Potentially hotter deal at Best Buy on Lexmark Z23

[Krakn3Dfx]

I was at Best Buy today and they had a returned Lexmark Z23 on the return table for $28.60. Talked to salesguy and apparently these are being clearanced out so they're boxing the display models up with a new cartridge and selling them for the price of the cartridge. On top of that, you still get the $30 MiR, so if you can get one of these at your local Best Buy on the return/demo table for that price, you can get one of these for free after MiR! Not a bad deal for a cool little budget printer. Negatives are that it doesn't come with the USB cable or the black print cartridge and the cartridges are kind of pricey, as is the case with all inkjet cartridges.

 

[ken2001]

Don't like lexmark printer cause they have the most expensive ink catridge. Love epson, they are cheap.

 

[toshiba3020]

Love my epson 880 with $3 black carts, $5 color. But lexmarks are good printers, and you can get refil kits which are pretty cheap too.

ed:typo.

 

[Kwad Guy]

Well, with the Lexmark you can refill the cartridge with a refill
kit and if the heads in the cartridge happen to get clogged, the
worst that happens is you replace the cartridge. With the Epson,
if you use the cheapo refill ink carts and your heads clog (and
they will eventually clog, if your experience with Epson is
anything like mine), you will either burn through most of
a cartridge trying to get the printer to unclog them (best case
scenario) or you will have to toss the printer in the trash because
the heads are in the printer, not in the cartridge.

So from the standpoint of cheap ink, the Lexmark wins.
Epson prints better photos IF you can keep the heads clean
and working. Lexmark has MUCH MUCH MUCH better text than the Epson.

HP is sort of a happy compromise: Few/no head clogging issues,
good photo printing (almost as good as Epson, better than Lexmark),
and good text printing (not as good as Lexmark, much better than
Epson).

After many "goddamit I can't get these heads unclogged" sessions
with Epsons (and this was using real Epson cartridges, not mystery
3rd party cartridges) I finally tossed my Photo EX 700 in the trash.

Kwad

 

[dirtrat]

<< Don't like lexmark printer cause they have the most expensive ink catridge. Love epson, they are cheap. >>



I HATE my Epson Photo Stylus 750 and will never buy another EPSON again. Constant problems with catridge clogging and print quality problems. My EL-CHEAPO Lexmark Z-11 is the best printer I ever bought. The Expensive lexmark cartridge remarks you hear are total nonsense. make sure you compare the size of the ink cartridge when making you comparisons.

 

[Sesopedalian]

Kwad Guy - Why can't you dab alcohol or cleaning fluid on the print heads to clean them? I would think that would dissolve any dried ink. You must have tried this?

 

[dirtrat]

<< Kwad Guy - Why can't you dab alcohol or cleaning fluid on the print heads to clean them? I would think that would dissolve any dried ink. You must have tried this? >>



I can answer why I wouldn't do this. Unless you use your printer (Epson) daily several times the jets WILL clog. Do you feel like taking the printer apart every few days to do this? The simple fact is you shouldn't have to do this. Not sure if all Epson printers are like this, just telling you my experiences and reading numerous complaints from others about the same problems. If I were to buy a new printer it would either be a Lexmark or HP. just my .02

 

[DoubleL]

Well my 2 cents I wouldn't buy anything but a Epson, I have a 900 and the prints can't be beat, Well maybe by a 2000P, I can go weeks without using the printer and run the head cleaner and she is ready to print, Cheap ink and great pictures

 

[chjode]

I have an Epson 850 (purchased summer 1998) and use it only occasionally (sometimes two or three weeks between prints) and I've never had a problem with the printer heads clogging. Various friends and family members have an Epson 440, 600, 640, 880, C40ux, and C80 and nary a problem to be had with any of them, either. I buy and recommend Epson printers because they are reliable and because you can get incredibly cheap ink carts.

Granted, now that I've said this, my printer will kerplode.

 

[Stradlin]

I've been a loyal Canon user for some time. Mostly because I got their printers for next to nothing (thanks AT), but also because the output has been absolutely fantastic. They can be a bit quirky, though. The solution Canon uses to keep the heads unclogged is a bit noisy and extensive when turning my printers on/off... And I use cheap compatible cartridges that look about as good as their Canon equivalents.

 

[boa]

sure do wish my hp-piii would die. 10 years and still going strong!
Of course at $1000+ back then, it should last for some time.

 

[canalcrab]

<< Kwad Guy - Why can't you dab alcohol or cleaning fluid on the print heads to clean them? I would think that would dissolve any dried ink. You must have tried this? >>



I've had an Epson 800 since they first came out and have battled with the heads clogging on a regular basis; I am out of town for at least 5 straight months of the year and the printer sits in a hot uncooled office all summer without being used. Everything is usually clogged when I return from the arctic. I finally found a workable means of unclogging the heads:

Water and alcohol won't dissolve the dried inks from the head surface. Acetone, perc, tri-chloro, automotive brake and carb cleaners, and ether based cleaners all have a major potential for melting plastic parts. An ammonia based cleaner is necessary. Koh-I-Noor markets just such a cleaner for use with technical drawing pens (Rapidographs) for dissolving India Ink and other tough to dissolve inks from inside drawing pens. Check out an art supply or drafting supply store (in NY metro area Pearl is an easy place to find the stuff.) With care you can place some of this cleaner on the pad where the printer heads sit, and after a few cleaning cycles the heads will generally come clean. You may need to initiate a cleaning or cart replacement sequence, then pull the electric plug to make the heads stay out of your way while you soak the pad, then plug it back in and run a few cleaning cycles. I have used nothing but Epson brand inks on this machine and have used entire cartridges trying to "clean" the heads, and this solution seems not to harm anything at all and is MUCH less expensive and quicker than blowing through ink carts.

Now that I have a spare refurbed Epson880 still sitting in the box (Thanks Hot Deals for the $32 special!!!) I may try using some of the specialty inks on the market and not worry about harming my ancient $400-when-new printer.

 

[Coraanu]

Just thought I'd toss in my 2 cents. Using an HP 932C for at least 9 months now, have never purchased new cartridges. I picked up a refill kit from InkTechology and have been refilling the original carts since. =] Photos and text kick ass and I print once every few weeks without problems.

My girlfriend had an Compaq IJ600 (used Lexmark carts) and the thing would clog even though we printed a week ago. Replaced carts and the new ones still dried up. I got sick of this and bought her an HP 845C for ~$60 and the thing's been kickin ass. Not to mention it is faster and quieter.

Flame away, but I'm an HP guy from my experiences.

 

[CKDragon]

<< Using an HP 932C for at least 9 months now >>



I'll second the vote for the 932C, I've had mine for about a year and a half and it's still busting out excellent quality photos and text for everyday use. Thanks for the link, I think I may try the refill kit you're referring to.

CK

 

[DAICA]

those lexmark ink carts are gona burn a hole in your pockets. and to top it off the print quality is ok.