Need a Printer Recommendation

[theknight571]

I thought I'd ask for input while I'm doing my research.

We currently have an aging Dell InkJet printer and we are having more and more problems with it, so it's time to replace it.

The printer basically prints one type of document... a SMEAD SmartStrip label (http://www.smead.com/Director.asp?NodeId=452)

We have a full size laser color printer/copier so this rarely gets used for anything else.

It's been probably 5 years since I last bought a InkJet printer so I'm looking for a recommendation.

The labels are thicker than normal paper so I need something that can handle the repeated use of the heavier stock.

Cost is somewhat of an issue, but if a larger up-front cost will be offset by ink costs down the road then I'd be willing to invest up front.

I know the labels also come in a Laser version, so that might be an option as well, but I know what we pay for toner on the big machine... I have no idea for "personal" color lasers though.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lemon law]

In MHO, its a no brainer, if all you need color for is smartstrip, go with the color laser version of smartstrip.

A color laser will tie the most economical inkjet printer for consumable costs, and a damn dell is made by Lexmark which is about the most uneconomical no armed bandit on the planet.

Now if you need an inkjet for photo printing, that is about the only area where you need an inkjet instead of a color laser for color output.

However if you can find a non chipped or cracked chip Canon inkjet, and are willing to learn to refill your own ink, then you can beat a color laser on economy. And do photo printing to boot. You can also do fairly well with Epson inkjets if you do your own refilling, but you better print more frequently with Epson printers.

 

[gsaldivar]

Are all the trays of your copier in-use? If not, one option you may have overlooked would be be to allocate 1 tray of your existing copy machine for the Smartstrips and simply print to that "tray" when you need to. If all your trays are in-use, some (not all) copiers can can be expanded by adding additional trays if you need them. This might be even more economical if you lease your equipment, then its just an issue of having the leasing company come out and upgrade their equipment for you.

Does the actual printing on the Smartstrips need to be in color? If not, I say look into getting a refurbished HP LaserJet 4 or 4000 series printer. These printers can be found all over the place for less than $100 these days, and they are built like tanks. This method will allow you to enjoy years and years of trouble-free printing and ghetto-cheap toner refills off eBay (think "~0.002 cents per page" cheap!).

If you need color, than you're kind of screwed because the color laser & color inkjet options both have drawbacks - namely, cost. Any way you slice it, you will be looking at ink costs somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.08 to 0.20 cents per page, and higher. While it doesn't seem like a lot, it does add up significantly over time. As LemonLaw mentioned above, the rule of thumb for color printing is that workgroup color laser printers will be on the "cheaper" side, and color inkjets are generally the highest cost per page - sometimes approaching 50 cents... per page!

Hope this helps, good luck!