Need Printer Recommendations

Jeremy Steele · From: Princeton, NJ USA

My old HP 620 is on it's last legs...I'm woefully unaware of the state of the art on ink jet printers...can some of you folks suggest some good mid-price alternatives?

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

My HP laser printer finally got to the point where it needed a toner cartridge. I never did like the way the paper path and heat wrinkled the heck out of everything I printed, even when having the paper exit out of the back. It was a little slow also at 4 PPM. I went to Office Max and got an HP 895CSE for $249.95. Its an inkjet and has separate cartriges for color and B/W. It does (advertised) 6 PPM color and 10 PPM in B/W (actually I have observed that even with fairly sparse pages, I am getting 4.5 PPM color). The print quality for memos is close enough to the laser that I am not going to bother fixing the laser printer. Color printing is clear and true color but only if I use photo quality paper. I didn't like the fact that the supplied B/W cartridge is a reduced capacity one. It looks to be normal size but has about 1/4 the ink of the regular cartridge you buy (not sure about the capacity of the supplied color cartridge). The printer comes in two models, an 895CSE and an 895???. One has slightly different application software but the printer and the print quality is identical. We have one version at work and it functions the same as the one I have at home. The 895 is capable of high volume use and I believe you can spend less and get good print qulaity but I wanted the most rugged printer I could find since I tend to keep printers for 5 years or more. The one gripe I do have is that it always wrinkles the front edge of the last piece of paper in the tray or it will do the same if you feed in one piece at a time. What's neat is that the paper comes out almost as flat as it went in, which is good if you're doing wedding invitations or birthday cards for example, and want them to look store bought.

Greg

Mel Culbreath · From: Waynesville, NC, USA

Jeremy,

A year ago I bought a HP 722C form $250 from Circuit city. I have been very happy with it. It was advertised as printing "up to 4 pages per minute color" and "up to 8 pages per minute color". Although I have never timed it, it is fast enough for my purposes (letters and greeting cards).

The 722C has been replaced by an 800 series printer (don't remember the exact model number) and a salesman told me the new model is a little faster, but otherwise the same as the 722C. It sells for $250 also.

You might want to check out this out.

Mel

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Of the recent crop of printers, I like the HP's best. I've had a Canon, Lexmark and now a HP882C. Of the three the Lexmark 5700, overall was the worst and the ink seemed to take an unusally long time to dry, the Canon had paper feed/jam problems.

Most programs that have a printer calibration routine required "calibrating" for the Canon and the Lexmark, but the default settings were right on for the HP.

When I was working in dataprocessing, The commerical IBM printers and HP seemed to be the most reliable and most trouble free.

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

Three words:

Don't buy Lexmark.

Jeremy Steele · From: Princeton, NJ USA

Thanks guys, for all the good info...will check 'em out this weekend.

Sutton Reid · From: Sebastopol, CA, USA

One of the reasons I like my HP is the paper handling. The print quality on any of the new printers is going to be good. Lots of people like the Epson (Seiko company).

Carefully look at paper requirements for each printer. Some printers (at least when I was looking) are very limited in what paper is recommended.

HP was the most versatle at the time that I bought one.

David Wright · From: Pilot Point ,Tx USA.

HP-- 970 cxi Very Quite and good pic printing.............

John Gretzinger · From: Canoga Park, CA

Contrary to at least one opinion, I'd not rule out the Lexmark. I looked at the Cannon, Epson, HP, and Lexmark befor choosing the Lexmark Z51, and have not been dissapointed.

True, the HP comes with a reduced capacity B/W cart from the factory. The quality and dependability of the HP is legendary. HP lost out to Epson in the quality department for a while, until they came out with the 722C, then it was a coin toss as to which one was better quality.

My problem with the Epson is the life span of the ink cartridges. Epson changes them with each model release. The 400s don't fit the 440s, the 600s do't fit the 640s or 660, etc. Makes it hard to find the one you need at times. Also, Epson uses a print head built into the printer where others have the print head as part of the cartridge.

HP keeps the line simple, and they reuse them in different models. But, you do pay a premium for the HP name. The quality of the output does not justify the additional pricing.

Canon is, to me, an also ran. The do not have as high an output quality as the HP (which by the way will not quote resolution figures for the 700 or 800 series printers)or the Lexmark, the speed is not any better than any other brand and the cartridges are not all that easy to find. They are as well built as any, but nothing spectatular.

When looking at HP printers, stay away from the 600 series, they are lower resolution than the 700, 800, or 900 series. The 7,8, and 900 series all provide the same high end resolution capability. What you pay for is speed. When you get to the 1100, 1200 and 2000 series the game changes again, but it does not sound like you are in that ball park.

Lexmark used to be a division of IBM (I don't know if they still are) and simply because I don't like IBM I stayed away from them. With the introduction of the 3200 and then the Z51 I changed my mind and bought a Z51. No, it's not as fast as an Epson, but the color is every bit as good as Epson or HP. It cost less (substantially) than a comparable HP. The cartridges are easy to find and last a good lenght of time. Lexmark took a lesson from HP and only has about three sets of cartridges for all their lines. Makes it easy for stores to stock a complete line of refils, and thus easy for the end user to find them.

I have had no trouble with mine and do not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

jdg

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MSA D-10
'63 Gibson Hummingbird
16/15c Hammered Dulcimer

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

I should add that one of the Lexmarks that I've had trouble with was a post-IBM 1200 dpi, postscript laser printer. Biggest piece of crap I ever spent money on. In for repair continually - totally unreliable. Poor quality and workmanship, IMO. Unbelievably noisy, with squeals that would run you out of the office. I also had a lot of difficulty with warranty, but of course, my troubles lasted LONG past the warranty period.

I've had comparable HPs last 10+ years. There ought to be a lemon law for printers. Based on my experience, I wouldn't give Lexmark 2 bits worth of my future business.

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

I have a Canon BJC-4400. It's a pretty decent printer,for the money.($130 if I remember).
The bad news is,once it's out of warantee,tech support,on the phone,will cost you $24.95 a call. That's why I will NEVER buy another Canon product.

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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Lexmark is no longer an IBM division, although they still make some of the commercial printers for IBM. The consumer Lexmarks are a different animal and made in the Far East, like much of the consumer printers. Some of the Compaq branded printers were made by Lexmark and judging from comments on Compaq's support forum they have the same problems.

But even the commercial printers have their problems. The old IBM 3268 printers were built like battleships. The 4224 printer built for IBM by Lexmark (built about the time of the spinoff) was crap.

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

Actually, I was just referring to John G.'s comment:

John Gretzinger · From: Canoga Park, CA

Steve -

I'd never try to change your mind, simply giving another view. By the same token, I'd never purchase an IBM desktop. Don't like them, they cost too much and give to little in return, rotten support model,etc. That having been said, if I can ever justify a new laptop, it will be a ThinkPad. The 701 I currently have just won't die. It has more frequent flyer miles than I do (it got misrouted to Nova Scotia by accident) and is solid as granite.

To each his own.

jdg

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MSA D-10
'63 Gibson Hummingbird
16/15c Hammered Dulcimer

Louie Hallford · From: denison tx

Don't get a Canon Multipass C5000

They should give the printers away just so they can sell their cartridges. I doubt I get 100 copies out of a cartridge.

Until I found some after market cartridges for about $6.00 each It was costing me about 12 or 13 cents a copy to print. If I could keep it working. Always something screwed up.

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