choosing a right printer?

[sam21]

hello,
i am searching for a printer that is pretty fast but inexpensive,I keep seing these HP or Lexmark printer that costs between$50-80.Are these fine?I will use the printer for documents and barely any graphics,my budget is $80

[K A Hall]

The HP and Lexmarks for that price and for what you want to do with it should work fine. Here (http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=47386) is a deal on one of them with free shipping.

[ssahl]

I have been using a Lexmark Z32 Ink Jet printer for a while now with no problems. For the price you cant beat it, & you dont lose out in quality either. Dont spend any more then $90 on a printer unless your going to be printing checks or need a laser printer. The only drawback on ink jet printers is that most of them run out of ink pretty fast. If you get one I would get a ink refill kit too.

[sam21]

I've read that HP's are better because everytime you change the cartridge you also ghange the head. Is this true?Does this appies to all HP printers?

[morriswindgate]

Yes, the print heads are part of the HP cartridge. Also HP has some of the biggest cartridges out there, as such they las longer.
I just purchased two 845C printers from the site below that were $77.00 including shipping and california state tax. Color of the printer is HP Gray.

http://www2.compu-america.com/prodLG.jsp?prodId=ec6eca7fa2.57

[TwoRails]

Hi sam21,

I go with HP. I've tried Cannon and Epsons but my HPs have always been very reliable with an excellent output. Little tihngs, like the Cannon I tried about a year or so ago was so noisey, I thought it was broke! It wasn't; I was just used to my quite HPs.

Also, they are very good for price per page to operate. From reviews I 've read, the Lexmark is at the other end of the spectrum and is pricey per page.

HTH

TwoRails

[ssahl]

No matter what it just plane sucks to have to spend more money on a couple cartridge replacements then what you paid for the whole printer that came with the same two cartridges in it. I have never actually figured out the actual cost to print up one page. I do know that as far as ink jets go it's not good to go long periods of time without using them, I always try and print up a page or two at least once or twice a week. I still dont hardly ever find the need to clean the print heads, my personal opinion is that all that does is waste ink.

[Lord Prism]

ITA about the cost of replacement catridges. I still buy them though because I have concerns that Ink Refill kits will do a dis-service to my printer
- is there any validity to this fear?

We have the HP845C and it's a GREAT VALUE. It's fast, quiet, and does VERY well on text AND graphics.

Don't know about the Lexmark.

Good Luck,

[TwoRails]

I understand you concern, Lord Prism, as I have the same one. Years ago replacement ink wasn't too hot, but I'm sure they're a lot better now.

For stuff you not going to keep, like maybe school papers, or reports, checkbook printout, and the like, anything will do. But, for the stuff someone wants to keep, I'd still go with the manufacturer's stuff.

Personally, I buy HP cartridges for my HP printers. No worries, no mess, no hassels, etc...

TwoRails

[GaryRouth]

Hi Sam, & all:

With an $80 budget any printer you get will be wonderful. Don't worry. Just get one you like (try it out at your local computer store to see if it's too ugly, too loud, too big, etc.)

I'll put in a good word for the Epsons, too. The C60 and C80 models are on sale these days (newer models coming soon), and I've always appreciated the clarity of text on the Epsons. Flexible too: if you might want to print on photo paper now & then, the C80 prints drop-dead gorgeous photos for very reasonable cost (so do the HPs, which I also recommend). The C80 was $200 not so long ago. . . I've seen it recently for as low as $80. One nice thing about the Epsons is that they give you all the cartridges you need there in the box (unlike LexMarks, which often come with only the color cartridge, and you have to buy the black separately . . . adding $$$ to the total purchase cost - though LexMark makes some nice printers too).
. . . Gary

[fc3646]

I'll plug the Epsons also. I have had my Stylus 600 for over 3 years now. I have never had any trouble with it. I even buy those 4.95 and 7.95 ink cartridges off eBay for it. :D

[TwoRails]

That is a major point of research that sam21, or anyone should do before buying a printer, and that is check out the refill prices. Unfortunately, many don't. Then learn only after the fact that in six months, they've spent more on cartridges than they did on the printer itself.

