need help choosing a decent cheap to run printer.

[hugekebab]

hi,

my GF has a business and needs a printer to print out lots of black and white forms with her price lists on. she needs to do about 1000 a year i would guess. it would be good if we could get an all in one that is cheap to print black and white and that can also do decent photo prints. an sd card reader would be very useful although not essential.

the printer needs to be around 80-90 gbp pounds sterling can anyone suggest a printer that can do all of this but has refills that are cheap.

best regards

sam

 

[Zepper]

I think the best current, general-purpose, inkjet printer is the Canon iP4300. They have chipped ink tanks, but a work-around has been found. So you can buy clone tanks and/or refill them. This printer, from the ip4000 forward has been the PC Magazine Editor's Choice for general-purpose inkjet printers.They are often on rebate over here for around $70. and regular price is $100., so it should fit within your price range. If you buy clone tanks, you will have to learn how to transplant the chips from the OEM tanks (they are supposedly still working on cloning the chips but I wouldn't hold my breath) to the clone tanks. This site: http://www.swiftink.com (inkseller to the Stars here on the AT forums) has the directions so you can tell if it would be too difficult for you. I just did my first one a little bit ago (the OEM tanks seem to last forever) and it took some fussing to get it to seat properly. Overall, not too big a deal. An Xacto knife would make it easier.

.bh.

 

[Frintin]

Cheap black and white is all about a monochrome laser printer nowadays.

 

[IlllI]

Originally posted by: Frintin
Cheap black and white is all about a monochrome laser printer nowadays.

i was thinking that too

 

[Zepper]

Wonder where he went - wants to do photos too.

.bh.

 

[hugekebab]

here i am

sorry have had a busy weekend.

well basically i was looking at the samsung ml2010 as its only 45 pounds on e buyer with free delivery.

i dont think ill go for the canon in view of this review

"Due to the heavy usage of red ink, this printer can not deliver Black and White photos of a reasonable quality, if you work in Mono a lot, steer clear. also, as in the other reviews, pictures are heavily over saturated.

Stay away from B & C compatibles, they dont fit and are a waste of money."

any other suggestions?

i dunno bout the samsung tho because the paper doesnt come out straight cus of the way the paper feeds, really i need a monochrome where the paper wont get folded up.

forget the photos from what im reading intensive b and w usage dont go hand in hand with colour printers....or am i wrong?

cheers guys,

 

[Zepper]

Well, I don't see any of the problems mentioned with my 4300. I don't print a lot of b/w photos, but my color photos print very well. If you try to print color photos on plain paper in High Quality mode, you will get fairly soggy paper (but only dummies do that), but if you use photo paper or presentation paper (Kodak Presentaton Plus or whatever HP calls theirs) you can print in HQ mode without noticeable sog. Few laser printers can do what would be called excellent photo printing in b/w, the best the best ones get is Very Good - most get Good ratings or worse. I thought you said you wanted good black text as well as color photos - the iP4300 will do that and inexpensive lasers can't. If not, then your OP could have been clearer.

I just did a b/w test print - if you print in color mode (and once again, only dummies do that if they want true b/w output - they print in gray scale mode instead) the prints do have a pink tinge. If you print in grayscale like you should, the iP4300 will put all laser printers to shame on b/w photo prints on any paper.

.bh.

 

[hugekebab]

thanks for the advice. ordered the samsung ml2010 for the missus. i might grab one of them canons in the future (she wouldnt be able to do all the chip transfer etc but i can for mine.)

cheers