New printer or multifunction unit to buy

[scooter]

Gday

Have a cheapo Epson C41SX inkjet printer that has just fallen over & need to replace it.

Not sure whether to just get another printer, or a multifunction unit.

Have a canon scanner but it is USB 1.0 & is a bit slow, so an upgrade there could be good but not essential.

Printer won't be used a great deal for photos, but would be good to be able to print them oc casionally.

Like the idea of being able to source third party inks, running costs are everything with inkjet printers it seems & the mfrs cartridges can be a rip.

Probably spend up to $200 at this stage.

Suggestions, feedback, & experiences welcome. :)


Cheers......................Sean

[Spelunx]

Anything by Canon is usually good.

I have used a Canon Multi-function at home, in a small office environment,for four years, and never missed a beat. It was a fair bit more than $200 though.

Go for anything that has seperate ink cartridges, ie one for black, then seperate magenta, cyan, etc. This way you will save money on refills.

[Groggy]

Scooter, I have a hp psc 2510 all in one that is quite good. I also have a Canon Pixma 4000R that I reckon is great.

Both units are wireless, the Canon will turn itself on when needed though.

The HP software is a bloated pig that has occasionally gone troppo reinstalling itself all the time.

I have an Epson inkjet you can have if you want. Nearly new.

[bsrlee]

Most scanners are USB, and a lot of them are still USB 1, they just don't tell you on the package DAMHIC :~ Unless there is something really wrong with the scanner or its software, you are not going to get any real improvement and may actually end up with something that is harder to use.

If you are getting a cheap ink jet type printer, remember that these days the new printer is only a few dollars more than the cost of new ink cartridges, specially if you do a quick hunt around the bargain bins at K-Mart, DSE, Hardly Normals etc.

If B&W only will do, B&W lasers are dirt cheap now - I actually run a mono laser for 99.9% of my printing and have an old Lexmark inkjet for colour - I'll have to replace it when the current cartridges stop working as I can't get new ones & I suspect there is some clever business going on to kill the cartridges after the 'use by' date.

[Big Shed]

Scooter, quite a few of the Canon inkjet/multifunction takes separate printer cartridges for each colour and quite a few will print on CD/DVD as well.


I have a Canon IP3000 and for example I bought a set of 4 cartridges yesterday, aftermarket, for $10. That is Black, Magenta, Yellow, Cyan. This model is no linger made but the IP4300 and IP5300 take the same cartridges, with addition of a chip. If you want to go the multifunction route, I think it is the MFP810 that takes these cartridges.

I can't remember the last time I printed a photo, with BigW and K-Mart now charging 15c per print, and amazing quality, you can't even buy the paper for that!

[bfx]

I have a Canon PIXMA MP780 mulit-function unit. At least it used to function. Fax capability dropped out after six months - probably the result of a lightening strike. Black ink printing dropped out after 10 months. I spoke to a help desk offerred by one of the aftermarket cartridge suppliers to no avail. When it was running it chewed ink cartridges like they were going out of fashion.

Out of desperation while I was trying to sort out this machine I bought a Canon laser printer from Australia Post for $79. It is only a B&W printer - nothing else but hasbeen going strong for 2 months and is still on the original cartridge.

I have to step back up to a copier etc soon but I will be looking at laser rather than inkjet.

[munruben]

If you are getting a cheap ink jet type printer, remember that these days the new printer is only a few dollars more than the cost of new ink cartridges, specially if you do a quick hunt around the bargain bins at K-Mart, DSE, Hardly Normals etc.
After market inks for the Epson R230 are available for around $1-50 per cartridge, thats considerably lower priced than K mart or Big W.

The Epson R230 is not a bad printer and can be bought for around the $173 on special at the moment in Big W. Original inks are about $12 -$14 each but like I said above after market only $1.50 each. and the ink is excellent.

I prefer the Canon Pixma 3000 or 4000 but I had 3 of these printers and after 12 months or so they stuffed up, all of them so I got the Epson. The Epson is a slower printer but I bought it for its price and ability to print directly onto discs. That is also the reason I bought the Canons too but they are not available now anyway.

I prefer separate printer and scanner so if anything goes wrong you are not without both.

[Big Shed]

John, where do you buy your ink? Is that price for a complete drop-in cartridge or bulk ink per fill?

