Ink vs. Laser - professional advise is needed

[photo.alexk]

Hi,

My old Epson Stylus CX3200 inkjet has finally died and I'm looking for
a replacement.

My printing habbits are to print a couple of B/W pages in a couple of
weeks, so it looks like the inkjets should be a natural cost effective
choice. However I've experieced a lot of problems with inkjet related
to the fact that I do not use the printer frequently enough to keep
the printing heads in a good working condition. The ink was simply
drying out and clogging the nozzles. After a couple of years of
constant replacing ink cartridges and performing the "Clean Nozzle"
routine, the printer has finnally stopped printing (everything works
great except from the fact that only few dots apper on printed pages).


I wonder if entry level laser printers are less prone to clogging.

So shall I go for a laser or for an inkjet?

Thank you for your help,
Alex

 

[Barry Watzman]

If you print photos, you won't be happy with any laser, period. The
quality is just not up to inkjet standards.

Inkjet nozzle clogging is generally not a problem with current printers
(even those that use permanent printheads).

 

[DanG]

Hi,

My old Epson Stylus CX3200 inkjet has finally died and I'm looking for
a replacement.

My printing habbits are to print a couple of B/W pages in a couple of
weeks, so it looks like the inkjets should be a natural cost effective
choice. However I've experieced a lot of problems with inkjet related
to the fact that I do not use the printer frequently enough to keep
the printing heads in a good working condition. The ink was simply
drying out and clogging the nozzles. After a couple of years of
constant replacing ink cartridges and performing the "Clean Nozzle"
routine, the printer has finnally stopped printing (everything works
great except from the fact that only few dots apper on printed pages).


I wonder if entry level laser printers are less prone to clogging.

So shall I go for a laser or for an inkjet?

Thank you for your help,
Alex

If you only print B/W, I'm not sure why you'd even consider inkjet, and
laser is cheaper by far per page.

 

[Richard Steinfeld]

I think that you'd be happiest with a laser or LED printer (Okidata),
systems that are versions of Xerography. Unlike inkjet printers, there
are no nozzles to clog, and thus, there's no need for the machine to
waste ink on every print job cleaning the nozzles, and no more wasteful
cleaning cycles.

Laser/LED machines can sit there for a year and then print nicely. It
helps to use the type of design in which the paper is kept in a covered
tray rather than a top-slot feeder, which will accumulate dust
internally and on the paper, too. I gave my son a top-loading Brother,
which is fast as hell and prints great, but I despise the stupidity of
the paper loading design (not exclusive to Brother, believe me).

Dust is the enemy of precision machinery, which printers are. Put a
cover on the printer to keep it clean, and you'll be fine. Covering a
top-slot loader is absurd. I suspect that among the inkjets, the HPs
that use print heads in the cartridges are the best for long waits
between uses.

Anyone disagree?

Richard

 

[Burt]

I think that you'd be happiest with a laser or LED printer (Okidata),
systems that are versions of Xerography. Unlike inkjet printers, there are
no nozzles to clog, and thus, there's no need for the machine to waste ink
on every print job cleaning the nozzles, and no more wasteful cleaning
cycles.

Laser/LED machines can sit there for a year and then print nicely. It
helps to use the type of design in which the paper is kept in a covered
tray rather than a top-slot feeder, which will accumulate dust internally
and on the paper, too. I gave my son a top-loading Brother, which is fast
as hell and prints great, but I despise the stupidity of the paper loading
design (not exclusive to Brother, believe me).

Dust is the enemy of precision machinery, which printers are. Put a cover
on the printer to keep it clean, and you'll be fine. Covering a top-slot
loader is absurd. I suspect that among the inkjets, the HPs that use print
heads in the cartridges are the best for long waits between uses.

Anyone disagree?

