Epson Printer Recommendation

Yep, stopped by the local Ofc Depot this a.m. and found a laser Brother fax/scan/copy/print for $240 on sale (today only, imagine that). Cartridges are $72 but will print thousands of pages per and no worry about the color stuff. Initial cost is high, but appears we'll make it back with the cartridge cost. thanks for the tips

Cajun Bill wrote:
I wonder if anyone makes a printer that ONLY prints in black? Sort of like a "chevy" instead of a "cadillac"? Didn't realize that it's a good thing for a little color to be used that way, even to make black, it makes sense, but in any event, we just print webpages, emails, etc. so we don't need color. In fact, we probably print no more than one or two pages (or less) a day.

yes, that's a laser printer. you can get them in a very compact and lightweight size now. never have to worry about the dry plastic powder toner drying up and clogging in microscopic ink head nozzles. the price has really come down too, used to be they cost 2-3x what an inkjet would cost, now they're almost equal.

GordonThree wrote:
Ink is expensive, but there are ways around that depending on how much you print. Printers that use a little color ink with the black is a good idea. Worst thing for an inkjet is inactivity... a desktop type printer is going to print black most of the time, if it neglects the color nozzles and ink feed, that could be a problem.

epson's middle range and high end will let you print with just black, but then you also get crazy stuff like my R3000, that has FOUR black cartridges :/

I wonder if anyone makes a printer that ONLY prints in black? Sort of like a "chevy" instead of a "cadillac"? Didn't realize that it's a good thing for a little color to be used that way, even to make black, it makes sense, but in any event, we just print webpages, emails, etc. so we don't need color. In fact, we probably print no more than one or two pages (or less) a day.

Ink is expensive, but there are ways around that depending on how much you print. Printers that use a little color ink with the black is a good idea. Worst thing for an inkjet is inactivity... a desktop type printer is going to print black most of the time, if it neglects the color nozzles and ink feed, that could be a problem.

epson's middle range and high end will let you print with just black, but then you also get crazy stuff like my R3000, that has FOUR black cartridges :/

Timely topic since I am in the market for a new printer to replace my Epson 515NX. The problem I have with my Epson is that it is impossible to print with just the black ink because the printer apparently uses all the color cartridges to make black even tho there is a black cartridge. Then, there is the cost of the ink cartridges which cost half as much as I paid for the printer originally. I have been told that Canon is the only printer that will allow you to use just black to print (not sure about the cost of the cartridges for the Canon. Anyway, just looking for input. We don't need color printing, just basic document printing in B/W. Interested in recommendations from anyone. Thanks.

I see little advantage to an expensive printer over the cheapest one you can find at Wally's. Except that I avoid all the HP's.

My current $32 Canon has run great for several years now.

If you do get an inkjet printer buy the extended warranty if you can as it will definitely pay for itself with replacement heads with any mid to high end printer.

I have had problems with every brand of inkjet printer and that includes one that cost $1800 and two that cost over $1000. The heads clog and the replacement is very expensive. Cleaning can use up to 50% of the ink in the cartridge.

After I got rid of my last inkjet I went 100% to black and white and color laserjet printers and to using labs for photographs. I get a better quality print for less money from a lab or even from Costco. A 8x10 costs $1 just for the photo paper for an inkjet printer and another $0.30 or more for the ink. I can get a Costco print for less and it is a true photographic print that is much more durable than an inkjet print.

Inkjet prints are good for UV exposure but not for mechanical abrasion, dust and cleaning, or chemical exposure. The New York Met had inkjet prints in an entire wing damaged a few years ago from exposure to the wax used on the floors.

For pro level prints that I have made up to 40x60 inches in size I use White House Custom Color which prints them on my choice of paper and will mount them on my choice of backing material and a file I upload on Sunday is delivered to my door on Tuesday. For lesser prints I can upload the files to Costco and they are available to pickup within an hour. I can upload files and have them printed and available to pickup with an hour at any store in the country if I want to get them to a friend quickly and without worrying about delays or damage in the mail.

I don't have any suggestions on a new Epson printer... I'll share my experience with past printers... I have three Epson wide printers, and I love their output, but currently I'm really cheesed off at how finicky the print heads are. Right now, I wouldn't buy another Epson.

My latest is an R3000, 13x19 with an 8 color process with pigment based inks. The paper handling and loading process is awesome, and the print quality blows me away every time, I bought this printer to print on "fine art" type media (Epson Cold Press Bright is fantastic). BUT... for whatever reason, Epson equipped the printer with 9 ink tanks, but decided to make gloss and matte black share the 8th print head, and the nozzles have started jamming every time I switch black inks.

The R3000 replaced an R1900 which was a 13x19 6 color process with pigment ink, but had matte black ink plus a "gloss enhancer" when gloss black was required. The 1900 was replaced because it didn't support fine art paper. The 1900 nozzles liked to jamb up too, much ink was wasted on cleaning runs... and doing a Windex flush got to be a common occurrence.

The oldest Epson I have is a 1400, which is 13x19, 6 color, but uses dye based ink. It is really limited on paper selection and doesn't support roll stock at all, but it can sit and sit and sit, yet fire it up and it'll print just fine. That dye based ink doesn't seem to jamb nozzles like the pigment ink does.

mikeleblanc413 wrote:
You're right...I do want to stay Epson...but the poster who listed Canon offered no reason for his/her comment. I use Canon cameras...so I am not opposed to Canon...give me a reason!

I am happy with this model

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&sku=C11CA86201