Inkjet printers

Started by GfK, July 16, 2020, 16:09:51

Previous topic - Next topic

Derron

I am using an Brother (MFC J220) for many many years now ... ink cardridges cost <1 euro per color (10 black, 5 of each color -- for 10 eur or so). I print only from time to time - so I prefer to replace a color or black once a year and done - still am using the cardritges I ordered when my AMD Llano was shiny new (so ... almost 10 years ago?).


Do you power off your printer? Mine is always in "stand by". Every 14 days or so it starts to clean itself automatically - takes 30 seconds or so. When replacing a cartridge it does a 5 second clean ... except I did not close the cartridge cover ("close bla bla please") or I tried to cheat by reinserting a "not really empty" cartridge. Sometimes shaking it a bit (so ink is every in the plastics thingy) helps. But as said - costs are so low I do not bother to take out a new one and inserting it.


Only issue I have is that the linux scanner driver (provided by brother) has a slightly different offset (3 mm on one side), else it was a fine investment when I bought it for 65 euro many many years ago (as said).


bye
Ron

Qube

I ditched my Epson printer a few years ago for that exact same reason and one other...

If you didn't use the printer for quite a while you could guarantee that one of the print heads would seize up and you'd have to go through the rigamarole of head cleaning which as you know is clunk clunk grind grind for ages. Then you get an ink low message, replace xyz colours and go through the same procedure again. I got really fed up with knowing the printer would be clogged up if I didn't use it regularly and wasting ink.

So I took great pride with throwing it really hard into the skip and bought a cheap and cheerful Canon MG4250 ( scanner / printer ) and I've had zero bother since. If I don't print for a month then it doesn't clog up \o/. Sure it does it's clunk and grind motions but not to the extent that Epson does.

I'd never buy an Epson again as their genuine inks are crazy expensive and often get wasted on it's incessant need for cleaning itself.
Mac Studio M1 Max ( 10 core CPU - 24 core GPU ), 32GB LPDDR5, 512GB SSD,
Beelink SER7 Mini Gaming PC, Ryzen 7 7840HS 8-Core 16-Thread 5.1GHz Processor, 32G DDR5 RAM 1T PCIe 4.0 SSD
MSI MEG 342C 34" QD-OLED Monitor

Until the next time.

Steve Elliott

Yeah  I use a Canon Wireless Printer/Scanner too.
Win11 64Gb 12th Gen Intel i9 12900K 3.2Ghz Nvidia RTX 3070Ti 8Gb
Win11 16Gb 12th Gen Intel i5 12450H 2Ghz Nvidia RTX 2050 8Gb
Win11  Pro 8Gb Celeron Intel UHD Graphics 600
Win10/Linux Mint 16Gb 4th Gen Intel i5 4570 3.2GHz, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 2Gb
macOS 32Gb Apple M2Max
pi5 8Gb
Spectrum Next 2Mb

Steve Elliott

When I used to print photographs at home I owned a printer that had 8 individual colour cartridges at £10 a cartridge (£80 a time) and they all ran out at very similar times, so I guess it depends on what you use the printer for.

Now I mainly just print out my code which uses the black cartridge, and online booked e-tickets in colour for holidays/concerts.  The cartridges last for some time and they warn you weeks in advance that you have a low amount of ink in your cartridges.  I have a spare set so ignore the warnings until the printer outputs nothing on the page.

Yes you're over thinking this, and yes never try to refill your cartridges with knock off inks, you could wreck your printer just to save a couple of quid.
Win11 64Gb 12th Gen Intel i9 12900K 3.2Ghz Nvidia RTX 3070Ti 8Gb
Win11 16Gb 12th Gen Intel i5 12450H 2Ghz Nvidia RTX 2050 8Gb
Win11  Pro 8Gb Celeron Intel UHD Graphics 600
Win10/Linux Mint 16Gb 4th Gen Intel i5 4570 3.2GHz, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 2Gb
macOS 32Gb Apple M2Max
pi5 8Gb
Spectrum Next 2Mb

dawlane

#5
Epson printers require a fair bit of maintenance. You need to print a test page at least once every four days to stop the print heads from clogging and never leave the thing turned on when not in use.
Unclogging print heads can be a pain in the backside. If you don't see a clean print pattern after the third test, you have to use something like Bullet Magic head cleaning kit and good quality paper towels. Or where possible, remove the print head to soak for a day in a cleaning solution. You also need to clean the head landing pad to stop the heads from picking you debris.

Had to service my Espon L555 after not using it for over two months. It now prints like new.

There are plenty of videos on how to clean Epson print heads and recommendations for for cleaning fluids.

If you have a Brother printer, you may end up finding that the latest Windows 10 updated to stop it from working. A fix was released a few weeks ago for this issue.

Henri

I used to have printer issues on low end printers regardless of the brand. They just don't seem to last and the ink cartridges are expensive.

So I thought if I invest more on the initial printer, it would benefit me in the long run and I have to say that it did.

The one that I bought was Epson Workforce Pro WF-4630 inkjet printer which is targeted for small office and after several years of using it I haven't have any quality issues at all. Also due to much larger cartridges the printing costs per paper stays low.

Anyways, this was my personal experience.