I have a Canon Pixma 3000, great for printing on disks etc.

Lowest I can buy a complete cartridge is $2.50.

[munruben]

John, where do you buy your ink? Is that price for a complete drop-in cartridge or bulk ink per fill?

I have a Canon Pixma 3000, great for printing on disks etc.

Lowest I can buy a complete cartridge is $2.50.
Have sent you a pm but for anyone else who may have the Canon printers try this link. and you can go from there.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/50pcs-Canon-BCI-3eBK-6BK-6C-6M-6Y-Compatible-Inks_W0QQitemZ110185116563QQihZ001QQcategoryZ3747QQcmdZViewItem

[Barry_White]

I prefer the Canon Pixma 3000 or 4000 but I had 3 of these printers and after 12 months or so they stuffed up, all of them so I got the Epson. The Epson is a slower printer but I bought it for its price and ability to print directly onto discs. That is also the reason I bought the Canons too but they are not available now anyway.

I prefer separate printer and scanner so if anything goes wrong you are not without both.

Hi John

Sorry to hear about your storm damage. Good to see Bazza was coming to help you clean up.

Just on your Canon Pixma 3000 and 4000 what was the problem with them.

I have a 4000 and it all of a sudden stopped printing the colours. I have been using after market ink but I didn't think that was the problem.

I priced a new print head for it from the Canon Franchise Dealer and they want more for it than the printer was.

They tell me that Canon still have a few 4000's still available.

What I decided to do is what I used to do with my old BJC4100 print heads and dip the area with the ink jet holes in boiling water and this cleans all the dried up ink out of the jets. You just have to be careful you don't dip the print head to far into the water so as not to get it on the electronics.

I have printed one test page and it seems to have cleared the jets but can't print anymore because I have run out of black ink. so I will have to get some more tomorrow. I will try some more test pages after I get the ink because the water has diluted the ink and need to run more ink through it.

I will be interested to hear what was wrong with yours.

Scooter I agree with the others I think you are better off with individual components because if one goes all are out of action.

[munruben]

Hi John

Sorry to hear about your storm damage. Good to see Bazza was coming to help you clean up.

Just on your Canon Pixma 3000 and 4000 what was the problem with them.

I have a 4000 and it all of a sudden stopped printing the colours. I have been using after market ink but I didn't think that was the problem.

I had similar problems Barry, the first one was printing with a green hue all over it and try as I might I couldn't get it to print properly after that. I must admit I was filling my own ink cartridges at the time but I dont think it was the ink. I had another canon that did exactly the same thing after about 12 months. I bought the Canon because it printed on discs.

I actually bought another one and this one went haywire after we had a thunder storm. It wouldn't stop flashing and couldn't get it to print.

My SIL has a Canon 4000 and the 5000 and he hasn't had any problems with his. I think the 4000 takes the same ind cartridges but not sure about the 5000.

I would have probably bought another 3000 if they were available because I think they are a better printer than the Epson that I have now.
They were much quicker and quieter.

The Epson R230 is a good printer but a bit slow and noisy but it does print to disc which is why I chose it and of course the ink cartridges that I get for it are only about $1.40 each so cheap to run.

The R230 is probably being discontinued I should imagine because it is on special for less than $200 in fact saw it in Big W for $170.00

The printers today, unless very expensive models, are not worth the effort of having them repaired, too expensive.

I really like the Canon and the print software that comes with the printer specially the CD print software. I am not sure of the availability of cheap inks for the new models though.

[munruben]

PS Bazza, let us know if you got yours to work ok. Would be typical for that solution to fix the problems and I have thrown mine out with the garbage.

[Big Shed]

[quote=munruben;615221

I really like the Canon and the print software that comes with the printer specially the CD print software. I am not sure of the availability of cheap inks for the new models though.[/quote]


John, the Pixma 4300 and 5300 take the same cartridge I'm told by my supplier, only difference is that you have to swap chips.

I think these Canons are magical, so cheap to run, and their disc printing software is superb.

Also like the fact that you don't have to leave them on, as Groggy says, they will switch themselves on on demand.

[scooter]

Thanks for the input, everyone. Greg was kind enough to give me an HP 948c which I am getting sorted now.


Cheers...............Sean

[Studley 2436]

Good luck with The HP. I have an Epson 3800 which is great. At Graphic Arts Supplies who sell Epson they told me how they were approached by Canon to sell their stuff. Got a printer and it broke straight up. Service was junk and they just said no not interested.