Richard

I agree 100%. If no photo printing and minimal B/W graphics are desired,
this is a no-brainer. My only concern about entry level Laser printers is
paper handling ability. If your only expected output is standard
copy/printer paper or its equivalent plus laser labels, the low end printers
work fine. I would check out reviews from Consumers, PC magazine, etc. to
find the best unit for the money. If you need to print cardstock or
envelopes, you need a straight paper path which involves having an
auxilliary feed tray or slot in the front and a hatch that opens in the rear
of the printer. For printing many of these items or groups of checks, you
need an aux. feed tray that is capable of stacking several pieces of the
paper stock you are using, and if you print several items that need a
straight paper path, the hatch that opens in the back had best be a tray to
catch the output. Also, printing envelopes or stock that is thicker/heavier
than the usual copy/printer paper can't be done on some of the least
expensive printers as the fuser assembly doesn't heat sufficiently to set
the toner, and the gap through which the paper travels isn't wide enough.
My requirements include envelopes, checks, and fairly heavy card stock. I
took samples of these materials to a store that had demo units on the shelf
that could print a test page. I started with the least expensive unit that
could have met my needs for the aux and output trays and moved up in price
until I hit the unit that worked for all my future needs. And - Richard's
suggestion about not buying a unit with the paper feed area on top with
paper sticking up in the air was a good one. Much better to have a cassette
beneath the printer for paper storage and feed. For more sophisticated use
that requires more than one type of paper you would need a unit that has
additional cassettes installed. That is getting far afield from the need
for a few pages every two weeks!

 

[measekite]

If you print photos, you won't be happy with any laser, period. The
quality is just not up to inkjet standards.

Inkjet nozzle clogging is generally not a problem with current
printers (even those that use permanent printheads).

as long as you use factory oem ink.

 

[Richard Steinfeld]

I think that what's significant about what both Burt and I have written
is that Burt and I are both fans of the inkjet process. I'm actually
using an inkjet printer almost exclusively right now. Yet, when I next
have a large document to work on, that will be done on my Oki LED
printer (which is a laser printer except for the way that the image is
generated on the drum). An interesting advantage, too, of the laser
printers is that it's less touchy about paper quality for the image. You
don't want to use paper that's so junky that it cruds up the printer's
insides with paper dust and scratches the delicate drum surface. But you
can print very nicely on ordinary 20-pound copy paper of decent quality.

For my inkjet printer, however, I'm using 24-pound, genuine "HP" brand
(Hammermill, actually) inkjet paper; there are a lot of reasons for
this, inluding the fact that I'm duplex-printing. But for churning out
lots of pages for working on, the LED/laser machine is the way to go.

So, here's the interesting thing: the laser printer is the best choice
for both intermittant short jobs and intense, long runs. The inkjet
falls in between. How about that?

 

[OnlineLabels]

You can check out an article on our website at the link below
comparing label performance in laser printers versus inkjet printers.
This may be helpful if you plan to use a lot labels in your printer.

http://www.onlinelabels.com/inkjet_laser.htm

Thanks.

Dave Carmany
OnlineLabels.com

 

[photo-alexk]

Hi guys,
Thank you for all your comments.

Considering the amount of printing I do (~100-200 mostly BW text A4
pages per year) I guess an inkjet printer of a reasonable quality
will cost half of an entry level BW laser's price.

Richard, thank you for pointing out that HP inkjets have the printing
head embedded in the cartridges. I believe a simlpe replacement of the
cartridge should solve all clugging problems in HPs, so I'll start
shopping for an HP .

Best
Alex

 

[Richard Steinfeld]

Richard, thank you for pointing out that HP inkjets have the printing
head embedded in the cartridges. I believe a simlpe replacement of the
cartridge should solve all clugging problems in HPs, so I'll start
shopping for an HP .

It's not just replacing the cartridge, but I think a good advantage is
the ability of the HP system to recover from long inactive storage with
the cartridge left in place in the printer. (This seems to be the
opposite of many Epsons and Lexmarks). At least, that's my experience
and it's been mentioned here by others, too.

Good used HP inkjets can be had dirt cheap. I paid $5 each for an 850c
(old but good.), a newer, faster, stronger 970c, and a Photosmart (model
forgotten). I'm presently using a 940c that my ex gave me. All the last
three use the same color cartridge; the first two use the same black
cart. I've filled these carts myself, too. I like the printers. Can't
beat this. So, if you buy a printer for $5 and it's no good, toss it and
get another one for $5. (Regular prices: $10!)

These prices were from my favorite thrift shop (Humane Society -- with
the doggies and kitties and one rabbit). Prices were half off because I
went on Saturdays. It costs me $4 for gas and $4 for bridge toll, I get
printers for virtually nothing, the manager likes me, and I get to
shmooze with the cats. All very happy.

Is this cool or what?

Richard

 

[Gary Tait]

Richard, thank you for pointing out that HP inkjets have the printing
head embedded in the cartridges. I believe a simlpe replacement of the
cartridge should solve all clugging problems in HPs, so I'll start
shopping for an HP .

