I have a similar printer being an HP990Cse that I do like although the
paper handling is not great. I also have a Canon IP4000 printer. The
current offering is the Canon IP4300 and that is even better with longer
lasting ink.
Here is the difference. The Canon (current model has been as low as
$59.95 after rebate on sale at Frys) has both a top sheet feeder and a
cassette. I use the cassette for standard paper and the sheet feeder
for photos and envelopes. It also has duplex printing. The printer
comes with 5 individual carts so you only replace what is needed. I pay
around $9.00 a cart but the new ink costs about $11.00 a cart.
The HP has a better draft mode and the normal print mode is very
slightly better on plain paper but it would be difficult to see the
difference. The Canon is faster. Printing odds sizes and envelopes is
far better on the Canon.
If I had to choose just one of the two printers it would be Canon.
(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> I have an HP printer, probably bought in 2001 or so. I think it's a
> 940c. It's been a nice printer, but I am about to need to replace
> both the black and the tricolor cartridges and realize I could
> probably get a new printer for just a bit more than those cartridges
> would cost.
>
> What would be some good printers to look at? My issues would be:
>
> - low cost, especially for ink and supplies, but also for the printer
> itself
> - reliable (never have had a problem with whatever the HP printer was
> that we have)
> - pretty small footprint in all dimensions
> - decent quality and speed (any speed would improve on what we have
> right now
>
> We're a pretty paperless household, so don't print much. Mainly
> school reports, a lot more black ink than color. We never print
> photos on the printer.
>
>