NEED ADVICE ON PRINTER PURCHASE

[its_my_dime]

Perhaps someone can help:

I need a printer for a secondary location that will have very light usage
including some months of non-use.

Would like the following:

-Vista AND XP compatible
-USB (network not necessary)
-B & W (color not needed)
-Small footprint
-Reasonable through-put (doesn't need to be high speed)
-Moderate price
-Major manufacturer
-Good web site & customer service (if necessary)
-Favorable consumer comments
-Available at Amazon, Newegg or equivalent
-Ink supply should not dry out before being used up

Thoughts and help, please.

Thank you.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Answers inline

Perhaps someone can help:

I need a printer for a secondary location that will have very light usage
including some months of non-use.

Would like the following:

-Vista AND XP compatible

Most are

-USB (network not necessary)

Almost all are

-B & W (color not needed)

The colour cartridge is used to enhance 'black'

-Small footprint

Cheap printers have the smallest footprint

-Reasonable through-put (doesn't need to be high speed)

HP haven't made the 300 and 500 series for years now. All printers print
fast these days..

-Moderate price

Look at the display barkers..

-Major manufacturer

HP every time

-Good web site & customer service (if necessary)

HP every time

-Favorable consumer comments

HP every time

-Available at Amazon, Newegg or equivalent

Go to the HP website to check out models then to the sites above to check
for availability

-Ink supply should not dry out before being used up

HP every time

Thoughts and help, please.

Thank you.

--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

 

[ray]

Perhaps someone can help:

I need a printer for a secondary location that will have very light
usage including some months of non-use.

Would like the following:

-Vista AND XP compatible
-USB (network not necessary)
-B & W (color not needed)
-Small footprint
-Reasonable through-put (doesn't need to be high speed) -Moderate price
-Major manufacturer
-Good web site & customer service (if necessary) -Favorable consumer
comments
-Available at Amazon, Newegg or equivalent -Ink supply should not dry
out before being used up

Thoughts and help, please.

Thank you.

Sure - get a cheapie sub $100 laser.

 

[DanS]

my personal experience, stay away from epson printers.
once the ink dries in the print head it's finished.

While that may be true, if you do a lot of printing, and by a lot, I mean
2 or 3 times a week.....often...not necessarily 100's of pages....an
Epson printer IS a good deal.

Printing off a few pages a week will keep the ink from drying in the
heads, and well......the Epson I have has 4 colors and a black cartridge.
If I HAD to buy the genuine Epson cartridges, it would cost over $75 to
replace all five cartridges. (I paid $70 for the printer to begin with.)

On the other hand, using the non-OEM ink tanks will refill all five
cartridges for under $20.

Now if your someone that does a LOT of printing...all the time...it's a
no-brainer to go for a printer that doesn't cost much to refill.

The price of ink is ridiculous.

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

The price of ink is ridiculous.

It's a few years old now, but this page was interesting:

http://www.cockeyed.com/science/gallon/liquid.html

ss.

 

[DanS]

in



yes, do print with it and you will be ok. I was too worried about
spending the money on ink, and it cost me a great printer. it did print
very well.
but the problem still exists, you cannot remove and clean the print
head. or replace it.
which in turn leaves you with a useless paper weight just because of
that simple little part.

If I knew that when I bought it, I wouldn't have bought it.
a little research would have saved me a lot of $$ over all in the end.

I had an Epson clog and it had to be junked. My fault though as it sat
unused for 6 months. I'd buy another though. And have.

 

[Steve Thackery]

There is one that fits your requirements perfectly:

Canon LBP2900

Available from PC World at about £60.

It's a black-and-while laser printer, and it ticks every one of your boxes.

SteveT

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

I had an Epson clog and it had to be junked. My fault though as it sat
unused for 6 months. I'd buy another though. And have.

Epsons clog very easily wen unused, but you can unclog them with isopropyl
alcohol and cotton tipped sticks.

ss.

 

[DDW]

There is one that fits your requirements perfectly:

Canon LBP2900

Available from PC World at about £60.

It's a black-and-while laser printer, and it ticks every one of your boxes.

SteveT

If the OP lived in Europe, it might be OK.

DDW

 

[Steve Thackery]

If the OP lived in Europe, it might be OK.

Ah, I don't know where he lives.

However, I'm sure the same printer will be available in the US, and a
similarly competitive price.

SteveT

 

[DanS]

Epsons clog very easily wen unused, but you can unclog them with
isopropyl alcohol and cotton tipped sticks.

ss.

And a quick Google search shows that quite the cottage industry has sprung
up for just cleaning Epson print heads.

 

[DDW]

Ah, I don't know where he lives.

IP in the message headers say New York City, USA.

However, I'm sure the same printer will be available in the US, and a
similarly competitive price.

Model numbers are different in the US. Searching the model you
suggested only comes up with European sites.


DDW

 

[Walt Thatcher]

IP in the message headers say New York City, USA.

Model numbers are different in the US. Searching the model you
suggested only comes up with European sites.

And there is nothing comparable to that printer at either Amazon or
Newegg.