Printer/Scanner/Copier that takes CHEAP ink cartridges?

W

wylie

I am having trouble with my Lexmark all in one and if I cannot fix it myself, I think that rather than pay someone to fix it, it will be cheaper to buy a smaller unit.

I never use the fax function but do scan and copy as well as print.

I would like to know of a (preferably cheap) model that takes cheap ink cartridges. The Lexmark cartridges cost me about $45/$50 each which really hurts my pocket. (I cannot believe that ink has to be so expensive.)

Would love to hear any recommendations.

Wylie
 
Wylie,

copied this from a post of mine on another forum.. Give you something to look at.

I ended up with a HP6180 All-in-one. It scans, prints, photocopies, faxes. Has a tray for 6x4 photo prints. Has both ethernet and wireless networking. Uses bugger all ink (compared to other models I've had). Does a good job on photo's etc. Is fast to print for an inkjet. Can be fully driven from the front panel and has a complete card reader included. You can take the card from your camera and print photo's directly off it, even crop and do basic editing (all without a PC). It also has a usb port if your camera supports being connected that way.

All in all a very nice printer.

The only downsides are:

1. Black levels aren't as good as they could be (but are good enough for my purposes).
2. The ink will run if you get it wet.
3. If you print a lot the paper tray size is relatively small.

I got a bargain on mine too. Was $399 at DSE with $100 cash back from HP.

This printer will work well with Non Microsoft OS's as well. I run Linux 100% now so it was part of my criteria.

Hope that helps.

Ink is around the $20 per cart mark and it has 6 separate ink cartridges (from memory). So you only replace what has run out rather than tossing the whole combined cartridge.

Cheers,

Arkay.
 
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Just had another thought too. Dependant on your use it might actually be cheaper to look at a laser printer. There are some relatively good and cheap models around. Toner is expensive but lasts years.. If you don't need colour it is cheaper again. Could be $$$ well spent up front.

Cheers,

Arkay.
 
Wylie

It's possible to get cartridge refillers which work OK.

But check in the shop where you buy the printers what generic cartridges are available.

I've been to Dick Smith, and asked for cartridges for a particular model. I winced at the price- it was only then I was told generic cartridges were available at a much cheaper price.

Arkay, even for a B&W laser, my cartridges last about 3-5 months. I print a reasonable amount, but I didn't think it was a huge volume.
 
Hello again
I have found that the printer manufacturers hook you in with the cheapness (?) of the printers and slug you heaps for the ink cartridges. We have a colour laser at work, and that is no cheaper at all - if we replace the colour inks and toner (every 2 months) then we could purchase a new machine for the same price! Then there is the drum which we have to replace every 4 months - again, that alone is the cost of the printer. So in inks alone, we could buy a new machine every month!

I have an epsonC87 at home, the inks seem a little cheaper. We have tried out many brands and havent yet found a cheapie for inks. Let me know if you do!

We havent used generics - can never seem to find one that is the right size. We tried refilling the cartridge too - never again!
 
Thanks Arkay and Geoff. I have (in the dim, dark past) had refills but had trouble because we didn't print regularly enough to stop the "fillers" they use from clogging the print heads (or something like that). The chap at the refiller shop told me that they mix shredded plastic or similar with the ink and that unless you print every day or so, getting refills is not the best, because the "filler" settles.

I don't know if what he said is right for all refills but it came straight from the horses mouth and for someone to tell me not to buy their product, I took him at his word.

Maybe things have changed since then.

I'm just mad because if it had broken last week, I could have bought one before the end of the financial year, and I have only just put two new cartridges in :mad:

Anyway, I will have another crack at it tomorrow. If I even touch it right now, I could do some damage, maybe slap it around a bit even.

Thanks

Wylie
 
geoffw said:
Arkay, even for a B&W laser, my cartridges last about 3-5 months. I print a reasonable amount, but I didn't think it was a huge volume.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. That's why I said "dependent on usage" :) The model makes a difference too. For casual B&W low volume home use they can be cost effective. I know a few people that scored ex work lasers (HP 4n's etc), that have been going 10 years without replacement toner.

The newer ones might well be just the same as ink, small toner, drums made to be replaced regularly etc. Dunno.

