Which Printer/Scanner/Copier???

[freedom]

If someone has a very limited need, inkjets have a tendency to dry up? Read that, any experiences? Since i print like only when needed, maybe once in a week as of now, read that ink jet could be a drain. Otherwise inclined towards HP 3050 which has a wireless option

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

If someone has a very limited need, inkjets have a tendency to dry up? Read that, any experiences?

Oh, yes, yes, and yes: it cost me a fortune in replacement print heads. Once a week might be ok, but leaving the thing unused for weeks and months is certainly not.

I've heard of people setting up a scheduled job on their PC to send at least one job a week, that uses all the print heads, to their printer to keep it alive.

That's why I bought a laser this time. It's a heavier-duty machine to use less! Contradiction? No: I expect it to still work even if I don't use it at all for a month or two. Maybe the toner cartridge might need a shake.

Of course, I can't print colour, but I don't really need to anyway.

 

[projectorguru99]

go for Canon Printer
MP558 will be a good choice with wi-fi.
Inkjet printers are meant for low use like home use. This canon printer is 1pl ink technology so its prints are outstanding. But any inkjet printer will have high running cost especially if you print lot of photos.
For dedicated photo printing you can go for canon selphy printer cp800. Good water proof prints. Laser printers are the best if your use is more. They cost more but running cost is very low. (also they are generally bulky)
for canon contact : [email protected]

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Inkjet printers are meant for low use like home use.

But they are not meant for standing unused: the ink dries up on the print heads.

 

[projectorguru99]

But they are not meant for standing unused: the ink dries up on the print heads.

You are right they need to be used at least once a week..

 

[freedom]

For my needs a laser( all in one is a must) is min about 8,500. On the other hand an inkjet is about 5,500( what i have selected) Considering ink costs about 2k a replacement, even if i get 200-250 pages, i would replace once in about 10-12 months. Not sure how much would the replacement cost be for a laser and how long at the same usage.
Economics are in favor of inkjet, unless i missed something here?

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

ok, so long as you can and do remember to print something every week, you will be ok with the inkjet, I guess.

My inkjet started out as one of the more expensive canon Pixmas. It has a separate print-head assembly, which made the cartridges a little less expensive, but I left it unattended for months, twice, and each time cost me a 4,000-plus head replacement.

Cost of purchase/ownership: a lot.

When it comes to the low-cost printers, which are, economically, loss leaders to tie people into buying the cartridges, it's a different set of figures again.

My new Brother (from Flipkart) was over 7,000. Maybe the cartridges (black only) are about 2,000, and one will probably last me a year or so. Not cheap, although actually cheaper than my previous Pixma. I spent some time before I could find a monochrome laser with my two specific requirements: automatic duplex and network (did not have to be wifi, wired, as this is, is fine; it is installed near the router) before I found this one on Flipkart.

...And, somehow, with immense concentration of willpower, I managed not to spend three or four times the amount on a full-colour, all bells and whistles, does everything machine

Life is hard for a shopoholic :lol:

 

[just4kix]

You can't win with the inkjets. If you do not print often, the ink in the tank dries up. The cartridges have chips which keep track of the manufactured date, date of installation and date of expiry. So even if the ink is not dried up (as it may happen with a larger size black ink cartridge), the printer will refuse to print because cartridge date is expired. And, if you print often, you will use up the cartridges faster anyway.

Note that the latest printers with chip-based cartridges cannot be refilled.

However, Epson has introduced printers with refillable ink cartridges very much like the CISS (Continuous Ink Supply System). The models are L100 and L200. The printers themselves cost Rs. 7000 and Rs. Rs. 9200 respectively. The genuine ink bottles, each of 70 ml, cost Rs. 350 or so - cheaper if purchased as a set.

Read here: At last a printer with refillable cartridges

 

[quad]

My new Brother (from Flipkart) was over 7,000. Maybe the cartridges (black only) are about 2,000, and one will probably last me a year or so. Not cheap, although actually cheaper than my previous Pixma. I spent some time before I could find a monochrome laser with my two specific requirements: automatic duplex and network (did not have to be wifi, wired, as this is, is fine; it is installed near the router) before I found this one on Flipkart.

Sir, which Brother model? Knowing your system config, I guess it works well on Linux.

I have had good experience with Samsung laser printer/scanner combo,
and it works great under Linux. It is really sparing used, but no issues so far.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Sir, which Brother model?

Brother HL2250-DN.

Yes, it works fine with Linux. Brother actually supply Linux drivers.

Well, almost just fine ... If you ask for two copies of a single page, it prints them both on the same sheet of paper, front and back! That is a bit silly, but I can live with pressing print twice instead of setting copies to 2. I don't know if it does the same thing from Windows.

 

[god2007]

Any suggestions for a cheap inkjet printer mainly intended for for printing pictures ( for school assignments etc) and have refillable cartridges

 

[rana_kirti]

guys,

looking to buy a Print/Scan/Copy printer with Wireless and Duplex features. it will be used very sparingly for just 10-20 prints a month. Visited a store yesterday and after reading a bit online have zeroed in on 2 options.

1. HP Deskjet 3525

2. Canon Pixma 3170

Which of the above should i go for ?

Thanks

 

[just4kix]

Neither, if you take my opinion. The inks are very costly for both of them.

I would sugget that you go for Epson L200/L210 printer.

The advantage of L200 printer is that it has ink tank system. The inks are not expensive - I checked the price on eBay - they are Rs. 400 for a 70 ml bottle. Ink tank system is a better option to the tiny (10ml) cartridges that are used with HP and Canon. The HP and Canon ink cartridges are Rs. 400 to Rs. 600 in comparison (for the small amount).

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Wow! So a major manufacturer is, at long last, breaking away from the ink-cartridge-rip-off business model?

This is very good news

 

[just4kix]

Good news? Yes and no.

Good news is that there are no cartridges involved. So there is "go-green" initiative. Cartridges unnecessarily add extra cost and they contain very little ink. Ink tank system with refill bottles will lower the cost definitely.

Bad news: The refill bottles must be from official supplier only. They have a unique code that must be entered when refilling. I do not know how it works. Manufactured supplied ink is still costly.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

OK, so ...it's a step in the right direction, at least. I'll hold the celebrations.