Printer suggestions?

[pieguy]

I'm getting fed up with my Epson printer. It's the kind with the four (CMYK) ink carts and the main problem is if I let it sit for more than a week without printing, which happens often, then it needs a print head cleaning. This really sucks the ink down, and it really seems to suck the ink down with normal printing as well. I only print a few pages a month on average.

So I'm about due for all four carts (around $50) so I'm thinking maybe it's time for a different printer. Any suggestions for an inexpensive low volume printer? Experience with ones that don't dry up like this?

 

[Mike64]

Experience with ones that don't dry up like this?

That pretty much happens with any inkjet cartridge that doesn't get regular use. (It doesn't have to be heavy use, just regular.)

Any suggestions for an inexpensive low volume printer?

If you have a strong preference for staying with an inkjet, I'd suggest getting in the habit of printing a short "refresh" document designed to hit all the cartridges every few days (or perhaps even setting up an auto-scheduled task to do it). It doesn't have to be much - even a one pager with relatively little printing should do it; you just need to keep the ink at the surface of the heads from getting too hard-dry...

Or just get an inexpensive monochrome laser printer (decent ones can be as cheap as $60-70 on sale) and "outsource" your color work. Photo-printing is pretty readily available at a lot of places and you could do color document printing at a place like Staples, Kinko's, or a local shop. Since you apparently do it so infrequently, it seems like that shouldn't be too big a PITA. (And though I don't do it myself so I'm not sure, I think the big, and maybe most small, places let you submit print jobs over the Web, so you just have to swing by to pick it up, rather than actually having to sit and do it all there.)

You can get relatively inexpensive color laser printers, too, but the cheap ones don't produce great quality printing, and the better ones are pretty expensive (and the toner ain't cheap either, though at least it won't dry up on you.) Inexpensive monochrome printers on the other hand have good basic print quality. What you don't get in an inexpensive B&W laser is one that has lots of bells and whistles, or that can handle large-format printing, or high volume.

 

[nerp]

Go laser. Brother.

 

[Viper GTS]

If your color needs are office type (think colored text, pie charts, whatever) then a color laser is likely a reasonable solution. They don't do well with photos compared to inkjets.

$150 these days ($100 if you catch them on sale) will get you a duplexing 30+ ppm laser that also will scan and standalone copy. If you don't need color that's really hard to beat.

I paid $100 for one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Brother-DCPL2540DW-Wireless-Compact-Printer/dp/B00MFG57ZK

The only downside is the starter toner is nearly worthless (mine lasted less than 100 pages) - You'll want to pick up a high capacity toner cartridge with it ($45).

Viper GTS

 

[Compman55]

Go for a used business color laser. They can be had for very cheap with good toners. Avoid home color lasers, toner is too small. Drums wear too fast. Business ones are way better, but can be large in size infortunatly.

 

[pieguy]

Thanks for the suggestions. There is a state government surplus store nearby that I should check for a color laser. I'm not sure what brand I would go with if I were to stick with an inkjet though. I got away from HP because of stupid ink prices but I haven't been impressed with epson.

 

[CA19100]

You might also consider if you really need color at home. I came the conclusion that I didn't, and went with an inexpensive Brother B&W laser that has been nothing short of fantastic. Lasers never clog or dry out from disuse, which is perfect for my occasional printing needs.

I tossed my Epson in the trash for exactly the same reason -- constant head cleanings -- and have never regretted it. In the very rare case that I need to print photos, I just upload them to my local lab and pick up better prints than any inkjet. It's a good solution for me.

 

[corkyg]

Don't forget that HP carts can be refilled up to three times. Part of the higher price is that you get a new print head with every new cart.

 

[PliotronX]

Go laser. Brother.

Yes and yes!