OT - Cheapest printers

[51]

Hi all. I need to replace my multi-function inkjet printer. My question is, what are the cheapest printers for replacement ink?

Arthur

[Andy Hall]

It depends on the type of printing and number of colours and whether you can replace cartridges individually.

Take a look at the price of printers of different makes for the type that you want to have. In general, the cheapest printers are likely to have the most expensive consumables cost.

Have you bought a razor recently? The clue is there.

[Grunff]

I find razor marketing absolutely hilarious. You can just see the marketing people in a meeting with the product development people:

Marketing: Right, we need a new feature, something to differentiate us from the competition.

Product development: How about an extra blade?

Marketing: That would mean 6 blades in the razor head! Genius!! We just don't know how you guys keep coming up with these innovations.

[Jim S]

The trouble with you rant is that it is the best shave I have ever had in

50+ years. Bloody expensive, but worth every penny IMO.

[Grunff]

Really think so? I think 2 was an improvement over 1. 3 I couldn't tell much difference, and it clogged easily. I skipped trying the 4 blade variety, but recently tried a Fusion (5 blades), and that really clogged up very easily.

I tend to be quite lazy, shaving only every few days. Perhaps if I shaved every day it would be more effective for me.

[Jim S]

I can see that would be a problem. I went back to the Sensor 2 sure in my own mind it was the best ever. Funny how the memory plays tricks. I use oil if I'm shaving daily and foam over oil if I miss a day(s).

[The Natural Philosopher]

A second hand HP laserjet off ebay. Pre about Laserjet 6, they were built like tanks and soldier on forever.

Forget multifunction. If you want a scanner, get a scanner. If you want to send faxes use fax software.

[auctions]

The cheapest printers for ink are office models. They are sold at prices that make a profit for the manufacturer, so they don't need to recoup a loss on the cartridges. You can sometimes get them at a price not too much higher than home printers in clearance sections, eg

use a professional laser for cheap printing, and one of these as a multifunction. The inks not cheap but I don't print much on it, and the network scanning and faxing is brilliant.

PCWB stuff is available through

if you don't have a pcwb account.

A

[Bob Eager]

Hear hear. I have several LaserJet 4+ machines. The latest was being thrown out at work. Runs sweetly, and only done half a million pages!

[Andy Hall]

The other thing is that the so-and-sos vary the number of blades with the razor packs. The last one I bought (Green one with the battery and motor) came with only three rather than the full pack of 5.

Still it does include the battery.

However..... on a recent trip through Frankfurt, where the security screeners are well known for their sense of humour, the razor had managed to switch itself on in my wash bag. The look on the screener's face was a picture as she donned the purple latex gloves to find out what the buzzing and vibrating was from within.

[John Rumm]

Some of the (lower end) Canon Pixmar range - they use separate tanks, and if you don't mind buying compatible inks rather than Canon originals you can replace all the carts and still have change from a tenner!

They also have a nice feature in that the print head is not included in the cartridges (like Epson), but is itself a separate cartridge - so it is easy and cost effective to replace if required, without jacking the price of the consumables (like HP)

[Andrew Gabriel]

I read around this a year or so back, and the Canon Pixmar range came out best for low per-page costs. The complete lack of support for anything other than Windows ruled it out for me though (could have changed in the last year though).

[Guy King]

The message from [e-mail] (Andrew Gabriel) contains these words:

Canon say...

Linux printer drivers are available for PIXMA iP1000, iP1500, iP2200 and iP4200 only. These drivers are for:

• Users who are looking for Linux drivers for their PIXMA printer * Developers who are developing Linux solutions for PIXMA printers.

Please beware that these Linux drivers are provided with a NO SUPPORT policy. This means that Canon Technical Support will be unable to help you if you are having problems installing or using any of these drivers.

Due to the changing nature of Linux distributions Canon Europe can not guarantee the compatibility of the driver in all Linux distributions.

However, Turboprint claims a long list of Pixma range...

[John Rumm]

ago (mid to late 90's I guess), and it used to be able to produce far better results than one could get out of the manufacturers own drivers for the PC at the time.

[David Sims]

[Another Dave]

Note, however, "Some of the (lower end)". Canon have recently joined the band of robbers who have chipped print heads integral to the ink.

Another Dave

[Tim..]

Actually most of the Pixma range are now Chipped.

:(

Tim..

[Clint Sharp]

In message , Bob Eager writes

Laserjet 4000 here, just had a maintenance kit at 200k pages, not that it needed it, it just asked for one.

[Jim S]

I use an Epson and use Print_Rite inks. Black £2.50 Coloured £3.50. I believe that if you use separate colours they are £2.50. Excellent value from my local shop. Don't go near Lexmark. The cartridges for the basic one are ~£30