Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Best inkjet in terms of cheaper inks and reliability

  • 26-03-2009 2:39pm
    #1
    iplogger1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 277 ✭✭


    I know this is a six-million dollar question but....

    I am considering replacing my broken Canon Pixma multifunction inkjet with
    something else. I am considering purchasing a mono laser (eg, Samsung) for
    my heavier printing use/documents,etc. If I buy a mono laser I am going to
    need to buy something cheap, cheerful and reliable as a color printer so that
    the kids can print off the odd colour print job, eg birthday cards, school
    project stuff. They're just in national school so it doesn't have to be too
    fancy.

    I get mixed advice about which brand of printer has the best value cartridges.
    I was told in Galway last week that Epson cartridges and refills are probably
    cheapest.

    Any advice ? The Canon let me down and I think the ink costs with Canon
    are high.


Comments

  • #2
    alansweeney100
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 263 ✭✭alansweeney100


    I wouldn't let the cost of cartriges bother me when purchasing a inkjet printer. You can buy the replica/compatible ink cartridges off ebay and numerous other websites on the cheap, this area is very competitive and the cartridges are for nothing when compared to what the manufacturers charge for the official ones.
    Have a browse on dabs.ie for a printer that suits you and post again here before buying.
    My last two printers have been Epson & I've never had any problems with them.


  • #3
    milltown
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭milltown


    I'll put my cards on the table straight off. I work for HP. Not in sales or any sort of retail capacity though.

    Generally speaking, the less you spend on the printer itself, the more you'll be paying for ink per page.

    If you buy a €69.99 printer it might come with cartridges in it but they'll only have a dribble of ink in them so you can verify the printer is working when you hook it up, and then get maybe a few dozen pages printed. When you come to replace the cartridges, the ones you will need will be physically identical to others in the range and will be a couple of euro cheaper but contain very little ink. The higher capacity cartridges will not work in your printer, it will tell you the wrong cartridge is installed.

    If you buy a €169.99 printer though, it will come with cartridges in it and they will likely be closer to retail capacity, so you will get a few months out of your printer before you need to spend any more money on it. Choose wisely and you will have bought a printer with at least four seperate cartridges so you only need to replace the one that's empty, not bin the colour cartridge because the yellow ran out.

    Spend a bit of time doing your homework. Spend an hour or more in your local PC World walking from printer to cartridge stand, getting a feel for which printers take which pens, how much ink the pens hold, and how much they cost.

    I bought a Photosmart all-in-one printer/scanner/copier in PC World a few months ago. It was discounted as an "open box" item. All the cables, discs and plugs were present but the pens and paper sample pack were missing. I had to buy the ink but the printer was almost €100 off rrp and cost me €120. It takes five seperate HP363 pens, which are €10 each online for genuine and half that for spurious.

    You are already conscious of the costs but don't presume that lowest cost is always cheapest in the long run. I'd reasonably expect a printer to give me at least four years service. Back to the price examples I gave you, the far superior printer will be €25 per year more expensive. Balance that out with how much you think you'll be spending on ink and the fact that only the spent colour needs to be replaced.

    I realise I've been pimping HP, but hopefully I've given some general advice too. My only other inkjet experience was with Epson years ago. Things have probably changed but I couldn't believe they were charging me IR£30 for a plastic box of ink for a £100 printer. There was literally no technology in the cartridge. HP pens were similarly priced at the time but the HP one had the print head on the pen. Basically, all the nozzles were replaced along with the ink cartridge. The same nozzles remained in the Epson printer for it's life, meaning regular ink wasting sessions to clean and calibrate the nozzles.


Advertisement