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| Thread ID: 40522 | 2003-12-10 05:34:00 | which printer | Trev O (452) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 199091 | 2003-12-13 02:45:00 | It's the consumables which are the greatest cost over life of the printer. I've tried several makes/models of printer. Remember CEO of HP saying "we don't make money off the printers, but we are in the business of selling cartridges" I've always tried to get printers with available refills. Cheapest cartridges are Epson - which has separate Piezo head; next cheapest are Canon, with a separate head; and lastly & dearest are HP with a new head each new cartridge. If you get recent Epson remember that some have a "chip" in the cartridge which counts down, and then even if refilled, will refuse to print. There's a neat little bit of software avaliable ( look on Google)which fools the Epson spool manager into thinking that the "countdown chip" has not completed the countdown. Canon's are OK but watch out if the head dries out. Most later HP Printers have a "software toolbox" which you need to disable (use the Windows Generic Printer Driver) otherwiose if you refill the cartridges the warning keeps popping up forever., to keep you annoyed. I've refilled HP cartridges sometime ten or eleven times, but never actually run them dry, or the little heaters in the head burn out. (Canon cartridges a;also burn out, if run dry) I'm still running Epson Printer bought 13 years ago, refilled cartridges over 50 times, and still going well. Epsons if run dry, clog up, and then need a new EPSON cartridge to get going again, as those "flush" the head, when new cartridge is installed. Refills are the way to go. Remember the expensive brand name cartridge ink is probably made in the same ink factory as the ink in the cheaper refills. It's known as the "Gilette" principle of sales: Sell your razor extremely cheaply, and you have a blade customer for life. And for those who remember the good old days when National Carbide (Eveready NZ) would almost give away a torch, so they would have another in use - which was useless without batteries. |
Cavity Overdrive (4981) | ||
| 199092 | 2003-12-13 07:55:00 | >Most later HP Printers have a "software toolbox" which you need to disable. Go here (www.alotofthings.com) to learn how to reset them. It involves covering a couple of contacts inserting into printer, taking out again and doing the same with another couple of contacts |
mikebartnz (21) | ||
| 199093 | 2003-12-13 09:07:00 | Go with Canon, they make good, solid, reliable printers and the refill costs are less than the likes of HP, Lexmark etc but it's still the refills/new cartridges that bite you in the bottom. Here's a terrific example of that: I got given a new HP Deskjet 3325 which cost just on $102.00 from Ascent Technology (a great online tech/PC seller in NZ!) and I just had to replace both the B/W & colour cartridges. For new cartridges it was going to cost me $91.00 and $60.00 for refilling!! For the cost of new cartridges I could basically buy the same printer brand new again! How ridiculous is that!! |
Chemical Ali (118) | ||
| 199094 | 2003-12-13 19:59:00 | That's exactly what I came to Chemical... I asked my wife to get a black cartridge in town, and she came back $80 lighter!! I took it back and got a refund. And here I am, in the market for another one. I think the printer specs should include things like how much ink it comes with and how many pages it's likely to last for and how much dithering about it'll do before it prints anything So, I'm ready to try a Canon, and I may be able to work with not letting the print heads dry out (thanks Cavity) |
Trev O (452) | ||
| 199095 | 2003-12-13 23:05:00 | Go to http://www.consumer.org.nz Computers & Phones / Computer-peripherals / Printers / Print Perfect Date 21 Aug 2003 Cost you $15 or $20 to get the full details, suggest would be a good investment. Your local Library may have a copy of the Consumer Magazine that includes this report. |
FrankS (257) | ||
| 199096 | 2003-12-14 00:24:00 | After doing the same sums, I found the Canon S330 ideal - colour prints are very good - ink costs are about the lowest, but even guenuine carts are cheap. Warehouse stocks generic as well, and my only gripe is the "clanking & clonking" on turn on. Good features like Auto turn on/off and ink level monitor, allthough this errs on the safe size. I tend to ignore it, untill the print fades a bit. Comes with good software, in the form of "Easy Print" Bye |
Peter H (220) | ||
| 199097 | 2003-12-14 07:33:00 | I do get the consumer mag frank, but as I've temporary lost it I'll have to just guess the recomendations. I kind of half remembering that there were only about 15 printers in the test and most of them $200 +. Also it's out of date now so I'm not hunting for it very aggressively! Thanks for the positive relevent input peter It looks as though (if no-one says it sucks or I'd be better off doing something else!) I've (you've all) made my mind up Thanks all Trev |
Trev O (452) | ||
| 199098 | 2003-12-14 08:08:00 | Yeah Peter H -- I've got a Canon S400 and the amount of whirring and clanking on startup seems rather excessive and prolonged! But it is better value than others when it comes to replacement cartridges etc. |
Chemical Ali (118) | ||
| 199099 | 2003-12-14 08:31:00 | Trev, the recommendations in that consummer rated the Canon i850 printer tops. At the time I had the Canon i320 printer, which gave very good photo print results. Sure it was noisy & clanked. Cart costs were reasonable. So I also got the Canon i850. It's even better. very quiet & slightly better photo print quality. Cart costs with separate ink tanks even cheaper. The one you are considering may be similar. I can highly recommend the Canon printers, after the experience with HP's expensive cart costs. Also, as Peter says, the Canon 'EasyPrint' software that comes with the printer is excellent, with very many options for quality & print sizes. |
Bazza (407) | ||
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