Need printer suggestions

12 years ago

I've been using HP printers since the beginning of time, but the last four I've bought are pieces of cr*p! After the umpteenth time of being called in to charge us 85.00 to tell us he can't find parts, can't fix the machine and/or he recommends replacement, our printer guy left a note on my desk "PLEASE consider Canon,Brother or Epson this time"

So, I need a couple of Inkjet color, printer/copier/scanners for the office. Preferably that just use two ink cartridges (the printers we have now use 5 and they are expensive as heck!). It also needs to have a place (port?) to insert those little discs from digital cameras.

Recommendations please?

Comments (13)

DA_Mccoy
12 years ago
Just as a question to start, in your office setting are you using commercial quality printers or home/office?

DA
owbist
12 years ago
If your current printer costs $85 to fix then it was not a cheap printer to start with so DA's question is very valid.

Using 5 ink cartridges over 2 gives a far superior quality output.

You might select 3 or 4 models and Google each but add problems after each enquiry to bring the complaints pages nearer the top of the choices.

Ink is expensive, no way out of that. If you print numerous copies of individual colour pages consider using Staples or similar print shop locations
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I always believe good sellers are on Craigslist, the local paper or even ebay (locally) if they are - men over 30 who are in business like insurance or accounting and don't smoke. They , in my experience, offer good deals on computers and printers. Because they upgrade they got their value from the product and sell it , because they want a new one. If the old one is broken they usually give or throw it away. In my experience if there is a product I like then I try to buy another, used in good condition, because I know it, have suppliers, might have tips on how to make it work better, and might have supplies for it. I believe in staying with what works. If anything electronic still works well after a few years it's going to keep working well if it's clean and hasn't been taken apart by someone playing with it. Although I would clean the dust and replace the fans or be aware that I might have to replace them because their bearings do fail unless they're ball bearing (rare). Good luck.
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The November 2008 issue of Consumer Reports rated six all-in-one printers. The top four were all Canon Pixma models, the fifth was an Epson, and the sixth was a HP. Actually, all six performed rather well. The first Canon, as well as the Epson and the HP, had fax capabilities. #2 Canon Pixma MP970 list price $300 #3 Canon Pixma MP610 list price $180 #4 Canon Pixma MP520 list price $150. I have a really old Canon color printer (SD530D), but since I rarely have a need for color, it's just sitting here just in case. Since it was also rather slow, I got a Brother laser to do my printing. Hope this helps a bit. Holler if you need more info from the CR article.
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I have owned three Epsons and while they were superior to the print output of an HP I was able to try at home, I too noticed the ink dries quickly in them if you don't print often. I also found they were not very intuitive setting up for printing on 4"x6" photo paper. That may have changed/improved since I used my Epson (7+ years ago) but I still want to avoid one because of the ink issue. I'm going to do some comparisons with Canon and HP printers today and make a decision soon I hope. I am in the process of (re)starting my own home-based design business again. I had it for eight years before accepting an offer I couldn't refuse from a high tech company 7 years ago. I left them in September 2012 and wanted to get my travel to Southeast Asia out of the way before I got serious about going back to work.
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I have 4 all-in-one printers (and 2 laser printers)--all HP, and I love them all. If I were in the market for an all-in-one for under $100, I would probably get an HP Photosmart C4480-- $99.99. It is like one that I got almost 2 years ago, and absolutely love. The "photosmart" means there are slots for camera photo cards. A wonderful feature! Here's the link to the write-up about it. If you have any questions, just holler. Here is a link that might be useful: HP Photosmart C4480
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angelaid
Original Author
12 years ago
Home/office printers. This is the first printer I've had with five ink cartridges (HP Photosmart) and the color print quality is far worse than any of the other printers we've had in here.
DA_Mccoy
12 years ago
OK! Now what is a fair estimate of your daily printing use? Text and non-text (color)? Have you been using manufacture's ink cartridges or after market?

If your demand is excessive of a home/office model you may have to go to a commercial line. Our office printer can be fairly estimated at a minimum of 200 B&W copies a day. A H/O would never survive long term

DA
angelaid
Original Author
12 years ago
Always new (not refilled) manufacturer ink cartridges. I go through a ream of paper every 7 to 10 days - so, maybe, 50 to 70 sheets a day? I don't need to print color very often, two or three times a month I may need to print photographs from a disc a client brings in ...
owbist
12 years ago
Using that much paper with more black I think you might be wise to consider 2 printers. A laser printer for the black only and a much lesser light for the coloured stuff. Remember as a business you get to write the printers off as an expense.

I do not know the figures for the USA but I suspect it is high enough that the whole printer purchase can be written off in the same year.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
12 years ago
I went with a color multi function laser printer this time from Brother, that may be something to consider, the toner last much longer than ink cartridges. Most offices use laser for that reason. The one I got is rated for business or home and it does everything, scan, copy, fax, print color and black and white.
Brother MFC-9120CN Digital Color All-in-One Printer
that is the one I got, they put it on sale there quite often and I got it on sale and saved almost $100.
I checked user reviews on that model all over the place and it really has good reviews.

Prior to that one all had been HP ink multi use printers
angelaid
Original Author
12 years ago
Raven - will it print envelopes? 3x5 photos? Does it have the port thingy to insert discs from digital cameras?
DA_Mccoy
12 years ago
In a strictly office environment I too would recommend a laser. I can't point you in a direction as I use inkjet at home. However, all the printers at work are commercial quality HP.

DA
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
12 years ago
it will print envelopes and it also will print on the back of pages I think that is called duplex? I would assume it would print photos the same as an inkjet would, I have a dedicated photo printer so have not tried. I guess you mean does it have a memory card slot? You know I have not even looked for one. I always put my memory cards into my reader hooked to my pc and then print my stuff from there, my other printers all had the slots and I never ever used them.

these pages have some more detailed info about the one I have. I will get my book out and see what else it does.

Brother MFC-9120CN Digital Color All-in-One Printer w/ Fax & Networking

MFC-9120CN
here at the brother site you can download or view the manual for it.
angelaid
Original Author
12 years ago
Okey dokey - just ordered it. And a memory card reader. Thank you!!! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
12 years ago
hope you like it I know we do.
sofaspud
12 years ago
This is an interesting thread as printers are like razors. The base unit doesn't cost much, but you get raked over the coals to buy replacement cartridges. I've got a couple of people here that swear by HP inkjets both from a standpoint of quality and ink consumption, so I found it highly enlightening that they now seem to have come down in quality. I have had nothing but Canon at home, currently a 4 in 1 that we love, but Canon's also don't last forever, even when using only OEM cartridges, and the cartridges seem to run out quickly, and they cost a fortune. I had told myself to buy HP the next time the printer craps out, but now I'm not so sure.

I hope you have a good experience with the Brother. I'm always looking for viable alternatives in this space.

Need printer suggestions

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