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Help - need a new printer

edited June 2010 in Not Sports Related
Present Epson DX8400 printer's giving me nothing but problems, won't recognise ink cartridges when you replace them - but is so greedy on ink, it's very expensive to run. After 3 Epsons, I'm now heartily sick of them. Anyway in frustration, I'm about to take a sledgehammer to it, smash it to smithereens and make myself feel better.

So I wonder if any of you loverly lot can recommend a new multifunction printer?
* not greedy in ink
* easy to maintain - I need it mainly for home business use as well as a few photos perhaps
* scanner is essential
* fax preferred because sometimes I have to get documents signed and sent.



I've been looking at good reviews of Brother MFC-255 and Cannon Pixma MX-320/330/340

Any experiences of good economical printers or recommendations?

Thx!

Comments

  • I've got a Canon printer and I'm very pleased with it.
  • [cite]Posted By: Saga Lout[/cite]I've got a Canon printer and I'm very pleased with it.

    What model is that Mr Lout, and is it economical with ink?
  • I have had a HP Photosmart C6180 All-in-One Colour printer for the last 3 years and I cannot fault it. It uses 5 colour print cartridges plus a black print cartridge. Some colours seem to need replacing a lot quicker than others but I think this makes it more economical than printers that only use three colour cartridges because you only replace the colour cartridges that you actually use for the colours that you are printing.


    Reviews
  • [cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]
    [cite]Posted By: Saga Lout[/cite]I've got a Canon printer and I'm very pleased with it.

    What model is that Mr Lout, and is it economical with ink?

    The model is PIAMA MP610, which has been discontinued I'm sorry to say. It is multi-function - print, copy, scan,etc.

    It is economical with the ink - it has separate colours so you replace what you use. I use compatible ink, rather than the expensive own brand stuff. A lot of people will tell you that it's risky to do that, butI've had no problems. I use a company on the net for supplies called "Inkredible.co.uk".
  • Probably not ideal Oggy as you need a fax, but the following Epson(!) has been excellent for me for small business use at about £150. I know Epsons are very thirsty but many of the cheaper compatible inks from on-line suppliers work just as well. In case you're still interested it's the Epson Stylus Photo PX700W and produces excellent prints. I sympathise - these things can do your head in but so far this model's been just about perfect. I guess they all work better with reasonably up-to-date pc's / laptops but I'm no techno geek and this one's been fine. Good luck.
  • edited June 2010
    This is really helpful, chaps ....... it's great to hear your experiences and recommendations.

    Any users of Brother on here - I've heard they're slow, but quality is good and reasonably economical on ink?


    Paddy ...... My first Epson bought in 1999 worked right through until early 2007, economical on ink usage, very decent quality prints. But since then I've bought 2 x Epsons and they've been junk. So I don't feel tempted to risk another mistake - but thanks anyway.

    Saga Lout ........Sounds like your discontinued Canon is a good little runner and stood the test of time - shame it's been discontinued. I'm very tempted with getting a Canon as print quality is so good, but apparently not the cheapest to run.
    I'd heard that new Canon printers had a very sensitive chip that caused problems with using compatible ink cartridges.

    Red_in_SE8 ........ I've never used HP printers before but heard their print quality was good also.
    I'd read somewhere Canon actually make the ink for HP printers, and that HP use Canon technology in their own printers?


    A friend also recommended a HP OfficeJet 6500, says print speeds were pretty good - and takes High Yield separate cartridges which make it the most economical printer he's used.

    Apart from Red SE8, any other experience of HP printers?
  • I think the equivalent of mine is now MP640, as opposed to 610. Don't know about the sensitive chip business you mention. I suppose all I can say is that I've never had a problem.
  • Cheers, Saga ..... I'll check out the MP640
  • Any other suggestions, please?
  • I got a "HP Deskjet F4280" all-in-one.
    Does the job......

    (Tho' not wi-fi).
  • Sponsored links:


  • Cheers, MoGGy ...... just googling that one right now!
  • which? recommends HPPhotosmart Premium Fax C309a and scoring slightly less LexmarkProspect Pro205
  • Oggy, personally, I'd go with one of the Canons. We sell them in our shop and I think they are the best all round value.
  • edited June 2010
    Canon are the best, followed by Canon, Canon and Canon.
  • Just got my hands on a brand new Xerox Color 1000!! 350 grands worth!! I wont be worrying about a printer for a long time!! The thing is a beast!! Being trained on it today!

    Oggy hope this helps!
  • [cite]Posted By: MCS[/cite]Just got my hands on a brand new Xerox Color 1000!! 350 grands worth!! I wont be worrying about a printer for a long time!! The thing is a beast!! Being trained on it today!

    Oggy hope this helps!

    All well and good mate, but the black ink cartridge on them things are £30k a pop....

    I thought Lexmarks cartridges were expensive....
  • [cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]* fax preferred because sometimes I have to get documents signed and sent.
  • I really appreciate your input lads, cheers!

    Special thanks to Ollie ....... that's the one, all Xerox Color 1000, £350 grands worth!! - just off to get one now! :o)



    Question:

    Are Canons thirsty on ink, can you print just in black if you need - and if so, will that still run if a colour cartridge is empty but in place?

    Deffo need a fax, as well as scanner - and copier if poss. Trying to see what I can get for around £100, once well discounted.
    Looks like I need to find some more reviews....!


    LoOkie
    If you're actually selling Canons, might need to pick your brains on this one once you're around, please.
  • I've not noticed that my canon is thirsty on ink, but I don't do 100s of pages a week. It has a separate large black ink cartridge for black and white printing. My model will continue to allow you to print if one or more of the colour cartridges is empty, although it will warn you every time you print something. I'm guessing that the current replacement for my printer uses the same system. It does scanning and copying... think it does fax, but have never used it for that.
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