Not all HPs are head-on-cart. Some higher end units have separate heads and
tanks. I am not familiar with the HP line to know though.

Canon, in their lower end line, use Head-On-Cart also.

 

[measekite]

Hi guys,
Thank you for all your comments.

Considering the amount of printing I do (~100-200 mostly BW text A4
pages per year) I guess an inkjet printer of a reasonable quality
will cost half of an entry level BW laser's price.

Richard, thank you for pointing out that HP inkjets have the printing
head embedded in the cartridges.

You are thanking him for not giving you all of the information. Many HP
inkjet printers but not all have an embedded print head built into the
cartridge. Others have replaceable printheads but the ink tank is
separate. The costs of the replacement ink should be investigated since
the combined head and cart probably costs more.

 

[photo-alexk]

You are thanking him for not giving you all of the information. Many HP
inkjet printers but not all have an embedded print head built into the
cartridge. Others have replaceable printheads but the ink tank is
separate. The costs of the replacement ink should be investigated since
the combined head and cart probably costs more.

Hmmm. Seems like I need to investigate HP more before making the
purchase.

Thanks for the tip.
Best
Alex

 

[photo-alexk]

It's not just replacing the cartridge, but ...

I wonder what else is required in this case?

Good used HP inkjets can be had dirt cheap. I paid $5 each for an 850c
(old but good.), a newer, faster, stronger 970c, and a Photosmart (model
forgotten). I'm presently using a 940c that my ex gave me. All the last
...
Is this cool or what?

Unfortunately we don't have WORKING printers for $5 where I live.

It costs me $4 for gas and $4 for bridge toll, I get
printers for virtually nothing, the manager likes me, and I get to
shmooze with the cats. All very happy.

I'll have to pay ~$1k for a transatlantic flight, $50-100 for a taxy,
etc...

Best
Alex

 

[Gary Tait]

Unfortunately we don't have WORKING printers for $5 where I live.


I'll have to pay ~$1k for a transatlantic flight, $50-100 for a taxy,
etc...

It cheeses me too, that someone in some technologically "rich" part of the
world thinks that everybody else can get the same deal they do, that they
literally throw our recent printers, computers, etc, or stockpiles are
available cheap, just becasue they are "old". That isn't true where I am,
nor likely where you are.

 

[Bob Headrick]

Hmmm. Seems like I need to investigate HP more before making the
purchase.

Any of the current and past HP Deskjet models have integrated printheads and
ink supplies.

With your printing needs of a few hundred mostly B&W text pages per year
even a printer with the small supplies like the 21/22 or 91/92 could meet
your needs. The small supplies are typically cheaper but only good for a
couple hundred pages, which could match your needs well.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging

 

[Richard Steinfeld]

It cheeses me too, that someone in some technologically "rich" part of the
world thinks that everybody else can get the same deal they do, that they
literally throw our recent printers, computers, etc, or stockpiles are
available cheap, just becasue they are "old". That isn't true where I am,
nor likely where you are.

As the Cheeser In Chief, I envy you. With your free webmail address, I
have no idea where you are.

I wrote my post as a tip for the OP, and an inspiration to others. If
you could use it, fine -- if not, well, maybe you can get a great deal
on bangers. I love bangers, but I have to pay a high price for them
here. It might cheese me to know that you can enjoy eating them
constantly, being in a banger-rich part of the world. One man's printer
is another man's cheese.

Perhaps you can't pick up used printers as cheaply as I can (only at
that one thrift shop -- they're much more expensive at others). But I'll
bet that you're pleasantly blessed in other ways where you live. For one
thing, your country hasn't been stolen, your democracy hasn't been
ripped to shreds, by Bush, Cheney, and their cabal of cronies.

Now that I've "cheesed" you, please tell me what "cheesing" is so that I
might be in on it. I'll now leave you with these words of wisdom:

Gary: LIGHTEN UP!

 

[photo-alexk]

Any of the current and past HP Deskjet models have integrated printheads and
ink supplies.

With your printing needs of a few hundred mostly B&W text pages per year
even a printer with the small supplies like the 21/22 or 91/92 could meet

Thanks. I've ordered an HP F4180 which works with 21/22 or 54/57 if I
need to increase the number of printings.

Best
alex