still get clogged then? I prefer HP/Lexmark cos they have new heads in the carts.

Lord Nikon · 24-07-2005, 16:41

The most important factor in any printer no matter what you need it for is the TCO - Total Cost of Ownership

HP Printers are usually cheap and of high quality, but the ink costs are very high with every cart containing a new print head.
Lasers are now cheap also, including color lasers, but again toner is expensive, although it won't run if it gets wet.

The cheapest printers I have found are the epsons, something like a Epson Stylus R200 sounds like it would be ideal for you, though I would suggest you look for something called a "Continuous Ink Feed" Conversion for it, essentially, for about Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£60 you add a special set of carts (Cartridges, though I would HEAVILY advise you to use some cartridge flush on the printer to clear any residual ink from the print heads first) which have a set of pipes coming from them to some ink bottles housed outside the printer, this reduces your ink costs by about 60-70% giving you a MUCH lower TCO overall, plus you can start to use colour in your work cheaply, as well as print direct to CD or DVD on that model of printer.

handyman · 24-07-2005, 16:41

What about a laser printer?

This one seems cheap enough, better than and inkjet for economy.

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=90377

Angua · 24-07-2005, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by markymoan

the likes of dell lexmark and h/p are mega expensive for cartriges
i have 3 at home and never bought new ones just replaced the printer

Spot on there, I have found once I have spent as much on the replacement ink as I did on the printer they generally go belly up anyway. If all you are doing is B&W the generic ink is a good as anything else.

24-07-2005, 17:12

Thanks everyone, I'll have a look at the suggested printers and might get a laser one

KingPhoenix · 24-07-2005, 17:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc

Do Epson print heads still get clogged then? I prefer HP/Lexmark cos they have new heads in the carts.

At work.....

I have found this depends on usage,

Our digital department uses there inket printer about 20-30 times a day... and has no problems at all...

Our reception, who prints in colour once a blue moon, has to clean her head using the built in application every time she prints...

But i guess this would be the same regardless of HP (new head everytime) or Epson (decent quality head to last the printer life)

nffc · 24-07-2005, 18:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingPhoenix

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc

Do Epson print heads still get clogged then? I prefer HP/Lexmark cos they have new heads in the carts.

At work.....

I have found this depends on usage,

Our digital department uses there inket printer about 20-30 times a day... and has no problems at all...

Our reception, who prints in colour once a blue moon, has to clean her head using the built in application every time she prints...

But i guess this would be the same regardless of HP (new head everytime) or Epson (decent quality head to last the printer life)

That's not what I've found. We have a new HP MFD thingie now but before that we had an Epson which is now consigned to the dump... even after cleaning repeatedly it still wouldn't print properly because the print heads were so clogged up. Not had a problem with my cheap lexmark or even the 14 y/o HP that's still usable...

needless to say, i shall not get another epson.

greencreeper · 24-07-2005, 20:17

Lexmark, Epson and Brother - all rubbish. I've always bought HP. I hear good things about Kyocera laser printers - not sure of the price though.

**Rob** · 24-07-2005, 20:23

Bottom line is the consumables, make sure the cartiridges (ink or toner) is readily available. If your runing off something urgent and big, your cartridge gets eaten up, you want to beable to get a replacement in your local high street.

Have a look at cartridge sizes too. Some printersv allow you to save money by having two capacity cartridges, if use is low and infrequent, ask inkjets can dry out a little the smaller cartridges can be a better option.

nffc · 24-07-2005, 20:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by greencreeper

Lexmark, Epson and Brother - all rubbish. I've always bought HP. I hear good things about Kyocera laser printers - not sure of the price though.

I do have to admit my Lexmark has its drawbacks- mainly its speed- but it was Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£25.

And I'd still have it over an Epson, even an expensive one. I'll get an HP one soon, when i can afford one. They really do pwn.

greencreeper · 24-07-2005, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob C

Have a look at cartridge sizes too. Some printersv allow you to save money by having two capacity cartridges, if use is low and infrequent, ask inkjets can dry out a little the smaller cartridges can be a better option.

Yes - always buy the large capacity black cartridges, but avoid large size colour ones. The money you save buying one large (as oppose to two small) cartridges, is lost in wasted ink. Better still - buy a printer with separate colour cartridges.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc

I do have to admit my Lexmark has its drawbacks- mainly its speed- but it was Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£25.

And I'd still have it over an Epson, even an expensive one. I'll get an HP one soon, when i can afford one. They really do pwn.

Indeed - my mum has a Lexmark and not only is it painfully slow, but it doesn't feed paper or skews the paper on feeding. Always has. Terrible thing. But cheap - get what you pay for

I've owned two HP printers - an old 520, which I still have and still works, and my current one, a 970CXi, which works great despite getting a CD jammed in it a while back. Doesn't work with parallel though - one of the faults with that model printer. Some do work, some don't. You can get an entry level HP printer these days for around Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£50, or less.

What's this pwn I keep seeing?