I guess, if budget allows, who cares?? I just hate seeing people on a budget have to pay more for ink than someone who bought a printer that cost 3 times as much...

TwoRails

[Lord Prism]

So does anybody know of any research which indicates how damaging or NOT refill kits are on a printer?

[TwoRails]

I've only skimmed articles about refilling in general, and never "noticed" anything alarming. However, I'd would take a serioius WAG that refilling cartridges that have their own print heads, like HP would present the least risk:

If the ink has more suspended solids, or solids of a higher micron size, then I'd imaging that eventually the nozzles / jets could clog. If a HP cartridge clogs, you just buy another. With a Cannon, or other printers with the nozzles / jets built into the printer, then it would be a more expensive fix.

I guess (again) that this could also be true if any of the refill inks have anything that could gum up or otherwise clog the nozzles /jets.

:D
TwoRails

[CaptTuna]

You say you will be printing documents. If you will be printing a lot of them it will be cheaper in the long haul to get a cheap laser printer. An older model Xerox can be found for around $150.

[Tuf]

I agree with that. I am about inkjeted out. I am rapidly growing to hate all inkjet printers. Some of them work well enough. But cost of consumables is way out of line.

[glc]

If you are printing documents and don't need color capability, get a refurbished HP laser. Any of the old ones would do a great job with low consumables cost and high reliability. Just stay away from the ones that load paper from the top, they have a history of paper feed problems.

[mountaineer]

Epson is my choice. Exellent quality, a little slow. I have a Photo Stylus 780. Makes photos like a professional. Dont use low quality paper or ink though. Quality will suffer drastically.

[Alfie]

Saw a compaq printer at bestbuys(floor model) they wanted $20.00 it's the same model as a Lexmark,checked out the ink cost and for the black and color cartridges it totaled nearly $60.00
Printer $20.00 ink $60.00 No thanks!
Epson and Canon have the least expensive cartridges,Hp's last a long time,but are costly.
My Epson crapped out,but may get another(have a bunch of ink)
The Epson c40ux is selling at an affordable price.
If you live near a Bestbuy check out their open box inventory sometimes you can find great buys.

[Michael]

I use my old Epson 600 color stylus almost exclusively for photo printing (digital camera), and have used generic cartridges for almost 4 years with excellent results. I just printed out 40--4x6 prints and took them to work to pass around. The comments were more than flattering and focused mostly on the brilliant colors. To achieve enhanced color rendering I bump eveything up x 15% (all colors, saturation and contrast, but leave brightness alone) I use Pictorico glossy photo paper and color cartridges bought off ebay @ a whopping $14(including shipping) for 5 color, and, 12 B&W for $25 (free shipping). That's a total of 17 cartridges for $39!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2053406178&rd=1


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2050706542&rd=1


I also tried out a Cannon S300, Epson C-80, Epson 740, but decided the old work horse 600 was good enough for now.

[Gilo]

I've resently bought a Lexmark Z55 and I was amazed at this printer. Its not that quiet, but it gives you a lot printing with that small ink cartridge. I use quick mode because of the high quality and it save a lot of ink. It may sound pricy but I think for home use it great. There cartridges aren't that expensive.
Just a thought.

[TwoRails]

Hi Gilo,

If you like it and are happy, then that's all that matters !!

:D

TwoRails

[sam21]

okay guys,thanks for your help but the garage sale world has saved me once again...I bought two HP's a 600c and 694c deskjets,now what would be a good place to buy cartridges,internet or local store would do great...

thanks in advance

[glc]

I buy my cartridges at Sam's Club in 2-packs.

[TwoRails]

HI sam21,

The cheapest place locally for me to buy ink at is Costco. If you have them in your area, check them out!

TwoRails