MZB said:
Friend has an old DELL that runs Windows ME.
He had an Epson Color 777 printer that died.
He doesn't use the printer much, but would like to get one with a decent
quality print (and I know his wife would like to print photos). Is there any
low-cost decent printer (say even under $75) that you'd recommend??
Am I correct that if the printer costs less you end up paying more for the
replacement cartridges?
Mel
I would suggest investigating the used market, but I see you've already
done that, with less than perfect success. I can imagine you'd be leery
of trying that option right away again. So, I would suggest that you
look into discontinued and/or refurbished printers. Discontinued models
are new and carry all the original manufacturer's warranties, but at a
reduced price. Manufacturer-refurbished printers are used, yes, but
they've been inspected and repaired if necessary by trained personnel,
and are usually priced even lower than discontinued models. They, too,
often carry a warranty, though it's usually shorter than that of a new
machine. There is a slightly larger chance of getting a "lemon" than
when buying new, but there are new printers that are bad right out of
the box, as well.
While the older models don't have all the bells and whistles of newer
ones, many are quite capable of meeting your requirements, and then
some. And you are right about today's cheaper printers. In general, the
newer, cheaper printers have lower-capacity cartridges, resulting in
higher per copy costs than their predecessors.
All of the printers I've used in the last 15 years were purchased either
used or refurbished. I have no complaints. Some of the used ones didn't
last too long, but I didn't pay much for them, either. (one Epson was
free and lasted almost a year.) The last one, a refurbished HP, is still
cranking out prints as good as new, five years after purchase.
TJ