-Henri
- Got 01100011 problems, but the bit ain't 00000001

Qube

Quote from: GfK on July 19, 2020, 13:09:24
Had a look at the MG4250 and it looked decent at first glance.  Then I spotted that it seems to run a black cartridge plus a tri-colour?  I didn't even realise anybody still made those, given that all three colours never, EVER run out at the exact same time.  So it would seem totally senseless to throw out the entire cartridge because one of the colours has ran out when the other two haven't.  Or am I over-thinking this?
I've had the printer for a few years and most of the time all the coloured inks pretty much run out together or definitely due to go next. For the price is the best cheap printer I've had and just keeps going. Could be lucky though as this is the only one I've had. I had a cheap cannon before this but it wasn't wireless so gave that away and grabbed the current one.
Mac Studio M1 Max ( 10 core CPU - 24 core GPU ), 32GB LPDDR5, 512GB SSD,
Beelink SER7 Mini Gaming PC, Ryzen 7 7840HS 8-Core 16-Thread 5.1GHz Processor, 32G DDR5 RAM 1T PCIe 4.0 SSD
MSI MEG 342C 34" QD-OLED Monitor

Until the next time.

Steve Elliott

But it depends on how large the individual ink cartridge colour is.  If you have large cartridges then chances are you can replace on an individual colour more efficiently.

Small cartridges tend to run out more quickly at near the same time(so not much saved) because the ratio for difference is smaller...But larger cartridges cost a lot more, so when they go you'll need to take a big hit, so a big cash outlay in one go.
Win11 64Gb 12th Gen Intel i9 12900K 3.2Ghz Nvidia RTX 3070Ti 8Gb
Win11 16Gb 12th Gen Intel i5 12450H 2Ghz Nvidia RTX 2050 8Gb
Win11  Pro 8Gb Celeron Intel UHD Graphics 600
Win10/Linux Mint 16Gb 4th Gen Intel i5 4570 3.2GHz, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 2Gb
macOS 32Gb Apple M2Max
pi5 8Gb
Spectrum Next 2Mb

cpsmith0191

I've ended up with a couple of cannon mp280 into which I've inserted refillable tanks (from Aus), no feed problems and quite long lasting cartridges. I used to purchase HP printers but as they got older they all developed paper feed problems.
I tried a couple of types of epsom but the least said the better.
If I were investing in a new ink jet and had the money, I would look at the ones with refillable tanks.
As for problems with some refills reporting low ink or not compatible, there is usually some printer keypress to override this, a quick look on the internet will provide details.
Have fun cps.

CodingKnight

Aren't laser printers better options in this age?

dawlane

Quote from: CodingKnight on August 24, 2020, 11:20:21
Aren't laser printers better options in this age?
They would be if not for the fact that consumables can be a bit on the pricey side. And it's always best to use vendor genuine replacements as there is some real sh*t out there that can really ruin a printer and cost you more than what you paid for the knock-off parts. In the long run for the average user, it's best to use ink/bubble jet printers. If you buy Epson, then make sure that you buy a print head cleaning kit, or make sure that you print a test page off at least once a week and cover the printer up when not in use to protect it from dust.

If anyone is thinking of going into professional photography using digital media, then you really have to do your homework on print head technologies.

CodingKnight

That's interesting. I'm looking to buy a printer myself soon so that's helpful advice. So basically the replacement toner for Laser printers is more expensive than the replacement ink for inkjet?


Kippykip

#13
I work in an office supply retail store and the return rates of HP and Epson are f*cking ridiculous.
Canon and Brother return rates are probably the lowest out of them all, albeit depends on the exact model (the $50-$70 AUD ones tri-color sorta canons come back too, but not close to the rate as the HP and Epsons).

I'd probably start looking at the Canons that take the traditional 4 separate CYMK cartridges and avoid the tri-colour ones.
The brother ones while also just as reliable, the ink seems to be hard to find. (In the case at the retail shop I work at, we only sell the cartidges individually for them typically and they're hella expensive).

Then there's also these EcoTank/refillable sorta style printers that take cheap bottles, but the printers are expensive. I really like the concept of these machines but no matter what brand, christ they get returned a lot!
If they don't break down within the first 3 months, they usually break down right after the warranty expires.
If you plan on going this route, see if whatever shop you're buying from has some kinda extra warranty because you'll almost certainly need it.

(ok thats my mini printer rant hope you enjoyed lmfao)

dawlane

#14
Quote from: CodingKnight on August 25, 2020, 18:38:15
That's interesting. I'm looking to buy a printer myself soon so that's helpful advice. So basically the replacement toner for Laser printers is more expensive than the replacement ink for inkjet?
In general, yes. Try comparing at a few laser printers and ink/bubble jet printers and then compare the toners with photoconductors and ink cartridges. Also compare the total estimated pages printed and price per page. Most sellers will have that information.

I own an Epson Aculaser CX11NF. And just one toner works out around £50-£85 depending on the capacity, seller and whether or not it's a genuine Epson. And I would't get much change out of £300 for a replacement photo conductor. So if I had to replace all at once, it would probably work out just as cheap to buy a new laser printer.

I also own an Epson ECO-Tank L555. I recently bought genuine refills for all four colours set me back £30. Usually they cost just under £10. But I hadn't used it for a quite while and had to do some serious head cleaning by using a head cleaning kit and removing the head face to soak over night a couple of times. It now prints like new. To avoid that type of messing around, only turn it on when you are going to use it and cover it up when not in use. Plus, you need to print of a sheet at least once a week. If you follow a strict routine, you should find out that head cleaning is a lot less of a hassle. If it doesn't clean after two goes at using the printers auto cleaning, then it's the head cleaning kit, or you'll just be wasting ink.

With any printer, be it ink/bubble jet or laser; make a note on the types of paper that you can use with it. Using sticky back label paper is not a good idea to use with a laser printer.

Quote from: Kippykip on August 25, 2020, 19:47:52
Then there's also these EcoTank/refillable sorta style printers that take cheap bottles, but the printers are expensive. I really like the concept of these machines but no matter what brand, christ they get returned a lot!
If they don't break down within the first 3 months, they usually break down right after the warranty expires.
And I've never had any issues with any Epson printer. Other that head cleaning, or using non genuine Epson consumables.