Rich Menga is PCMech's video guy, an author and part-time host of PCMech LIVE.One thing everyone complains about is the price of inkjet cartridges because they are so grossly overpriced. Some have tried refilling old cartridges (such as sticking a syringe inside and pumping ink into them) but most people know that’s a hit-or-miss method of trying to save a buck.
Are there other methods of printing available that are available for purchase now that could potentially save you money in the long run?
Absolutely.
Dot Matrix
Chances are if you’ve been around computers long enough, you’ve seen dot matrix printers in action. These printers are basically indestructible, make excellent use of ink and have proven reliability.
Do they have the same quality as Laser or InkJet? No. But you’ll smile knowing you don’t have to purchase ridiculously priced ink cartridges. The ribbons that dot matrix printers use are as cheap as 5 bucks and last a good long time!
Dot matrix printers are for those who print out a ton of stuff but don’t necessarily care about quality as long as what’s printed is easily legible. For example, if you run a small business and print out lots of things for record-keeping purposes, consider dot matrix.
Compared to yesteryear, today’s dot matrix printers are much quieter.
At the time of this writing, NewEgg currently has 40 different dot matrix printers available for sale. And yes they also sell the print ribbons, too.
LED
LED looks and acts much like laser printers do with the exception there are less moving parts inside, meaning there’s less to break. The printhead for example has absolutely no moving parts. You can get the tech scoop on how LED printers work here.
To note: LED does not have the same print quality as laser but it would appear they do not break as often as laser printers do. Reliability is key to owning any printer, and the LED offerings would appear to offer a longer-lasting printer due to its by-design simplified way of printing.
At the time of this writing, NewEgg currently has 9 LED printers available for sale.
And yes, some do have color.
Laser
Laser printing is a good technology but I give fair warning to all buyers that if you buy cheap you will get cheap. It is absolutely not worth it to buy a low-end laser printer because it will break quickly. Granted, some have experienced years of good use out of a low-end laser printer but those individuals are few and far between.
Per laser’s advantages, its largest is that it has superior print quality. Even if you only go with a monochrome printer, the quality is always excellent.
NewEgg has more laser printers compared to any other format, offering you excellent choice. At the time of this writing they currently have 316 laser printers available to choose from.
It’s suggested that you make sure how easy (or difficult) it is to get replacement toner before buying a laser printer.
What about thermal?
I don’t recommend thermal InkJet printers because they have the same issue regular InkJets do: High cost of cartridge replacement.
However, if you want to check them out anyway, at the time of this writing NewEgg offers 18 Thermal InkJet printers.
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11/3/2007 7:59 pm
I must take exception to two statement in the article about printers. The first is the warning not to use compatible cartridges. There is nothing wrong with most compatible cartridges, as PC Magazine concluded about two years ago. Even the name brands are manufactured in places like China. You are paying for the name, not necessarily the quality. I have clients who insist on only using name brand cartridges and their printers have also needed head replacements. One of them took her brand new Canon to the authorized Canon center. After the replaced her heads, they tried to print a test page but the cartridges were empty. So they replaced them - with a compatible brand! Since then, she has also been using compatibles with no problems. The printer manufacturers have not invented magical ink which never dries out and a formula which can’t be duplicated. I count among my clients schools and corporations which have used compatible cartridges for YEARS. One of my customers still have an Epson 640 about 8 years old and still chugging away. If she had been using genuine Epson, she could have bought 20 new printers for what she would have spent in ink cost.
Next, your warning about cheap lasers. I have bought numerous Samsung and Brother laser printers brand new for under $50 (after rebate). They last for about six months before they run out of toner. Then I refill the toner with bottles costing about $10 on ebay and they last for another six months. Then we discard them and buy a new $50 printer. It’s a lot cheaper than buying $300 printers and $80 toner cartridges.
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