New printer

[Ricesnaps]

Looking for a new printer, have searched till i can't search any more and just get more and more confused. Wondered if we had and experts out there.

Currently using a 7000 series HP Photosmart, but it's not compatable with Vista. It's also VERY expensive to run and not performing at it's best these days.

My requirements are:

1. Reasonably low cost to run
2. Prints as good as I can get for the money photo's
3. works with Vista
4. Generally used for colour printing for "office" use
5. used for photo / graphics printing for "business" use (standard paper)

Quite fancy a "multifunction" unit which would "photocopy" without the computer being on.

Budget - well cheap as possible I guess, but ideally less that £100

[Ricesnaps]

Well, I kept searching.

Considering the Canon MP160 from Tesco - £48.98.

Reviews seem good...

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

How about something like this (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1190016793.118233943 0@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciaddlffelhedcflgceggdhhmdfhm.0&page=Product&sku=487220&tabIndex=1)

I've used similar HP stuff and have always been impressed by it.

[CRAZY K]

How about something like this (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1190016793.118233943 0@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciaddlffelhedcflgceggdhhmdfhm.0&page=Product&sku=487220&tabIndex=1)

I've used similar HP stuff and have always been impressed by it.

Yes Darrens right--HP is a good make.

I bought a slightly less sophisticated version of this 6 years ago and still going strong --best check out the cost of cartridges though--can be expensive on any printer.

I have also in the same period used and replaced a small Epson Colour printer with a more modern one---cheaper probably but I dont think will last as long as HP.

You pays your money :D :D :D

CRAZY K

[BeerFunk]

I've never been impressed by any home-use printer, would love to have the money to buy a professional printer :(

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

[QUOTE=BeerFunk;120192]I've never been impressed by any home-use printer, [QUOTE]

How come?

[Ricesnaps]

How about something like this (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1190016793.118233943 0@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciaddlffelhedcflgceggdhhmdfhm.0&page=Product&sku=487220&tabIndex=1)

I've used similar HP stuff and have always been impressed by it.

I have an HP at the moment and it's been great, but costs a fortune to replace cartridges. Was thinking of trying something different

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I have an HP at the moment and it's been great, but costs a fortune to replace cartridges. Was thinking of trying something different

Where do you get your carts and how much do you pay Rice?

[rob1963]

I have an HP at the moment and it's been great, but costs a fortune to replace cartridges. Was thinking of trying something different

Why don't you try the remanufactured or compatible cartridges available on ebay?

I wouldn't buy my HP cartridges anywhere else.

The average price I pay is about £4 - £5 for a black one & £6 - £8 for colour.

Saves me an absolute fortune compared to buying originals in the shops for at least £25 each.

:)

[CRAZY K]

I have an HP at the moment and it's been great, but costs a fortune to replace cartridges. Was thinking of trying something different

Yeah, they do seem to have gone up--my Staples copy of an HP which are GOOD QUALITY cost £18 for a black one.

Im sure they were only about £12 a year ago:eek:

Ive avoided a lot of the "bargains" like refilling your cartridge--complete waste of money.

Unless Darren can get quality copy cartridges at a good price?

ROB, NOTICED YOUR REMARKS--ARE THESE GOOD QUALITY, LONG LASTING AND NOT PRONE TO SMEARING:eek:

I cant muck about when your projecting a professional image.

If so please give a link--ive just been robbed:eek:

thanks

CRAZY K

[Ricesnaps]

Why don't you try the remanufactured or compatible cartridges available on ebay?

I wouldn't buy my HP cartridges anywhere else.

The average price I pay is about £4 - £5 for a black one & £6 - £8 for colour.

Saves me an absolute fortune compared to buying originals in the shops for at least £25 each.

:)

Been there, tried it and worn the T-Shirt. Even sent some back and got my money back. Never ever found a re-manufactured or alternative manufactured cartridge to come even close to the original - sorry!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Unless Darren can get quality copy cartridges at a good price?



Alan

I get my carts from MX2 (http://www.mx2.co.uk/)

I haven't found them any cheaper anywhere else. I just paid £18 for 2 black carts, whereas here (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=43820&C=Froogle&U=43820&T=Alias&MA=HP%20C6656A%20Black%20Inkjet%20Cartridge) they are over that for one.

[rob1963]

Been there, tried it and worn the T-Shirt. Even sent some back and got my money back. Never ever found a re-manufactured or alternative manufactured cartridge to come even close to the original - sorry!

