Best Printer?

[Usjes]

Hi,

I am considering getting a new printer and would like opinions on the best brand and model.
I would like:
- All in one printer scanner copier
- It is for light home use only
- I am inclined to go for an inkjet as I assume they are cheaper than laser and my needs are modest.
- Reliability and value are important.

With regard to this last point my existing printer is a HP psc750 and based on its performance I am inclined to completely avoid HP products. While this model is old there are a number of aspects about it I find immensly irritating:

1. For a while now it has randomly been indicating 'Scanner Failure' when I power it on and suggesting I power it off and on again.
2. Recently it stopped printing colour with the error message 'Incorrect colour cartridge installed.' Note that this was a relatively new colour cartridge which printed without issue for a couple of weeks before this started so it is definitely not and incorrect cartridge.
3. The cartridges are ridiculously expensive. I would rather pay the genuine cost of the printer up front and not be ripped off on ink.
4. The 'HP director' software which gives detailed control of all the printer's functions is not available for Windows 7.

I believe that the above problems are largely due to crappy software, I am an engineer and have dismantled much of the printer to see if I can see any physical cause for the above intermittant problems and despite its age I can see no defects and am impressed by the shape it is in.

- So, is my assessment fair? Or might HP have improved their printers' reliability such that a newer model would give reliable perfromance ?

- Are HP replacments still a ripoff for newer models?

- Do all manufacturers use this cheap-hardware-rip-off-ink-refill buisness model ? Or equivalently which brand has the lowest 'total cost of ownership' (to use the current cliché)

- Are there any other factors I should be considering? Given that the print quality of my existing one (when it prints) is adequate I am assuming that the quality (DPI etc) of any modern printer will not be a factor ?

Thanks,

Usjes

 

[Alex Hold]

Hi Usjes, it looks like you've done your homework!

Firstly since Carly Fiorina has ruined HP in the last decade I think you'd be doing a good job staying away from HP completely. Not only are there printers inferior to most alternatives, their customer support is a joke and won't help in the slightest.

The problem which can arise using inkjets over lasers is that if your needs are too modest the ink heads could end up drying up, costing you a lot of time and effort to get the whole thing working again - as well as exorbitant ink prices.

Yes, all of the big printing companies do still use the Razor and Blades business model. HP is the worst in my opinion once more - you really need to stay away from them because they're living on the past glories of a soon to be forgotten reputation.

If you're looking for for an all in one printer then I would suggest a laser based printer for a few reasons. To start with they're more reliable when used less frequently, they don't have massive running costs and they're less prone to breaking. In my opinion Inkjet printers are really only for people who want to print glossy photographs, because the truth is that the running costs of an inkjet will make the small savings vanish pretty quickly over just a few years - and the stress they'll end up causing you simply isn't worth it.

The Canon MF3240 Monochrome is on sale at the moment on Amazon for around 100 bucks, it's a good solid standard printer. It has reasonable printing speeds, resolution figures, scans and copies. It's a balanced laser printer based on a compromise position between cost and performance - and overall I do think you'll save more with this device.

If you are definitely set on an inkjet then I'd suggest the Canon PIXMA MP495 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One. It doubles up as a wireless printer, a photo printer, scanner and copier so it can do pretty much everything. This is around half the cost.

Over time I really do think it'd be far better to go with the first option, and I'd implore you to see the 'big picture' because over a long term 4-5 year period then you'll definitely be making savings.

If you're using your inkjet infrequently such as once a month then it definitely will clog up and dry out, however if you're using at weekly then you won't have problems.

Good luck!