Need some printer suggestions

[ragnarok297]

I am looking into a new printer for college and just wanted to see if anyone here could recommend a good printer for black and white text documents and occasionally simple color pictures/text. Could anyone recommend a reliable printer that isn't too big?

I was looking into a couple Canon printers (IP6210D for example) on newegg, but they seem somewhat large.

Thanks for any input

 

[Lemon law]

Personally I would go with something like a Canon pixma ip3000,4000, or 5000. For the printing economy---you will do a fair amount of printing in college. But they do occupy some desk top space when the output tray is opened-----I would avoid new chipped Canons unless you plan to use only OEM cartridges only.---the appeal of the non-chipped Canons is that you can get third party cartridges diirt cheap on the internet.----but the older non-chipped Canons are getting hard to find--check on ebay for those models I recommended.

Or a color laser might also be an option. Just don't expect to be able to do photoprinting with a color laser. ---and color lasers also occupy some desk space.

 

[ragnarok297]

Thanks for the advice lemon law, but could you clarify what you mean by chipped? Also, how can I tell if a printer is chipped?

Thanks for your time

 

[Zepper]

"Chipped" means there is an active electronic component of some kind in the cartridge. The older Canon carts were completely passive, thus easily refilled and cloned. Thi iP3k, 4k, etc. (or earlier) Canons are by far the cheapest inkjet printers to operate over the long term. I understand that they are working feverishly on cloning the new Canon carts but I haven't seen any yet. You can refill the new carts, but I've not seen any ink yet that's certified for them. And the printer will rat that you have refilled if you ever have to send it in for service...
. Yes, the Canon's aren't petite, but if you lack space, rig or buy some kind of rack and stack several items in the same chunk of desk space. They are worth the effort to accomodate them.

.bh.

 

[ragnarok297]

Alright, thanks a lot for the help...I am going to see if I can get one of these if I can eve find one.

 

[Lemon law]

Since the short list Canon ip3000, 4000, or 5000 is so easy to remember---you know these printers are non-chipped.
But these are last years models and the supply is getting short----best place to look is now on line---ebay usually has a ready supply-----and Fry's electronics sometimes has them new or refurbished.------and there are always a few still left on a store by store basis at some office supply outfits like Staples and office depot.

Another way to tell if you have a good choice is to look at the cartridges the printers take------any Canon printer that uses the BCI-3&6 cartridge family is non-chipped.------whereas the new chipped Canons that replace the ip4000&5000---namely the ip4200&5200 take the CLI-5&8 series of cartridges.----which are chipped---and cost $2.25 more per cartridge OEM than the BCI-3&6 cartridges they replace.-----but on line BCI-3&6 prefilled cartridges are readily available for as low as a buck on line-----see the nifty stuff forums or a thread now many pages back here on recomemnded vendors---as some vendors are really good and others fall well short in various areas.-----but when you consider that each B/W text page you print will cost you three cents or more to print in ink consumable costs---using OEM cartridges in any inkjet-----this cost mounts up over the college years----and if you don't do your research on printers you could well end up with a printer that costs 30 cents to print each page.

Another option--although I hate to mention it given you are desktop space challenged is an all in one---the Canon MP750.,
760, and MP780 use the ip4000 printer engine and cartridge family----but adds a A4 size flat bed scanner to the mix--or in the case of the MP780 a scanner and a fax.-----but these units don't occupy much more desktop space than say a regular printer but are bigger in a vertical direction-----and a month or so ago the last of the MP780's were being flushed out of the retail channels at about $200. cash and carry.-----still some available at stores and online.

To give you guide lines on prices where a unit becomes a bargain---but factor in shipping

Canon ip3000-----anything under $80
Canon ip4000---anything under $110.
Canon ip5000---anything under $140

Canon MP780---anything under $200
Canon MP750--anything under $150
Canon Mp760---anything under $180------but beware everyone will want to use your scanner as this unit has a better scanner than the MP750 or 780.

Just my opinion on prices and I am asuming units that are brand new and unopened, carry a full one year warranty, and contain a full set of OEM cartridges.--even if the seller has snagged the rebates.-----and beware of sellers who vend refurbished
printers or have snatched parts like printheads or cartridges---read de fine print.--but some refurbished printers can be very good.-----------I have a MP730 which is sort of like a MP780 on desktop hogging space sterioids.

 

[Lemon law]

But reading your post over again---I see Zepper somewhat answered the question on chipped.-------which all inkjet manufacters are now going to--- but various schemes are being used to force users to stick to OEM cartridges.----and the real profits are made in inkjet industry on the cartridges----and not in selling the printers.

In the case of the new chipped Canons---------the lack of a Canon chip means the printer refuses to print when a third party cartridge is inserted into the printer.----the third party vendor can duplicate the the physical dimensions of the cartridge but not the chip. ------you can refill a chipped OEM Canon cartridge with ink after the original ink is consumed-----but the chip can't be yet reset or cloned--they are working on it and its anyones guess on when and if the problem will be solved.

The new chipped Canons monitor ink level by counting the number of time the nozzle fires---a very accurate way to do it.
But when the chip counts more nozzle fires it prompts the user to insert a new OEM cartridge-----but you can override this after navigayed some nag screens with dire warnings about voiding the warranty and safely use a refilled cartridge-----but you then lose any ink level monitoring.----but many users now use that method and can do excellent photoprinting as well as
as general purpose printing with the new chipped Canon printers--------but meanwhile the thirdparty prefilled cartridge vendor is no longer an option.---------until a way around the chip is found.-------and many people like the convience and no muss and fuss option of third party prefilled cartridges------and refilling your own requires a learning curve---even though Canon cartridges are basically the easiest to refill------much much easier than HP or Lexmark.-------and unlike the latter two options Canon refilling usually carries a 100% sucess rates.-----I also tried refilling a Lexmark and HP cartridge---lots of muss, fuss, and bother---and my results didn't pay off as the cartridges did not work at the end of the rainbow.--------even the super pro commercial refillers with fancy expensive equipment often fail 30% of the time with HP and Lexmarks

Zepper is correct in stating the ink forulation is different from the old one---------but its so minor from what I read as not to matter and just requires small tweaks in printer settings so the inks readily available for the older Canons do as well in the chipped Canons.----------and we are talking fussy photoprinter types here where color match is super important--where it may not be in the run of the mill college papers.

 

[ragnarok297]

Wow, thanks a lot for all the info lemon law and zepper...it will help a lot. I'll try and look around for an ip3000, 4000 or 5000 based on what you guys said. The non-chipped cartridge support is an important feature so I'll try and make that a priority.

Thanks for all the great help!

 

[Lemon law]

Flash update-----saw add in this sunday paper-----Fry's electronic has more MP780 left at $200 cash and carry--brand new with full factory warranty------hadn't seen them advertised by any chain for about a month before today--which is why I speculated the last of them were gone from the retail supply line.

 

[Rottie]

you won't be disappointed with IP4000 if you can find them at Fry's electronic store near you. I am happy with my new IP4000 printer. Great photo printout.