suggestions for a nice, cheap printer.

[JM Aggie08]

well, as title suggests, can i get some suggestions under $100?

 

[Zepper]

What is the most important print function: text or text with spot color or photo printing?

If you want it to do most everything well, then a Canon Pixma is still the top choice. Check your local big-box stores for availability of the new iP4300 (specials, rebates, etc.). These new Pixmas have chipped ink tanks, so you'll have to be willing to refill the tanks yourself to keep costs down. There are several companies that are making the special refill ink for it. Clone tanks are supposed to be appearing soon for the 8 series that the new Pixmas use and clones for the 5 series are supposed to be not far behind. Right now you have to pull the chips from the original tanks to put in the clones - soon clone chips are supposed to be available. But it's been more than a year and counting... Keep checking at swiftink.com ("Official Ink Seller to the Anandtech Forums" - see their offer at the top of the Hot Deals section).
. If you don't want to refill yourself and don't care whether your text is top-notch, there are still some of the original Pixma lline out there like the iP6000D (check Froogle, etc.). The 6000D (some new ones left at $100. w/ free shipping per Froogle) is heavily slanted to photo printing, so it is slower than the general purpose models of the original Pixma line like the iP3000, 4000, 5000. These others are pretty much only available on eBay, etc. Prices are higher than what they originally sold for even on used ones because of the low hassle, and incredibly cheap TCO using clone ink tanks. They also have user-replaceable print heads to keep output looking good. They will eventually repay almost any premium over the current models due to the low ink/ clone ink tank costs. The 6000D takes the 6 series ink tanks that can be had for as low as $1. each! for clones. I've not had a significant clog problem with my iP3000 and never a paper jam.

A few other options for low TCO are the Brother AIOs. All of the current series use the same print engine - you just get extra features, better scanner/etc. as the price goes up. The new series are the 2xx/4xx/6xx models. They are slow and their output doesn't compare well to the others. Their older lines are black flagged for serious service issues.

Epsons are black-flagged due to their notorious clogging problems - but if you really print a lot and are careful about the clone tanks you use, you can get the operating costs pretty low on these. Make sure the one you choose uses tanks that have been cloned. And their photo output can look funny relative to others that use dye-based inks (all epson ink is pigment based). I suggest using clone ink tanks from the very beginning as using OEM ink can hasten clogging if you eventually choose to use clone tanks. Pick one reliable brand of clone tank and stick with it.

HP makes some excellent printers but you'll have to refill the cartridges yourself in order to get costs down and their carts can be a PITA to refill. Refurbed carts are an option, but they don't get the costs down much and there's no way to know how many refill cycles they've already gone thru - eventually the integrated heads in the carts will die. The new K500 has passive, separate ink tanks, but it's designed for high duty cycle office use. The photo output quality isn't that good. Costs about $200. but clone tanks are available so the TCO can still be low - lower still if you want to refill the tanks yourself. Another problem I have with HP is the u-shaped paper path. Paper jams are not unheard of and it can be rough on photo papers and thick stock.

The less said about Lexmark inkjet printers, the better...

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

.bh.