Advice for semiprofessional printer to buy. Pls.

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Hi Fabian,


I would suggest that you take a look at the new Xerox Phaser 8400DP.
This is a solid ink printer that can crank out color prints at 24 ppm.
It has the seperate colors you are looking for, can do duplex, network
ready, and it can handle thick card stock. It is limited to a maximum
legal size paper.

If you are in the US you can get this printer free with free on-site
service. Your only obligation is to purchase supplies that you would
need anyway. For more information visit http://www.FreePrinters.com.

DW
 
Hi,

I snooped the HP website: very very instructive.

I discovered that starting from a colour laser of barely 300$, I need
to spend about 1599$ for getting the automatic duplex (and a bit of
more speed, a bit of higher printing capacity/month, but who cares).
:-(

Than, I have also noted that if I want A3 or photo printing, I'd better
go to another category of printers as the all-in-one printers (as
someone suggested me).

So, these huge differences in prices are due not to software, not to
electronics, but to mechanics. I know that I am probably saying obvious
things for you...ehi, I'm just learning. :-)

Thanksa lot.

Cheers,
Fabian
Click to expand...

I recommend that you look for the cost of the 3 year service agreement
and factor that into the purchase price. Worth every penny when the
printer isn;t acting right a couple years after you buy it.
 
Well, comparing to HP prices..it's amazing.

However, I have never seen Samsung printers in offices. How's the
quality/reliability?

Thanks.
Fabian
Click to expand...


There are some nice small Samsung printers. I've seen a couple in use
but you have to look to the usage rating on the spec sheet for any
printer you consider, as pages per month. If you buy a printer that is
rated below your printing volume you will probably be unhappy with
your purchase.

For a business the availablity of an onsite service agreement may be
important. You don't want to pack and ship a faulty printer. You want
someone to come in and work on it.

The cheapest laser printers are considered non-repairable by the
manufacturer. If yours breaks withing it's warranty period they send
you a refurb replacemant and the contract says it doesn't have to be
the same model. This means you'll have to trash any toner carts you
have, and for a color laser that can be a bunch of bucks.

The PC Magazine web site has many articles evaluating printers,
including cost per page figures.

http://www.pcmag.com/
 
Fineprint? Ok. I saw a few Canon's that had a "booklet" format directly
in the (software) drivers. I thought that every brand had its own
"booklet" printing format, but apparently it is not.


This is a surprise for me: if I want/plan to print millions of
pages/months I'd better buy an inkjet?

I started thinking about a laser because of the better quality of the
colour. And because colours are more stable, indipendent by weather
conditions (but, is this correct?).

And what about particular kinds of papers and thik papers as the ones
for the greeting cards?

Thanks.
Fabian
Click to expand...


"better color" has to be related to your business requirements. You
have to decide if you need "photorealistic" printing or not. Laser
printers can be very good color but they are "business grade" color,
not photorealistic.

IMO laser printers handle a narrow range of papers compared to inkjet
printers.

Compare your color laser to these high end professional inkjet
printers: All of these are photorealistsic.

Epson 4000
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/printers/epson-4000.shtml

The HP DesignJet series:
http://h41186.www4.hp.com/printers_multiformat.html?pageseq=3960227

Epson 2200
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/printers/Epson2200.shtml


I'm told that the more expensive Epson 4000 will pay for itself after
printing about 2000 pages due to lower ink costs. In general, the more
a printer costs the cheaper it will be to use and the more reliable it
will be.
 
Thanks to you all for your feedbacks. Many different nice suggestions.

Maybe it is better I tell you what I need my printer for.

For my business, I want/need to print on demand company correspondance
(invoices, commercial letters) with letterheads, envelopes with Royal
mail digital stamps, a few hundreds leaflets or brochures or business
cards when required.

I would need to be able to print 200/300 sheets each time and also good
quality a bit thick paper.

I would also to be able to print booklets (on demand).

At the beginning, I will not have to print that much but later on
hopefully, I could need to print 2000/3000 pages per month (guess).
Click to expand...
What you describe is almost exactly the uses to which a laser is put.
Look at the Kyocera ones, they have the lowest TCO and they're better
for the planet <g>

--

Hecate - The Real One
(e-mail address removed)
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...
 
No! I reckon you need a laser but it wouldn't surprise me if someone on
here says they manage to print thousands of pages a month with an
inkjet, personally I would find that excruciating.
Click to expand...
Life's too short to wait for an inkjet to print thousands of pages ;-)

--

Hecate - The Real One
(e-mail address removed)
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...
 
Hecate said:
What you describe is almost exactly the uses to which a laser is put.
Look at the Kyocera ones, they have the lowest TCO and they're better
for the planet <g>
Click to expand...