No problem, it was just a suggestion...although I've never had any problems with them.

Best value I've had so far was £1.99 including p & p!

[colinm345]

Been there, tried it and worn the T-Shirt. Even sent some back and got my money back. Never ever found a re-manufactured or alternative manufactured cartridge to come even close to the original - sorry!


Have PMd you Hope it helps:)

[Ricesnaps]

Have PMd you Hope it helps:)

yes and no I'm afraid.

Good prices, but certainly cheaper elsewhere, sorry but thanks!

[groovy-nights]

rice have alook at this bit more than you want to pay but its a great printer
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0960717/Trail/C%24cip%3D50277.Office%2C%2BPC%2Band%2Bphones%3EC% 24cip%3D50324.Printers%3EC%24cip%3D50330.Laser%2Bp rinters.htm

[Ricesnaps]

rice have alook at this bit more than you want to pay but its a great printer
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0960717/Trail/C%24cip%3D50277.Office%2C%2BPC%2Band%2Bphones%3EC% 24cip%3D50324.Printers%3EC%24cip%3D50330.Laser%2Bp rinters.htm

It's also not a multifunction, sorry :(

[groovy-nights]

I have got a epson aculaser c900 which is not multifunction but a great colour laser printer think it needs toner pm for more info

[Jiggles]

I have a Brother DCP 340CW All in one! IT a brilliant printer! it was only £130 and the cartriges are around £3 - £6!!!

[ross@rds]

Ii use a Lexmark 810 series color jetprinter its great had it for about 2 years bought it from asda cost just £20 and got all the inks free paper etc great deal highly recommend Lexmark Products.

[ian8limelight]

I've just got an Epson Stylus DX6000 Printer/Scanner/Copier. The good thing is that it uses a Black cartridge plus 3 Colour cartridges (i.e. only change the colour which has run out :D ) with a total cost for them of about £25 .......... and the printer was about £90.00.

[DMX Will]

Buy HP. Avoid Epson like the plague. Don't look at just the price of the printer, look at how much the cartridges are going to cost.

A normal inkjet/deskjet by HP will set you back £70 roughly, all of the HP printers are vista compatiable (for a start Vista's internal driver database is much better than people give it credit for, and is better than XPs)

There are also some good HP compatiable cartridges, we use them at school and they come out at £11-13 A pop (HP56/57).

If you want something bigger, get a Xerox Phaser 8500 - THEY ROCK!

[Creature]

careful of cheep printers as often the ink carts cost nearly as much ....

epson are pretty chgeep to buy and compatable carts are often less than original carts :):)

also epsom do a small colour laser printer for less than 300.00 and from what i hear its very good

[Jiggles]

This is what i want: http://img.ferra.ru/pubimages/79243.jpg its only £25,000 and the bst thing is I know how to work it :D it can take up to SRA3 size paper!!

[Digitalsounds]

easy option for me i got them at work :D :D :D
great for duplexing karaoke books whil no one is looking :p

Rice why do you say your printer is not compatible with Vista most printers are from what i've seen just cause Hp may not have a driver don't mean the Xp river don't work.???? or that Vista dosn't have it in its databse already.

[ian8limelight]

Buy HP. Avoid Epson like the plague. Don't look at just the price of the printer, look at how much the cartridges are going to cost.

A normal inkjet/deskjet by HP will set you back £70 roughly, all of the HP printers are vista compatiable (for a start Vista's internal driver database is much better than people give it credit for, and is better than XPs)

There are also some good HP compatiable cartridges, we use them at school and they come out at £11-13 A pop (HP56/57).

If you want something bigger, get a Xerox Phaser 8500 - THEY ROCK!


Why ???? I used HP for years and, apart from the last one I had, they were excellent. The Epson I've now got is great for photos/printing/copying, etc .... and the cartridges are not that expensive.

[Creature]

7000 series HP Photosmart according to micr****e vista has inbuilt software support for these printers

[Creature]

Avoid Epson like the plague. Don't look at just the price of the printer, look at how much the cartridges are going to cost.


why i run R200 epsom have always used compatable ink and they can be found cheeply prises strat at £1.99 per cart or £3.99 per set of 6 carts - ok im buying 5 sets at a time for them prices :):)

[Ricesnaps]

OK,

downloaded and installed the HP software and driver as Vista has already told me my printer is not compatable.

Still doesn't do a thing!

