A free printer

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

When I ordered my HP laptop they had a deal going where you buy a $79.99 F300 printer and get a mail in rebate for the same amount, so it ends up being free.

The amazing part is what 79.95 will get you these days. It does regular printing, picture printing, copying and scanning. The pictures look great. I copied a piece of sheet music and it's hard to tell the copy from the original. I haven't done any scanning yet but I'm sure it will work as well as the rest.

I have an HP 5650 thats about 3 years old and while I can do pics, it won't scan or copy, and it was a whole lot more money.

Just an observation I thought I'd share.

Dave Potter · From: Texas

That's not a bad price - free.

HP sells that one for $63, but they don't try to make much on the purchase price.

They want you to buy ink cartridges, $33 every time you do both of them, and every 138 color pages, on average (based on HP's numbers).

[This message was edited by Dave Potter on 16 August 2006 at 07:49 AM.]

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Last time I bought a Dell computer for the Mrs, it was cheaper to get it with the printer than without it. We didn't need or want the printer so we threw it out.

I'm sure it would have run out of ink before the paper tray was empty. They do this as a loss leader to sell ink, you know. That's where the real money is.

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Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

I have an Epson CX4600 that takes 3 color and 1 black cartridge.

I just want a printer to print in black & White. I'm not into all the colorizing stuff. I just want to be able to print some info if I need it.

The printer cost $99. The black cartridge costs about $27-$30. Each color cartridge costs $13 a pop x 3 = $39. If just one color [red, yellow, blue] runs out, the whole printer shuts down and will not print. I've gone into print manager and checked this and that, but it doesn't work.

This just galls me.

No wonder they give 'em away.

Richard Bass · From: Sabang Beach, Philippines

Lexmark has several low cost printers that just take one twenty dollar ink. I haven't tried one but it sounds economical in theory. The ink is #1 cartrige sells at wallyworld for 19.95
Richard

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Lexmark's are cheap - but you get what you pay for with a Lexmark. Add a little to it and go for something better, you won't be sorry.

FWIW, the Dell's are made by Lexmark - and the Dells are $$ cheap too....

Dave Potter · From: Texas

I finally caught on to the inkjet replacement cartridge scam a while back. I've gone to laser printers, two of 'em now, and I have no regrets.

The buy-in price for lasers is higher, and the cost of consumables for lasers is also higher. But, laser printer supplies last a lot longer, the output quality is better, and most importantly, there's no issue with ink cartridges drying up over time, even if the printer isn't used.

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

I surely agree on the price of ink cartridges. It is outlandish. I bought a color and black ink set at Costco for my 5650. It was $77.

I haven't bought for the F300 yet. I printed 5 pictures and the color cartridge is nearly half gone. I can almost hear it sucking money out of my wallet as it prints.

[This message was edited by Ken Lang on 16 August 2006 at 06:44 PM.]

Wiz Feinberg · From: Mid-Michigan, USA

This information may be useful to inkjet printer users who are tired of paying list for replacement cartridges. It has helped me save a bundle.

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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I don't use non OEM cartridges. I've tried them and had to send them back for one reason or another on an HP. My current Epson has ink cartridges that feed a "print head" and I can't take the chance of a non onem cartridge causing a print head problem ($$$). On the ones that the "print head" is built into the cartridge that is not a problem. However EVERY customer that I support that has tried the non-oem cartridges (from various sources) has had problems.

I have a friend in northern Mich that used to have a computer business. One of his customers decided to go the non-oem (refilled)cartridge route for their HP's. He ordered a batch from his supplier, which were guaranteed, and his customer tried them and had many problems. He called the supplier and the supplier sent him replacements that came from a different source and the same problem. His customer gave up and went back to the higher $$ OEM HP cartridges and no more problems.

But, I agree the Printer manufacturers sell the units at a very low price then make their money on the ink cartridges.

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

(I don't use non OEM cartridges.)

Good advise Jack,been there done that..

BF

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

You can get a great laser printer for the price that you use to have to pay for an ink jet printer and they are cheaper to maintain and print per page. I wouldn't say the quality is much better than a good inkjet nowdays due to the huge advancement of inkjet printers but it will be every bit as good as one of the high dollar inkjets and much better than a cheap one.