Well, two of us have suggested Kyocera now.

www.kyoceraprintershop.com has a refurbed fs-c8008n (or fs-8008cn I
think they have called it) for about £1,000. (A3 version).

Contact them for a brochure and sample print out.
 
Hi all there,

I really got lots of feedback over here.

After consideration, I am reviewing everything and I am afraid I need
to buy 2 printers both cheaper of what I was keen to spend.
An inkjet for all the photo/greeting cards/graphics work
I was thinking to a I9900 or a Epson stylus Photo R1800 so I can
benefit of the A3 format too. (the best in http://www.pcmag.com)
Unfortunately the magazine does not give indication of the TCO nor
price per page)

Then for other type of jobs (leaflets/brochures/booklets), I can buy a
Colour laser. Maybe later on when I get orders.

What I have also not found good paper suppliers in Uk. Can you
recommend anyone? By having a paper supplier, I can also have a better
idea of which printer I need to buy.

And what about the business cards format?
I was told that I need to use an A4 sheet precut to print business card
formats. Do these give professional results?
Are there other options? I have really not seen any printer enabled to
enter business card sheets into the rolls...

Cheers,
Fabian
 
In message said:
Hi all there,

What I have also not found good paper suppliers in Uk. Can you
recommend anyone? By having a paper supplier, I can also have a better
idea of which printer I need to buy.
Click to expand...

Viking-direct would probably be a good place to start.
And what about the business cards format?
I was told that I need to use an A4 sheet precut to print business card
formats. Do these give professional results?
Click to expand...

People like avery produce the precut business card sheets. I _think_
the print shops will print on card and then use a professional
guillotine to cut them.

Do we take it then that you are looking at opening a printing shop?
 
Viking-direct would probably be a good place to start.
Click to expand...

I have contacted them and they sent me their catalog, but I have heard
of suppliers that send a sample of each type of paper the have
(coloured, glossy, matt, papyrus, special, etc). Are also Viking the
cheapest? I find them quite expensive.
People like avery produce the precut business card sheets. I _think_
the print shops will print on card and then use a professional
guillotine to cut them.

Do we take it then that you are looking at opening a printing shop?
Click to expand...

No :-) printers I aim to buy are that professional?

I believe I should have been a bit more expert if I wanted to have a
printing business.

it is an online business. The printing is even not the core business,
however, if requested, I need to be able to print correspondance (data
and headend) and post ot and/or list of addresses onto envelopes from a
db, excel, txt file.

Then I see how far it goes with the printing requests.

Cheers,
Fabian
 
In message said:
I have contacted them and they sent me their catalog, but I have heard
of suppliers that send a sample of each type of paper the have
(coloured, glossy, matt, papyrus, special, etc). Are also Viking the
cheapest? I find them quite expensive.
Click to expand...

With Viking you need to look at all their catalogues to find what you
want at their cheapest price. If you find them expensive who are you
finding cheaper?
No :-) printers I aim to buy are that professional? No!

I believe I should have been a bit more expert if I wanted to have a
printing business.
Click to expand...

Thats what I was going to say, if you had said yes, it was just that was
what I thought was being implied by the suggestions of printing cards
and brochures when orders start to come in.
 
I have contacted them and they sent me their catalog, but I have heard
of suppliers that send a sample of each type of paper the have
(coloured, glossy, matt, papyrus, special, etc). Are also Viking the
cheapest? I find them quite expensive.
Click to expand...

I've bought from Viking sometimes, but not for inkjet paper other
than for standard text printing.

For the type of printing you mention the best places to go are, for
example, MX2 (www.mx2.co.uk) On-Line Paper (www.on-linepaper.co.uk)
Papermill Direct (www.papermilldirect.co.uk).


--

Hecate - The Real One
(e-mail address removed)
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...
 
With Viking you need to look at all their catalogues to find what you
want at their cheapest price. If you find them expensive who are you
finding cheaper?
Click to expand...

Sorry it was Neat-idea. Actually I have not compared prices yet.
Thats what I was going to say, if you had said yes, it was just that was
what I thought was being implied by the suggestions of printing cards
and brochures when orders start to come in.
Click to expand...

Well, as my mentor suggested me, I start very low key and I go where
the market goes...

Fabian
 
In message said:
Sorry it was Neat-idea. Actually I have not compared prices yet.
Click to expand...

Sometimes they come up with decent things but then they argue about
delivery, Viking can manage free delivery to the Isle of Wight, but Neat
Ideas struggles with that.
 
Sometimes they come up with decent things but then they argue about
delivery, Viking can manage free delivery to the Isle of Wight, but Neat
Ideas struggles with that.
Click to expand...

Do you live in the Isle of Wight?? or is it just an example?
 
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