Best Inkjet Printer Recommendations

[guardfish]

Looking for best bang for the buck. Range is $150-$250. Read reviews on Canon, Epson, HP, Lexmark etc., all over the web. Lots of good and conflicting information. Looking to use inkjet for text and graphics (like Word and Powerpoint), scanned images to printer, and later photos. Graphic output is very important as well as expanded capabilities. Really interested in your opinions, experience, model numbers and potential sources.

Thanks,

Ed
guardish@cox.rr.com

 

[Peter]

Canon has a wide range of printers that won't cost you an arm and a leg on ink later. Watch for "Single Ink" technology, with separate tanks for each color. Good quality and even lower cost 3rd party ink available too.

There are 4-color 2400x1200 dpi (5-picoliter drop size) models (520, 750) that can do zero-margin printing, the difference being speed. Then there's the brandnew 820 that just so fits your budget, which with six colors and 4-picoliter drop size offers the best print quality.

regards, Peter

 

[patrickc]

we've done a TON of printing the last few years with HP models 7xx/8xx/930,960 (my overall favorite has been the 932) - "RET III" is definiately better that "RET II" - not sure what terminology they use now...and have been totally happy with results picture wise using hp glossy paper...stuff done on decent laser paper has been very good too (half the battle is the paper)(is there a thread on just paper?) for double-side gloss, I like the Koday over the HP...

...anywho, HP switched the amount of ink a while back giving you less for same price, really a bummer...separate inks would be a very good thing to have...I haven't used any other maker, so I can't really compare...my guess would be a flat tray type loader would be better than a stand-up-in-the-slot...

 

[Peter]

That tray type load HP uses might be practical if you shove the printer into some kind of rack, but rest assured, that mechanism is complicated and pretty fragile, causing paper feed problems when the printers get older.

regards, Peter

 

[patrickc]

we've had pretty good luck with the tray loading (even the 712 is chugging along with no prob) as compared to an office with people that don't have a clue when it comes to the care and feeding of paper in a printer if you know what I mean...between the humidity and careless handling...even tho at this point I'm more than willing to try a different brand on the next purchase, I'm mentally stuck on having a tray load!

p.

 

[ShadowDJ]

I've heard the canon S600 is an excellent value printer. I think it's been discontinued, but you could find it somewhere. I have a Lexmark X63 and I know it is a very good all-in-one unit with good sharp text (near laserjet) and great colors. The only thing it has trouble with is borders. Other than that, I'm out of ideas. 😉

 

[exp]

Epsons are prone to clogging if left unused for too long, so don't buy one unless you are planning on printing regularly.

 

[guardfish]

To exp:

Thanks regarding Epsons. I have made up my mind: PC Week and smartcomputing say: Canon S750: Good output and cheap cartridges. Thanks a bunbch to all.

Ed
guardfish@cox.net

 

[Peter]

Good choice, but do consider the 820 if it fits your budget - you get 6 over 4 colors, and a finer drop size as well. The difference in photo prints is noticeable.

regards, Peter

 

[Rottie]

I am more comfortable with Canon printers I am happy with BJ4000 before and now I have BJC6000 (both of them are discountied) so I think Canon printers are the best.

 

[randomlinh]

i'm an HP advocate. I don't recommend Epsons unless they do a lot of photo printing.. cause the printheads like to clog. I was never a fan of canon's text... but after taking a look at a recent s520 printout sample.. the text quality has definately improved. the separate ink tanks is just a big plus for me... all i need now is to find a way to fund it 😉