Buying advice - cheap-to-use printer

[Michael Johnson, PE]

It depends on what you mean by "low cost". I know lasermonks.com
carries a quite a few makes of "compatible" color toner. the prices
are not super stellar but not horrid.

I'm sure the price will get more reasonable for toner carts but for
occasional, home use I think inkjets with cheap compatible cartridges
are a better choice. It seems that the color laser folks are using the
same marketing model as inkjet manufacturers. That is sell you a cheap
printer and then rape your wallet on cartridge purchases.

 

[Tony]

My mistake. I've been unable to print even B/W text with my HP Deskjet
940c for some time, and because the warning light is blinking I assumed
it meant that the problem was an empty color cartridge. But now that I
look more closely I see the arrow is aligned with the indicator that
suggests some other kind of trouble, not just an empty cart. Now I
have to figure out what that trouble might be...

OK if you open the top cover and the arrow on the carriage points to a symbol
that is not a smiley face, that symbol will tell you what is wrong.
The frown symbol with one picture means the black cartridge is faulty or
incorrectly installed, the frown symbol with three pictures points to the
colour cartridge.
The other symbols indicate low ink for each cartrdige.
Tony

 

[A.K.]

I'm still left wondering which decent, relatively inexpensive inkjet
printers (a) have aftermarket cartridges available, and (b) are still
easy to find. It's easy to find examples of models for which (a) OR
(b) is true, but not both.

 

[measekite]

the canon ip4200 is the best value for an inexpensive inkjet. you do
want to use canon ink carts to achieve the best quality for the ink is
designed for the printer by the engineers who desgined the printer and
it is consistent and you know what you are getting. the same ink can be
purchased all over. yes the ink is somewhat more expensive but it will
not clog your printer like non factory ink eventually will.

only if you are a very heavy print users is their a chance you can
benefit from the generic inks that are inconsistent and mostly poor
quality. also the relabelers who sell it will not tell you want it is.

 

[measekite]

I'm sure the price will get more reasonable for toner carts but for
occasional, home use I think inkjets with cheap compatible cartridges
are a better choice.

that is a good choice if you like to purchase printheads on a frequent
basis. look at www.pcworld.com for tales of horrible experiences with
generic ink.

 

[measekite]

I suggest keeping your i860 since it uses cheap BCI-6 cartridges. For
the last year I have used cartridges from here:
http://www.tylermartin.com/Canon Rainbow Bundles.htm

this company goes by a number of names and has multiple sites selling
the same thing (they will not tell you what) at different prices on
multiple websites. they think that is fair.

 

[zakezuke]

I'm still left wondering which decent, relatively inexpensive inkjet

printers (a) have aftermarket cartridges available, and (b) are still
easy to find. It's easy to find examples of models for which (a) OR
(b) is true, but not both

Briniging aftermarket cartridges into the picture changes things a
little. The ip4200/5200 simply don't have any "yet". Your only option
for cheap ink is manual refilling on this model, which can be done but
you loose your ability to meter. I'm not empty yet so I can't report
on this issue. The issue is the chips, they have not been duplicated
yet, nor is there a resetter "yet".

In this regard, epson and HP business jet is better. While chiped
there are resetters for the chips, and there are aftermarket cartridges
with duplicate chips. While a business jet taking the #10 and #11 (#13
lower capasity) will cost you $200, you "can" get aftermarket
cartridges for it at about... i'd say $15 per tank... or $60 per set.
Perhaps less, perhaps $10ish. Double the volume and over tripple the
yield of a canon ip4000, which was the old reccomended printer for
compatable cartridges.

Epson's incost is more reasonable... you can get a c84 or r200 for
about $59 (referb) from the epson store... a price that's less than the
ink it comes with. But these are not so good for users who don't print
often as they tend to clog. They are so cheap though they are quite
disposable. There are at least compatables for them but in all
fairness they waste more ink than Canon or HP.

You can buy the canon now and take the gamble that there will be
compatables later, or learn to manually refill.

You can shell out $200 for the hp business jet which while a pretty
penny "does" is damn reasonable for OEM ink and has compatables for it.
Not a bad investment at all, does an ok job with photos esp since
it's not officaly a photo printer, it's more of a flyer/document
printer.

You can shell out squat for a referb epson which is covered by a year
warranty which will give you free ink if it fails and gets replaced.

You can shell out a $400+ for a color laser which doesn't care how long
you wait between prints.

There is also phaser, but these tend to be higher cost than lasers.

 

[measekite]

Many thanks. Very helpful.
On your last point, though, my current HP (several years old) doesn't
allow B/W printing if the color cart. is empty.

mine does

 

[Burt]

I'm still left wondering which decent, relatively inexpensive inkjet
printers (a) have aftermarket cartridges available, and (b) are still
easy to find. It's easy to find examples of models for which (a) OR
(b) is true, but not both.

I just googled the ip4000 and ip5000. Unbelievable prices for the few that
are still available! Through Amazon, Adorama has the ip6000 for $99, but I
don't know the availability. The next lowest price was $150. This is a six
color photo printer that isn't quite as good as the i960 that came before
it, but it is still a decent printer and it takes the bci-6 carts. The best
deal, by far, is the i9900 which is now discounted at under $400, but this
was the upper end of the Canon consumer line. To go for an inexpensive
printer in the canon line and use inexpensive aftermarket inks you would do
well to buy the ip4200 and learn to refill your carts. Really easy and not
messy after you learn to do it. This route gets you into a printer for
under $100 and really cheap inks. You just have to put up with the dire
messages that the printer sends you and consider that the pleasure of using
cheap consumables comes with a risk of Canon possibly not honoring your
warranty should you have a problem in the first year. According to US law,
they can not withhold the warranty for using aftermarket inks unless they
can prove that these products caused the printer to fail, but the printer
memory will record that you ran the printer with empty carts, even though
you refilled them. presently there is no way to reset the cart chip as has
been done with Epson chipped carts to let the printer know that it now has a
full cart.

 

[Michael Johnson, PE]

I'm still left wondering which decent, relatively inexpensive inkjet
printers (a) have aftermarket cartridges available, and (b) are still
easy to find. It's easy to find examples of models for which (a) OR
(b) is true, but not both.

You can still buy a Canon iP3000 very cheap on ebay and mail order the
carts from the Tyler Martin link I gave earlier. It doesn't get much
cheaper or easier, IMO. This is a current link to an ebay listing for
an iP3000: http://tinyurl.com/nghbn

Here is one for Tyler Martin's page for BCI-6 compatible cartridges:
http://www.tylermartin.com/Canon Rainbow Bundles.htm

 

[zakezuke]

You can still buy a Canon iP3000 very cheap on ebay and mail order the

carts from the Tyler Martin link I gave earlier. It doesn't get much
cheaper or easier, IMO.

I was pretty pleased with my ip3000 for the past year. I upgraded
simply because the ip5200 was onsale for $110 ($120 shipped). But...
the ip3000 would technicaly be a downgrade from the i860, it's a 4 tank
model not 5, so if the i860 is still in service I would just use it,
even if it requires either a new head or ink waste pad replacement...
it's sort of worth it. The only thing the ip3000 has over the i860 is
dual trays and the option for Cd printing, same with the ip4000.

A.K.. you asked "I'm still left wondering which decent, relatively
inexpensive inkjet
printers (a) have aftermarket cartridges available, and (b) are still
easy to find." and you already own it. I forgot about this when
talking about some of the other options. The i860 is a "NICE" printer
with the option of aftermarket ink or manual refilling with ease
without the glitch of the loss of the meter of newer models. A new
head will run you $60 to $80 if you need it. You can keep that printer
in service a good long while.

 

[Lou]

I'm sure the price will get more reasonable for toner carts but for
occasional, home use I think inkjets with cheap compatible cartridges
are a better choice. It seems that the color laser folks are using the
same marketing model as inkjet manufacturers. That is sell you a cheap
printer and then rape your wallet on cartridge purchases.

Its the American way, invented by Gillette (the razor guy)

Lou
I eat my peas with honey.
I've done it all my life.
It makes the peas taste funny.
But it keeps them on my knife.

 

[TJ]

I'm still left wondering which decent, relatively inexpensive inkjet
printers (a) have aftermarket cartridges available, and (b) are still
easy to find. It's easy to find examples of models for which (a) OR
(b) is true, but not both.

I haven't checked into original costs, but an HP printer that uses the
#56 and 57 cartridges can be very inexpensive to use. Refilled
aftermarket carts and refill kits are widely available, and you get a
new printhead with each cart. They couldn't be much easier to refill,
either. I had one set of carts that I refilled at least two dozen times
without a problem. Eventually things (printhead, cartridge electronics,
etc.) do wear out and you have to buy another cart. I'm working on a
second set now (only two sets in two years) and have refilled them over
15 times.

TJ

 

[Michael Johnson, PE]

I was pretty pleased with my ip3000 for the past year. I upgraded
simply because the ip5200 was onsale for $110 ($120 shipped). But...
the ip3000 would technicaly be a downgrade from the i860, it's a 4 tank
model not 5, so if the i860 is still in service I would just use it,
even if it requires either a new head or ink waste pad replacement...
it's sort of worth it. The only thing the ip3000 has over the i860 is
dual trays and the option for Cd printing, same with the ip4000.

A.K.. you asked "I'm still left wondering which decent, relatively
inexpensive inkjet
printers (a) have aftermarket cartridges available, and (b) are still
easy to find." and you already own it. I forgot about this when
talking about some of the other options. The i860 is a "NICE" printer
with the option of aftermarket ink or manual refilling with ease
without the glitch of the loss of the meter of newer models. A new
head will run you $60 to $80 if you need it. You can keep that printer
in service a good long while.

I made the suggestion of keeping the i860 he had and use compatible
ink/cartridges in my first response to A.K.'s original post. Since he
rarely prints the iP3000 might be an acceptable alternative if he
can't/won't use compatible ink or carts in the i860.

 

[measekite]

the ip3000 was not worth it since you could get an ip4000 for $20.00
more and get much improved photo quality. on sale the ip5200 is the
printer of choice and the ip5200 is a replacement for the ip4000.

 

[measekite]

I haven't checked into original costs, but an HP printer that uses the
#56 and 57 cartridges can be very inexpensive to use. Refilled
aftermarket carts and refill kits are widely available,

and you get a new printhead with each cart.

so you only have to worry about the cart leaking as i read in this ng.

They couldn't be much easier to refill, either. I had one set of carts
that I refilled at least two dozen times without a problem.

even the relabelers do not claim a printhead will last that many refills.

 

[zakezuke]

the ip3000 was not worth it since you could get an ip4000 for $20.00 more and get

much improved photo quality

Last year the ip4000 was $40 more than the ip3000, not $20. They are
no longer made by canon, and now that they are no longer made by canon
the price is up for grabs, but typicaly speaking the ip4000 on closeout
fetches $150 where the ip300 fetches about $100.

This is one thing Measekite needs to learn... not everyone has the
same priority as he. If he took the time to read the parent poster "I
expect only occasional use, for text and graphics from the Internet,
and no photos" The ip4000 offers NO benifit on plain paper what so
ever, and in this case would be "just fine".

A good rule of thumb in this group is not to listen to Measekite. He
tends to get obsessed over facts that were incorrect in the first
place, and is most willing to make reccomendations based on his own
opinions rather than taking into account the needs of the individual.

 

[zakezuke]

I made the suggestion of keeping the i860 he had and use compatible
ink/cartridges in my first response to A.K.'s original post. Since he
rarely prints the iP3000 might be an acceptable alternative if he
can't/won't use compatible ink or carts in the i860.

Ah, now I'm remembering our logic layers. I was "thinking" the
person's issue was the fact that the i860 drains ink and they wanted
something different... then they IIRC started inquiring about
aftermarket ink, which changed the picture a little, which would reduce
costs and perhaps make waste ink not so much of an issue.

On this issue, I think you and I agree that the existing printer is
spiffy... and buying into a new canon right now might not be wise due
to the lack of comaptable cartridges. While I would also agree that an
ip3000 would be just fine, there is that $50 rebate AK was talking
about which may or may not apply.

 

[Michael Johnson, PE]

Ah, now I'm remembering our logic layers. I was "thinking" the
person's issue was the fact that the i860 drains ink and they wanted
something different... then they IIRC started inquiring about
aftermarket ink, which changed the picture a little, which would reduce
costs and perhaps make waste ink not so much of an issue.

With the inexpensive carts I get from Tyler Martin, ink consumption for
us is never an issue. Plus they only charge $5-$6 shipping per order.
For the cost of one replacement set of OEM carts we can literally print
for months on end with the print quality of OEM ink.

On this issue, I think you and I agree that the existing printer is
spiffy... and buying into a new canon right now might not be wise due
to the lack of comaptable cartridges. While I would also agree that an
ip3000 would be just fine, there is that $50 rebate AK was talking
about which may or may not apply.

I was thinking about picking up an iP5000 on ebay before they disappear
completely but after looking at the pricing I changed my mind. A used
printer is getting $150+ and a new one is anywhere from $230 to almost
$300. Before paying that much I would get an iP6600 (the print specs
are great - 1 picoliter combined with six ink tanks) and refill the
carts. If it weren't for the chips I would probably have bought one (or
an MP830) by now. I have noticed that many of the new PIXMA printers
have a 1 picoliter head.

 

[Michael Johnson, PE]

Its the American way, invented by Gillette (the razor guy)

When it comes to inkjet printers I don't mind this model since I use
compatible cartridges.

I bet if Canon reduced their cartridge prices by 50% they would get a
huge piece of the inkjet market AND sell four times as many cartridges
and make twice the profit they do now.