Board logo

Wanted - printer recommendations
Jasper - 16/9/08 at 02:18 PM

I need a printer for the daughters computer. Needs to be a combo printer scanner, but most importantly I need to be able to by cheap aftermarket cartridges for it.

I have one of those Canon MP printers, and whilst it is an excellent machine, it will not accept anything but genuine Canon cartridges which are a fortune.

Any thoughts?

graememk - 16/9/08 at 02:28 PM

go to asda get a epson genuine inks are less than £7

Jasper - 16/9/08 at 02:45 PM

No asda near me ... any model in particular and I can order online.

splitrivet - 16/9/08 at 03:45 PM

Computer shops sell round here sell 3 black and 3 colour cartridges for Epson for 20 squids. In saying that Ive never had an Epson printer thats lasted more than 2 years.
Plus they have built in obsolescence which can be got round but is a pain in the bum.
Cheers,
Bob

andylancaster3000 - 16/9/08 at 03:51 PM

I have a canon too, an IP2000. I've had no problem with it and am very happy with it. This series of printers also uses the Canon cartridges that are literally only an ink pot and therefore dirt cheap. I tend to by in bulk, 8-10 at a time from eBay for about a tenner for the lot inc. postage. ( http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8-PRINTER-INK-CARTRIDGES-FOR-CANON-ip2000-i475D-mp390-1_W0QQitemZ350097650514QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item350097650514&_trkparms= 72%3A12|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ebayphotohosting )

So my suggestion would be to find a printer that takes these or similar!

Edit: Noticed you're after a scanner built in. I think there are also some in the series that takes those cartridges that are also have a scanner.
My teachers always told me to read things properly before answering hastily, maybe they were right....

Cheers
Andy

[Edited on 16/9/08 by andylancaster3000]

jabs - 16/9/08 at 03:55 PM

I use an Epson C64, get my cartridges from ebay less than 2 quid each. I have had absolutely no problems with these cheapo cartridges. I use my printer for work so gets used a fair bit

martyn_16v - 16/9/08 at 05:02 PM

Got to be an HP, they are miles better than any of the competition at the lower end of the market. The cheaper Epsons/Lexmark etc are all flimsy plastic crap, none of them will last more than a year.

I've got an old C5180 that's been going for years, it's fairly heavily used, and never had an issue with it. Refilled cartridges can be had for good money, or you can convert them to use bigger pots. Never seen an Epson last more than three ink changes before going in the landfill (well, apart from an SP7600 that cost thousands)...

britishtrident - 16/9/08 at 06:10 PM

HP is the only 99.9999999% reliable inkjet --- I have seen to many problems with Cannon and Epson injets. Lexmark tend to be very reliable but a lot slower than HP an at the same price.

Cannon make great laser printers and Epson great dot matrix but for ink jets it has to be HP --

Having said all that I have a lot of respect for Brother printers.

[Edited on 16/9/08 by britishtrident]

MikeLR - 16/9/08 at 07:21 PM

A set of generic cartridges x6(set) for Epson stylus photo r200 cost me today£16.99, Epson own £46.99 per set on internet !
Had this printer for circa 4years with no problems.
Mike

Delinquent - 16/9/08 at 07:33 PM

whilst HP are without doubt the best printers at the lower end of the market, the drivers that come on the CD can cause no end of problems - it installs so much rubbish it's ridiculous. I've had to repair several computers that have gone boobs up as a direct result of the accompanying software.

Jasper - 17/9/08 at 04:47 PM

All sorted, got a v cheap Epson, my daughter will trash it anyway, if it lasts a year I'll be happy....

David Jenkins - 17/9/08 at 07:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Delinquent
whilst HP are without doubt the best printers at the lower end of the market, the drivers that come on the CD can cause no end of problems - it installs so much rubbish it's ridiculous. I've had to repair several computers that have gone boobs up as a direct result of the accompanying software.


I'll agree whole-heartedly with that - I have a HP printer that's really good, and the only printer I could find at a sensible price that I could plug into my home wired network.

HP's Linux software is exactly what's needed - it does the job very well - no more, no less.

The software for my Windoze boxes is vast, unnecessary and almost entirely bloat-ware. If I try to uninstall any of it, it takes the driver away as well! Fortunately I hardly use those boxes, so I've learnt to live with it.

I've seen this with other HP software (I used to have a scanner and a slide scanner). It's aimed at the absolute novice user, with no way for a knowledgeable user to load minimal drivers and tools.

britishtrident - 19/9/08 at 10:51 AM

I just looked at the page count on our HP PSC2575 networked printer now at 39,475 pages ! --- it jammed for the first time last month. when it gets to 50,00 pages I'll retire it.

liam.mccaffrey - 20/9/08 at 03:36 PM

I have a an old HP deskjet 540 which is going on for 17 years old and it has never complained

can you not just download the bare driver file from the hp website. you used to be able to