Buying a printer, don't want to get conned on expensive ink cartridges

Don Tomasino

Hey guys,

I need a printer. All I need it for is printing decent quality colour pictures.

Can anyone recommend a good affordable model that has well priced ink cartridges?

I don't want to go off to argos and buy some random one and then find out the cartridges I have to keep buying for it are really expensive.

On that note actually, are there any good alternatives to just buying the cartridges routinely? I've heard of places that refill them etc. Is this worth it?

Thanks!

pacquiao

Kodak had an add on telly saying they have the cheapest ink for there printers.
I think they said 12 euro for colour and less for black.
I've no idea on the model, but i would assume it's brand new.

norbert64

Epson machine here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056362264

Mind you, I have seen this malarkey suggested from time to time.
http://www.continuousink.com/

You basically have 4 fancy ink cartridges that are fed from an external fuel tanker of sorts, lol. :P

Chet T16

As mentioned, the kodaks are good. We have an ESP 3250 which was around 125 but i think they can be had for 100 now.

Ink is 25 euro for the two cartridges, 15 for colour and 10 for black. You can buy packs of both for cheaper too.

Big Lar

To tell you the truth, I reckon you should go with the Kodak, In my experience pictures dont come out so hot with re manufactured/refilled cartridges.

run_Forrest_run

I'm also in the market for a printer (for light home usage, nothing major) and I read somewhere that the Kodak ones that are heavily advertised to have much cheaper ink costs actually go though the stuff a lot faster compared to other makes.

Some of the Kodak printers are getting bad reviews on Amazon too.

In terms of getting re-fill kits or cheaper compatible inks are most brands supported?

I was looking at an Epson Printer: this one here.

Has anyone had any experience with Epson printers?

JDxtra

In my opinion, getting your prints done online (e.g. Photobox) is much less hassle and you don't have to buy/maintain your own device, buy paper, cut them to size, deal with lots of spoils etc.

run_Forrest_run

JDxtra wrote: »

In my opinion, getting your prints done online (e.g. Photobox) is much less hassle and you don't have to buy/maintain your own device, buy paper, cut them to size, deal with lots of spoils etc.

very good point. I was also thinking the same. When I want photos printed I will just use some online service.
So the printer I'm looking for will be for printing out the odd boarding pass and the odd document/email/timetable.

I see Tesco have a Canon printer on offer, I'm not sure which model it is but does anyone know any more on this?

dilallio

If you are printing a lot of colour, you are better off choosing a printer with 4 cartridges (Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) rather than 2 (Black & Colour).

Printers with 2 cartridges have 1 colour cartridge which is divided into 3 sections (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow). If one of these colours gets depleted which it will if you print a lot of one particular colour, you will need to change the whole cartridge, even though the other 2 containers could be full.

The downside of this is you will need to purchase 4 cartridges initially which will cost more, but in the longer term you will save more.

trad

I have a Kodak and yes the ink is cheap. then the print head goes. Only available from Kodak at 50 euro.

Your better off going to Harvey Normans and get your prints done there. Cheap and good don't come together when buying printers.

I bought a HP Laserjet 4250 off adverts.ie for 140 euro and even though a toner cartridge is about a hundred euro, I reck it will be worth it, that in about 8,000 pages or so more.

yoyo

My Epson printer takes 6 inks, I can now pick up a full set for €6! I would reccomend an Epson but make sure you can get compatibles for that model, look at the likes of Just Media, Inkjet. I think you can get cheap Canon compatibles as well.
From what I gather with the Kodaks the inks are cheap but don't last too long, well that used to be the case, a bit of a "false economy" saving

Nick

Don Tomasino

Well I was going to go for one of the Kodaks but I don't know now.

Guys I'm just using it for the odd document like a CV or what have you, and some pictures which I'd only need in medium quality, nothing I'll be framing and putting on the wall! Photobox etc. isn't any use because it's not instant like a home printer, and when I'm doing college projects I'll need stuff printed there and then.

So can someone PLEASE recommend me a printer I can get in Dublin/Wicklow that's under €100 and has reasonably priced ink. It doesn't have to be super cheap, I just don't want to get ripped off.

Thanks!

thecommander

Don Tomasino wrote: »

So can someone PLEASE recommend me a printer I can get in Dublin/Wicklow that's under €100 and has reasonably priced ink. It doesn't have to be super cheap, I just don't want to get ripped off.

You don't think under €100 for a printer is super cheap already?

yoyo

Don Tomasino wrote: »

Well I was going to go for one of the Kodaks but I don't know now.

Guys I'm just using it for the odd document like a CV or what have you, and some pictures which I'd only need in medium quality, nothing I'll be framing and putting on the wall! Photobox etc. isn't any use because it's not instant like a home printer, and when I'm doing college projects I'll need stuff printed there and then.

So can someone PLEASE recommend me a printer I can get in Dublin/Wicklow that's under €100 and has reasonably priced ink. It doesn't have to be super cheap, I just don't want to get ripped off.

Thanks!

You can get a basic Epson printer for €25 in argos Here. You can get a full set of compatibles for €14 here or €3.75 a cartidge!
If you want a wireless printer with Scanning/copying capabilities, This ones a bit more expensive but works with above linked cartridges!

Nick

mlumley

+1 on that. Canon do great cheap printers, get refills on line.

Don Tomasino

thecommander wrote: »

You don't think under €100 for a printer is super cheap already?

Was talking about the ink.

Thanks for reply yoyo, those cheap refills will do the job just fine I think!

run_Forrest_run

I was looking at the Epson SX218 myself.