Printer That Doesn't Eat Ink for Lunch

[prepress]

Originally Posted by Yamaki

I have an Epson EcoTank ET-4800 which is a printer, scanner & copier.

While I don't need a production printer and didn't buy it for that use, the spec'd yields are amazing and I have not had to fill any of the tanks up yet even though I've used it for almost a year.

I had a series of HP printers and always felt I was getting scammed by the low yields and the printer's inability to work well with aftermarket cartridges.

I'm very happy with the Epson.

https://epson.com/For-Work/Printers/...t/p/C11CJ65201

For my needs, color is irrelevant and I've been resisting the new Epsons like this one. But perhaps I'll take another look.

[miner]

Originally Posted by Jack in Wilmington

Let me clarify. He had a laser that we gave him. When the cartridge ran out he didn't want to spring for another cartridge for the laser, so he bought the 6400 series HP and all was fine until the cartridge ran out after 25 copies, we were away so he packed up the HP and returned it.

Those initial black cartridges supplied with the HP printers are notoriously small in ink volume. Although, a high volume black may run in excess of $60.

[Formerly YB-2]

I've had good luck with HP printers and don't really print enough to worry about ink cost (which I agree is too high). I've gotten about 10yr out of each of my last 3 printers, which I'm good with (longer than any CDP I've owned). Now that I print less I've gotten an HP2700 series and subscribe to the HP ink supply service. I'm paying $3.99/mon for the minimum # of pages (think I've paid $3.99 additional, once for over-use) and HP does online monitoring of the ink cartridges so I don't have to give it any thought. Only problem is the $70 printer (printers are cheap - ink, not so much) does not do double sided. But, on the rare times I need it is not a problem to flip the paper myself.

EDIT - I'll also guess that printers (especially) & ink are somewhat like CDs and are going the way of the dodo. As the volume of ink use goes down (as so many things are done online these days) the distributed cost per unit goes up. These days I mostly print travel documents (always feel better having that hard copy), but almost always use my phone to check-in, board, etc. Hopefully, we will have electronic passports sooner than later.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by Jack in Wilmington

Let me clarify. He had a laser that we gave him. When the cartridge ran out he didn't want to spring for another cartridge for the laser, so he bought the 6400 series HP and all was fine until the cartridge ran out after 25 copies, we were away so he packed up the HP and returned it.

HP Printers are often delivered with "starter" ink cartridges not the larger XL HP replacement units that you will find at Office Max or Costco.

[cleeds]

I've no need for color printing and I've been using HP Laserjet printers for decades. I'm on my second one. Yes, the toner cartridges seem pricey, but each one lasts for many, many thousands of pages. Because the toner is dry, it can't dry out. Also, consider that when you replace the toner cartridge in these machines, you're also replacing the printer components that are most subject to wear. That's part of why this type of printer tends to be so reliable and durable. And that's what I want from a printer.

[Masterlu]

Totally need to see!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOMjeCiMn8g

[njcardave]

Ivan, thank you for the YouTube video. Good information. 👍

[aclearspot]

When one of wifey's jobs ended, she brought home an HP4000 laser jet. It had already printed over 200k pages. 3 or 4 years later she killed it by jaming it and kept hitting the print button until it started smoking. I have a HP2055dn printer for her, she has to print everything she see's. Great black and white printer.

[tima]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Totally need to see!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOMjeCiMn8g

Oh dear - does this mean going back to carbon paper?

He was eyeing the Epson 8500 tank printer at the end.

[prepress]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

Totally need to see!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOMjeCiMn8g

This is why I don't deal with inkjet printers.