Printer suggestions
I’ve put off getting a new printer for a very long time. Partially because we rarely print things at home (since we usually use an online photo-house to get our photos done), and also because I was not very impressed with the printer market.
Having not “shopped around” for several months, I was wondering if anyone could steer me towards a good printer? What am I looking for? Here is what I’d like in a new printer, in order of importance to me.
- Inexpensive ink cartridges
- Quality of text printing (black on white)
- Full bleed color photos
Though we do not print photos at home all that often (it just isn’t cost effective anymore), I would still like to retain the ability to print a fairly high-quality photograph full bleed.
Also, the printer must work on the Mac OS - though most, if not all, do.
I don’t really have a budget, but I will say that I do not want an all-in-one printer, scanner, copier, fax combo. They are bulky, and only do a fair job at each task. I’d like a printer that does well at printing.
Any suggestions would be welcome, thanks in advance.
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I think it’s hard to find a printer that’s good for traditional text printing as well as photo printing. Laser printers beat the snot out of ink jet printers for text printing. For a laserprinter, I reccomend the HP 1300. I’ve had one for 4+ years now. A very solid printer.
As for photos… i recommend the “Epson Stylus Photo 2200″ I used one at school and had nothing but good times.
Daniel Nicolas on June 30th, 2006 10:45 am
I probably should have mentioned that I will most likely never buy an HP printer ever again. Their choke hold on their cartridges, and the prices for color cartridges being about the same as replacing the printer itself, makes me hate their printers with a passion.
Colin D. Devroe on June 30th, 2006 10:54 am
I’ve had some good success with my Canon IP4000. Not sure if it does a true full bleed (even though you didn’t mention what size the full bleed should be, 4″ x 6″? 8″ x 10″? details man). My Canon may do full bleed on photo sized paper and it comes with two separate trays so you can keep photo paper/envelopes in a tray and full size paper in the feeder.
Mike Stickel on June 30th, 2006 12:44 pm
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I used to swear by Epson, I still have a 740i that I bought in ‘99 and it still works great. Epson has been doing the DMCA-thing with their cartridges (”you can only use our brand and we’ll put in chips to be sure”) and so when it came time for my dad to replace an HP that he didn’t like I recommended the Canon IP4200. he loves it and I have tried it out too. Great printer and no RFID/embedded-chip “enhanced” toner cartridges.
Mike on June 30th, 2006 3:40 pm
Thanks everyone for your suggestions so far.
Colin D. Devroe on July 1st, 2006 11:11 pm
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Definately go with Canon. I love my iP4200. It can do 4×6 borderless prints in under a minute. Ink’s not very expensive, either. Cartridges are around $15 each (5 cartridges: CMYK and Black).
Randy on July 4th, 2006 8:59 pm
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Good luck dude, personally at $3,000-$5,000 per gallon for ink (that’s how little they give you in those stinking cartridges), I gave up the whole inkjet thing. Got an HP color laser for $250 bucks with the (expensive) toner cartridges, but I should be good for 4,000 pages. I wanted to print full-pagers too, but now I just print at Target or Sams Club for $2 per 8.5×11. If you have to get an ink-jet avoid Epson like the plague - their cartridges dry out, waste ink every startup, and OS X drivers stink. I think Canon is the way to go. Check out reviews on Cnet - they are usually pretty good.
trekbody on July 6th, 2006 2:54 pm