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Recomend me a printer
roadrunner - 6/3/13 at 12:50 PM

As title.

My HP packed up last night after 8 years service, and just when I needed it the most.

I need an all in one, good value for money as it wont get used much.

Thanks in advance

Brad.


designer - 6/3/13 at 01:03 PM

I just bought an Epson XP-202 all in one.

It's small, has individual inks and it's wifi (easily set up).

Good machine.


Xtreme Kermit - 6/3/13 at 01:08 PM

It's a year or two since I bought my Kodak all in one, but I'm still pleased with it.

At the time, the ink costs were the lowest around. It now costs around 20 squid for a refill of both cartridges.


madmandegge - 6/3/13 at 01:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by designer
I just bought an Epson XP-202 all in one.

It's small, has individual inks and it's wifi (easily set up).

Good machine.


+1 for any cheap Epson really - if I was buying I'd get it from a retailer with a decent returns policy (e.g. Amazon) in case you need to use the 12 month warranty. Epson inks are cheap, especially when buying compatibles rather than official cartridges.


roadrunner - 6/3/13 at 01:58 PM

Possible daft question, but do they come with ink cartridges.


designer - 6/3/13 at 02:15 PM

quote:

do they come with ink cartridges



Yes, they might not be 'full'.

Amazon sell these refills very cheap.


mcerd1 - 6/3/13 at 02:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Xtreme Kermit
It's a year or two since I bought my Kodak all in one, but I'm still pleased with it.

At the time, the ink costs were the lowest around. It now costs around 20 squid for a refill of both cartridges.


^^ one of my mate got one of them too - he recons the cartridges are cheap but last about 5 min each on decent quality settings (i.e. they are cheap because there isn't much in them....)


balidey - 6/3/13 at 03:10 PM

From my experience, the actual cost of the ink carts is not the main issue. Its more to do with how long they last between prints.
For example, I had a Lexmark with really cheap inks. But unless you used it a couple of times a week then they dried up and were scrap.
Where as my HP had more expensive ink, but you could leave it for a month and it would still print well.

But I have since moved to a cheap Dell colour laser printer. Only used occasionally, non-OEM refills seem to be OK so far and it has no problem being left for months. I think it was a Dell 1250c and was £50 from Tesco. Refills are about £10 ish from ebay.

[Edited on 6/3/13 by balidey]


britishtrident - 6/3/13 at 04:03 PM

With ink jets HP is the only name to go for, yes the ink cartridge is more expensive but they don't give any trouble until there are worked to death.

If an HP printer takes XP suffix cartridges they work out a lot cheaper than the standard ones.


MikeRJ - 6/3/13 at 05:23 PM

HP used to be synonymous with quality, but they have fallen a long way from their glory days


snapper - 6/3/13 at 07:44 PM

Just been to Focus on Imaging
Have used Epson for years professionally
They were by far the best there and affiliate with Fuji
For me Epson and individual inks


Hellfire - 6/3/13 at 07:59 PM

Any of the all-in-one Canon Pixma range for me. They usually come with full ink cartridges (which are almost as expensive/cheap as the printer) When the ink cartridge is empty, sell the 'almost new' printer on e-bay for slightly less than what you paid and buy the newest latest model. They're not too expensive and you get to keep up with the advances in modern technology...........

Phil


craig1410 - 6/3/13 at 08:17 PM

Another vote for the Canon Pixma (I've got an MP560 with scanner which I bought a couple of years ago). Really nicely built machine and works very well.

The other thing I would recommend to anyone buying a printer just now is to try to get one that is AirPrint compatible. AirPrint is the protocol which Apple mobile devices (iPhone, iPad etc.) use to print to any compatible printer without requiring any printer drivers or other hassles. If you don't currently have any iOS devices then obviously don't go out of your way to secure a printer with this feature but there are a wide range of printers, especially HP printers, which have this as standard now and it might come in very handy. It really is very convenient to be able to print from your iPad or iPhone rather than having to power up the PC/Mac first.

Details here for HP: www.hp.com/uk/airprint/

and Canon: http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/standard_display/AirPrint

and Apple (has a full list of compatible printers here):
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4356

Cheers,
Craig.

[Edited on 6/3/2013 by craig1410]


Hellfire - 6/3/13 at 08:44 PM

Just to add - For Canon printers you can download the Canon Easy-PhotoPrint app for IOS devices. Just downloaded it on my iPhone and printed a photo over wifi within seconds of downloading the app.

Phil


JoelP - 6/3/13 at 08:58 PM

i got an HP from sainsburys for £40 (not all in one, whatever that means...), i was amazed how fast and quiet it is, and i havent had to change any ink yet. I dont print much mind, maybe 5 pages a week.


roadrunner - 11/3/13 at 12:58 PM

Thanks for the advice fellas.
I got an Epson xp-202 delivered for £44 through Amazon.

I have got it up and running now, and I have a small issue with printing photos . The ink seems to be reacting on the photo glossy paper.
Is it because the paper is 8 years old.

Brad.


Slimy38 - 11/3/13 at 01:38 PM

quote:
Originally posted by roadrunner
I have got it up and running now, and I have a small issue with printing photos . The ink seems to be reacting on the photo glossy paper.
Is it because the paper is 8 years old.

Brad.


I've had something similar, turned out to be a settings issue. If I set the printer to print on photo glossy, it was like it was using too much ink and the result would be messy to say the least. If I dropped it to 'high quality paper' or 'matte photo' it worked so much better.


mcerd1 - 11/3/13 at 02:33 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
quote:
Originally posted by roadrunner
I have got it up and running now, and I have a small issue with printing photos . The ink seems to be reacting on the photo glossy paper.
Is it because the paper is 8 years old.

Brad.


I've had something similar, turned out to be a settings issue. If I set the printer to print on photo glossy, it was like it was using too much ink and the result would be messy to say the least. If I dropped it to 'high quality paper' or 'matte photo' it worked so much better.


same with my mum's one (a slightly older epson model) - the top quality photo setting are just too much for ordinary glossy paper (they wan't you to buy their branded expencive stuff)

as above try it on the slightly lower settings
or try without the 'high speed' printing option (if its got one in the advanced settings) - this sometimes works if you leave the paper to dry for a while before you use it


Confused but excited. - 11/3/13 at 02:57 PM

I'm still using an old Epson R300 and it works like a dream.
I can't hear it printing if the tele is on. Ink is cheap as chips (the last I bought was £2/colour) if you don't buy OEM stuff. Print quality is still sh1t hot and it even does DVD labels.
You can pick them up on the bay for about £50/60. Which for a 6/7 year old printer, shows you how good they are.
Not an all in one but a separate scanner is no hardship.
Epson for me all the way.


ReMan - 11/3/13 at 03:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by craig1410
Another vote for the Canon Pixma (I've got an MP560 with scanner which I bought a couple of years ago). Really nicely built machine and works very well.

The other thing I would recommend to anyone buying a printer just now is to try to get one that is AirPrint compatible. AirPrint is the protocol which Apple mobile devices (iPhone, iPad etc.) use to print to any compatible printer without requiring any printer drivers or other hassles. If you don't currently have any iOS devices then obviously don't go out of your way to secure a printer with this feature but there are a wide range of printers, especially HP printers, which have this as standard now and it might come in very handy. It really is very convenient to be able to print from your iPad or iPhone rather than having to power up the PC/Mac first.

Details here for HP: www.hp.com/uk/airprint/

and Canon: http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/standard_display/AirPrint

and Apple (has a full list of compatible printers here):
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4356

Cheers,
Craig.

[Edited on 6/3/2013 by craig1410]

+3