Keep in mind that very high quality inkjet printers still cost 200.00 to 600.00 bucks so why not go with an affordable laser and have basically the same quality or better at about 1/2 or more price per page.

Now if you only do casual printing like a few pages a month then by all means go with a what I call a throw away printer and when it runs out of ink find another good deal on one with cartridges included. I see them all the time on the net for 19.00 to 39.00 and that's cheaper than you can buy the refills. Just a thought.

Bob

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

Absolutely right Bob M. And absolutely nuts, too.

If I were to replace all my cartridges at once, it would be about $70 [with tax, of course].

This is just insane. May as well go buy a brand new printer, no doubt.

I just shake my mellon in disbelief.

Lou[NE] · From: Weston, NE USA

Another voice from the laser printer camp. Wife and I freed ourselves from the tyranny of inkjet cartridges by getting a Konica/Minolta Magicolor 2400W. Very affordable. We're pleased with it.

We too had bad luck with non-OEM cartridges in HP and Compaq (Lexmark) printers. They weren't worth the hassle.

[This message was edited by Lou[NE] on 17 August 2006 at 02:34 PM.]

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

quote:
If I were to replace all my cartridges at once, it would be about $70 [with tax, of course].

This is just insane. May as well go buy a brand new printer, no doubt.

A new printer comes with less ink! They put starter cartridges in the new printers that are only half full. That's why they sell them so cheap - they know you'll have to spring for new carts at least once, and that's built into the pricing model.

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

Thanks Uncle b0b,

Boy, that is just depressing news.

It's like, why buy anything today? Unless you absolutely need it.

I mean everything, it seems, has a built-in "ya
better watch out" air to it.

Man, thank god I'm 59, and really have no desire to purchase much, anymore. I just don't trust this world, for anything. You just get ripped-off wherever you turn.

It seems to me.

Richard Bass · From: Sabang Beach, Philippines

b0b you are sure right about the starter cartridge, not much ink in them at all. Jack I couldn't agree more about using OEM inks. I tried a non OEM on my Epson 5400 and it was very obvious that the quality of the colors were not there. The nonOEM were Staples brand. I learned my lesson, never again. I've always printed out pics with great colors, got a little stingy and learned a lesson. Big Bob I've not tried a laser printer in a couple of years, how are the ones with color for photos?
Richard

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

There are OEM cartridges with different amounts of ink in them. I know the HP cartridges for my old PSC 750 (All in one) have different amounts. e.g. if it has a suffix to the cartridge number that means how much ink is in the cartridge. I bought a replacement black ink cartridge at an office supply and the next time I bought one at Sam's club and the Sam's club cartridge had a different suffix and obviously had more ink in it as it lasted quite a bit longer. I don't know about other brands.

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

b0b, I never thought about the starter carts having less ink in them, tho it now makes sense. The F300 color ran out in an amazingly short time, while my 5650 can print far more pics.

Live and learn.

Bob Martin · From: Madison Tn

Hey Richard, the lower priced laser printers will print color pictures as well as the high dollar inkjet's as a rule. I have an older laser printer that was over 7k when new. I didn't buy it I had a friend that worked for the state and when they upgraded their printers they had sealed bid auctions and he got it for around 100.00 anyway I ended up with it and it's over 7 to 10 yrs old and it will print a picture in just 2 minutes in full color and it's quality is good enough to use for family portraits or professional printing.

So what I'm getting at the newer laser printers in the 300.00 to 600.00 price range are even better and quicker than this one. So I'd say yes they are very good at printing pictures out and you don't have the mysterious fade factor after 10 years of hanging in the hallway. I'm sure the laser pics will fade some but nothing like the inkjet printers although the good high quality inkjet printers in the 3 to 6 hundred dollar catagory have fade proof technology along with better ink which again is very high.

If it were me and I wanted high quality fast fade proof pictures I'd spend the money on a laser just read the small print there are big differences in the quality of laser printers today it's not like it was 15 yrs ago when laser printers were all great now days you can get bad laser printers that aren't even as good as a cheaper inkjet buyer beware is today's motto!

Bob

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