The HP that I bought has done very well. Use it regularly and over about 5 months ink is still well and truly not due for replacement but I would consider myself a low volume home user.

Cheers,

Arkay.
 
We use a Brother MFC series lader copier/fax/scanner thingy. If you are looking at the pricing, factor in:

(a)one toner cartridge per ream of paper
AND
(b)one drum per box (5 reams?) of paper.

We went laser as:
1. print doesn't run if it accidentally gets wet
2. fast
3. we found the ink cartridges "drying up" without us even using our old inkjet.

Cheers,

The Y-man
 
I use a Brother laser multifunction centre as well. Did a bit of research a few years ago and it seemed to be the best bang for buck at the time. and a few large local businesses including local council had recently gone with brother.

Suggest if buying new, get something that has its own IP address on a wireless network. Should be able to get something under $500.

Integrated duplex is a good thing too...

Colour lasers are also available under $900, though if you don't do a lot of colour printing, best to stick with mono laser, and outsource your colour jobs.
 
Hi Wylie

my normal work computers are dells and the dell printers dont work with a dell computer, so bear that in mind. So I use Canons and havent had any problems (outside of running out of ink every 3 weeks) but I do fairly high volumes of printing.

I think you can get a MP170 at good guys or aussie post for about 50 and refills on them would be <35. I just got a black one at KMart for my MP830 and it was $22.00 (normally 26).

On the cheaper end - how odd.... its probably cheaper to buy a whole new scanner than it is to buy the refills as they throw the inks in the 1st time around Then instead of buying refills, you just chuck the whole scanner.

Its kind of like a cell phone - companies will give a phone away but charge you the earth to use it.

Oh, Kmart is 15% off cartridges right now till wed
 
My sister refills her colour ink cartrdges with the dyes you use for icing/cooking with no ill effects to the printer and only bought el cheapo black. Mind you she wasn't printing photos or anything else high quality. It's just for kids homework etc.

Olly
 
Ditto for the Brothers if you want laser. Swear by them. But if you want a cheap all in one colour machine I love my Lexmark 2300 Series. Bought it at KMart for about $115.00 and the cartridges are about $15 I think but they last for ages and when the printer warns you the ink is low you just keep on going for another 100 pages. AND you don't have to worry about print heads breaking because there isn't any!!!

For a cheap printer I don't think you can go past them. The cartridges are very distinctive in a reddish colour package with a big 1 on them in a circle (like a bulls eye).

I have one for my desk and hubby has one for his and we have our brother ones for the big print jobs.

Hope this helps
 
Whatever you get, make it one with 4 ink cartridges, rather than "all-in-one". I think we bought a Canon (mid-2004) but I'm not there to check the Model, and it is probably not available now anyway.

But it has a Black, Cyan, Yellow, and Magenta cartridge - and we swap them as needed. The Yellow seems to go pretty quick. At least we don't swap ONE cartridge with all colours in it - would have to waste a lot doing it that way...

We refill them at a local "refill" place. $10 for each colour, $14 for black (twice as big as the colours). We haven't had a problem in using these refills. If we bought "genuine" refills, the prices (back then) were $24 per colour, and $35 for Black.

Virtually trouble-free for the last 3 years - but then, we are not a business user. Haven't bought a genuine refill since buying the Multi-function thingy.

Regards,
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'm liking Petal's heads up about the $115 Lexmark with the $15 cartridges.

I plan to give our printer one more chance, otherwise it's out the window and heading to Kmart, I think.

Wylie
 
Hi wylie

I do a lot of printing and buy my cartridges in bulk off eBay.

Printer Accessories & Supplies


For instance, my Epson printer takes 6 cartridges @ $18ea = $108 retail :eek:
eBay (depending on quantity) 6 cartridges @ $1.55ea = $9.29 :D

You occasionally get a dud one .... but at $1.55 you can afford to drop it in the bin and grab another.

If you're going to buy a new printer, it might be worth doing a check on eBay first to see if you can buy generic cartridges for it.

Cheers

Phil
 
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Thanks Phil.

We buy and sell a fair bit on ebay, but must admit I have never bought cartridges there. I will certainly have a look.

Wylie
 
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