[Tony Scott]

I'd spend a little more and get an HP-multi, I will now only ever buy HP for anything I need to rely on: Laptop, Rack mount PC for PCDJ, Printer, CD Burner.

Tried others like Dell, Packard Bell, Acer & epson or lexmark just never been as happy with them.

Never used Canon but I've heard good things about them?? :)

[DMX Will]

Why ???? I used HP for years and, apart from the last one I had, they were excellent. The Epson I've now got is great for photos/printing/copying, etc .... and the cartridges are not that expensive.

The old, and most likely the new Epsom printers have the print heads installed in the printer. The HP ones, have them built in the catridge. If you bung up a HP cartridge, you can replace it. How do you clean the print heads (properly, after serious bunging!)....running their utilities doesn't work, and in fact the method at school is sub-merge the entire printer in water for at least 6 hours. Obviously let it dry first.

As a friendly school tech team, we on occassion take in other staff's porley laptops/desktops and printers, which is fine as beer/sweets/wine arrives the next day. HP problems can be solved within an hour say - but we hardly see them come in despite the fact the majority of the staff have HP printers (as we can sell them to them directly) - 8-9 times out of 10 it'll be an Epson printer come in. As a general rule, if it comes in twice, we recommend a new printer and don't tend to "fix" or "revive" that same printer a 3rd time.


why i run R200 epsom have always used compatable ink and they can be found cheeply prises strat at £1.99 per cart or £3.99 per set of 6 carts - ok im buying 5 sets at a time for them prices :):)

The epsom remark and the "don't just look at the price of the printer" comments were completely seperate, I wasn't suggesting Epsom cartridges are expensive...I wouldn't know...as I "avoid them like the plague" ;)

Sorry to offend anyone who has an Epson printer. These views are that of mine and are based upon my experience with various brands of printers. My views expressed above are not that of the school, and are personal to me.

(However I'm right ;) )

[BeerFunk]

I've actually had more problems with Canon printers than Epson, which seems to defy Canon's good reputation, altough Epson carry a good reputation too.


I've never been impressed by any home-use printer

How come?
I've just never seen a printer under the budget of £300 which can print professional looking documents - like the type you would receive from a bank, for example.

Am I asking for too much?! :D

[DMX Will]

I've actually had more problems with Canon printers than Epson, which seems to defy Canon's good reputation, altough Epson carry a good reputation too.



I've just never seen a printer under the budget of £300 which can print professional looking documents - like the type you would receive from a bank, for example.

Am I asking for too much?! :D

Banks (and the like) buy bulk letter heads pre-printed. Then they just print with a normal black laser printer ontop. Black laser printers come in under the £100 mark if you look around.

[BeerFunk]

Banks (and the like) buy bulk letter heads pre-printed. Then they just print with a normal black laser printer ontop. Black laser printers come in under the £100 mark if you look around.
Yeah, but they were still printed! It's irrelevent where and when, that's the quality I'd like to be able to output. Obviously, it's outwith my budget :rolleyes:

[PropellerHeadCase]

Looking for a new printer, have searched till i can't search any more and just get more and more confused. Wondered if we had and experts out there.

Currently using a 7000 series HP Photosmart, but it's not compatable with Vista. It's also VERY expensive to run and not performing at it's best these days.

My requirements are:

1. Reasonably low cost to run
2. Prints as good as I can get for the money photo's
3. works with Vista
4. Generally used for colour printing for "office" use
5. used for photo / graphics printing for "business" use (standard paper)

Quite fancy a "multifunction" unit which would "photocopy" without the computer being on.

Budget - well cheap as possible I guess, but ideally less that £100

OK, I'm lazy, haven't read anything bar the above...

1) Laser printers are lower price per page than ink, even with low-cost (and not entirely reliable) 'refills' - the cartridges themselves may be more expensive but the number of pages you will be able to print will be much, much greater. So, greater initial cost, better value in the long run.

2) Lasers are better at Pantone printing (pre-press colour standard) than ink, and they don't run when wetted.

3) As to working with Vista - that will depend on Vista - but Hewlett-Packard work more closely with Microsoft than any other printer manufacturer so that might be the place to start.

4) Yep, HP Lasers are also notoriously robust and work well past their 'duty cycle' (approximate life given as a printed page count).

5) Laser, again, for all the above reasons is the best choice. Make sure you get a printer that has separate cartridges for each colour. I think lasers tend to, as standard, anyway.