If you ever want to print photos there is no arguement at all the Epsons do that best of all. You lose a bit in the way of speed on document printing but everything is a compromise.

Studley

[BazzaDLB]

Hi Sean,

Was just talking to my son this evening and he was asking if I needed a new printer. He was at Office Works in Aspley Qld and they had heaps of Brother HL2040 Laser Printers for $99.00 each. Maybe they had over ordered??

Perhaps there is an Office Works down your way with a similar promo/problem.

Have no association with either company

[Studley 2436]

a fair point is that with the cheap printers they give you the printer and make their money on the consumables. The higher upmarket you go the more your running costs come down.

Studley

[Pusser]

I have three Hps - a 1300 laser an office jet 6210 and an 880C inkjet. I bought the laser jet because they paid me $200 for my 10 year plus laser jet II P which was a great printer but I felt they were trying to phase it out (to durable?). All the printers are excellent except in running costs. The 6210 I use mainly for photocopying and faxing. I use it as a scanner when scanning photos in parallel with an agfa scanner - cuts down time to get an album done. The 880C is almost exclusivly photo printing. I have had no success with cheap ink refills for some reason. Has anyone else in HP's? I do note that HP is the worlds largest purveyor of ink.

In my case the inks are not more expensive than the printers but I know of a case with a colour laser where the refills actually cost more than the printer with (admittedly the new printers come with reduced size cartridges). I know the same happens with cheap inkjets. This hardly seems environmentally sound. The plastics use petrochemicals and it seems foolhardy to make printers as disposable items. I would not mind paying more for the printer and having cheaper inks, cartridges and toner.

Pusser

[Studley 2436]

To give you an idea my epson 3800 cost $2200. It has 8 cartridges for the different colours each holds 80ml. Each individual cartridge costs $80. The SP230 I have which is a good printer cost me $250 but I think they can be had for $150 thesedays and each cartridge costs $22. Individual cartridges hold between 3 and 5ml of ink. They don't actually tell you but as best we can work out.

The really big wide format Epsons that print roll paper in sizes like 36 and 48 inch width come with ink cartridges that hold something like 250ml for pretty much the same price as mine cost. You can spend several thousand to get the printer though.

I think they have worked it out on a sliding scale. Basically you pay your money and you get your choice. I do think there is something to be said for getting the middle range printers. I know mine is a monster but prints great 16x20" prints. It actually only took a few wedding albums and it paid for itself. Going back to an A4 printer just look to get one of the better ones I think you will save yourself some grief when you don't have to get so many ink cartidges.

Studley

[robyn2839]

shame you weren,t up here in queensland , i have a canon multi function i dont have room for i am getting rid of for $60, in good cond and the aftermarket cartriges are about $4 each on ebay.bob

[ubeaut]

Probably spend up to $200 at this stage.$200 bugger... My 12 mth old (now superseded) $3,000 printer is having a problem and I can't wait for it to be serviced so have to go buy another (http://www.fujixerox.com.au/products/printers/colour-laser-printers/Phaser-6360/ph6360) tomorrow for around $3,500 to keep the labels coming.

Can't buy the same one so will have to get one with different toner cartridges at around $1,200 for 4 replacements. All up with toners I'll have over $7000 worth of printers sitting in the office and one is partly stuffed. Then there's the A3 Epson Which has been sitting on top of a cupboard for 2 years, works perfectly prints fantastically but no good for what we need.

Sounds like a lot of money but one printer has saved us over $26,500 in label printing in the last 12 mths alone so I guess it's easily paid for the newie.
The new one by the way, prints 42 full colour A4 pages per minute in high res 2400 x 2400 dpi mode .

Sorry - Sounds like I'm bragging here but I'm not. For us a good printer is essential. Ours is in use every day. Right now it is holding up production because if we don't have labels we can't finish up a run of polish. Needed to print 600 labels today in French & English for Canada will need another 700 different ones tomorrow for them. Then up to a further 1,500 each of 6 different labels, each in French, German, Dutch, and English, to go to Holland in a couple of weeks.

Been waiting a week and struggling by losing 40% of the labels we produce because of printer. It's going to take another week to get parts to fix the bloody thing.

Shut up Neil and go to bed. :yawn: