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  1. #1
    Swanicyouth's Avatar
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    Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    So, can I ask why ink for a $100 printer costs $90? I can count on one hand how many times I`ve used my Epson printer. It`s about 3 years old. It never works. Every time I want to print one page it`s a fiasco.

    Replaced all the ink a year or so ago. About 6 mos ago I went to print something out and it comes out looking like it was printed on the first printer ever made. All the text is blue-black and there are skip marks all over it.

    Last time I replaced the cartridges and it printed like crap I was PO`d. Spent like 90 bucks to replace 4 cartridges and the paper comes out looking like it`s from a 1978 mimeograph machine.

    Six months ago I research this. I read on the Internet the "print head" (not cartridges) can dry out causing bad printing and you have to drip water on them with a syringe. I do this 6 months ago. Printer prints better - but ain`t great. Now I have to keep a syringe full of water next to my computer in case I want to print something that looks half way decent.

    This is my water syringe:



    Now I TRY to print my W2 today (one page). This turns into a multi hour project. It says the "cyan is low", but I`ve printed like a total of 5 pages since replacing all the cartridges like a year ago, none of those 5 pages looked right BTW. If I spend 90 bills to replace those 4 cartridges again (because now suddenly they all are reading "low") - who knows if this damn thing will work???

    So I`m supposed to be able to "temporary print in grayscale" according to Epson if one of the color cartridges is low. Except, the box that has to be checked to do this doesn`t exist in the Epson software - it`s now a drop down menu. OK, so figure that out I think.

    Hit print. Nothing happens. Still doesn`t work. You know the silence when your waiting for something to print and staring at the printer - but nothing is happening??? Bad. I feel like an idiot. It`s still telling be to "replace cyan" - but now I`ve enabled temporary B&W printing and am printing in greyscale. Nothing.

    Printer prompts me to acknowledge an error. So I`m thinking if I acknowledge the error it will finally print??? No. It takes me to another screen where the only choices are "cancel print" or "replace cartridge".

    The end. Printer was ripped out of the wall and thrown into my dumpster. Now it`s time to uninstall the printer in OSX. You would think this would be easy right? You would think the Epson software would have an uninstall wizzard right? No. You have to manually go into the the hard drive to delete the Epson stuff (drivers?). Then you have to go into "Printers and Scanners" to delete the printer. After that, you have to go into some other nonsense to delete something else. Spend a good hour researching how to do this and doing it so I have no trace of Epson anything on my computer. Now I hate that company.

    Headed to Best Buy to buy a Canon (had good luck with Canon in the past). Friend texts me on the way and tells me how much he hates his Canon and literally has contemplated smashing it with a hammer, but his wife won`t let him. Then he says the situation is even more annoying - because it just won`t break for good. Every time you use it it`s an endless cycle of reconnecting it to WiFi, clearing the print que multiple times, and restarting the computer and printer. Now I`m afraid of Cannon.

    Ended up with an HP on friends advice he had good luck with one. Setup was actually a breeze and it instantly connected to the WiFi network. Also can print from my iPad pad with it - setup was instantaneous for that as well. It only has 2 cartridges: color and black. So far so good - we will see.

  2. #2
    PPLd's Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    Gave up on inkjets long long time ago
    Changed to laser and my printers lasted me 10 yrs!
    No more dry up or clog issues!
    Hello!
    My name is Dennis!

    Likes 4u2nvinmtl liked this post

  3. #3

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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    I went laser on all but my photo printer and its been a pleasure.

    I have the same issues with the ink jet. if you figure it out, ink is more money than oil or gasoline or jonny walker blue!

  4. #4

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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    I love my laser printer Gave up on inkjets 10 years ago. I replaced the toner in mine probably 5 or 6 years ago, and it still prints perfect every time.

    Spend the $ on laser, you won`t regret it.

  5. #5
    jfelbab's Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    My inkjet experience over many years...

    I used to have those clogging problems a lot with my Epson inkjets but now have owned HP for the last 4-5 years and they just don`t have issues with long term inactivity. I currently own three HP printers. Two are wireless models (HP Photosmart Premium C310a) and one is their cheapest inkjet a Deskjet 1050 J410 (for which I paid $20 shipped). I leave the two wireless models sit idle for 3 months at a time while I`m away from my home and the cheap model I leave idle for 9 months at a time as it is my travel printer. They have not clogged the print heads in the several years I`ve owned them. A full set of genuine HP XL ink for the printers lists at a whopping $110 but are frequently discounted to around $80 shipped. Standard cartridges are around $60 and often discounted to around $50. Third-party replacement cartridges go for around $12 for the 5 ink set and work just as well as the OEM. HP ink cartridges can also be refilled at Costco, FWIW. Just don`t let them sit dry for any length of time before refilling and using them.

    My Epsons delivered beautiful photo results as long as I used the printers regularly but as noted, OEM ink costs were expensive and they tended to clog a lot if not used regularly. I`d often wind up wasting half of my ink just cleaning the clogs.

    I`m really disappointed in the new line of HP inkjets as they went to a combination color (CYM) and a single black (K) ink cartridge system. The photo output is decent but not as good as the older 5 ink models, IMO. Also, with their new lineup of inkjets, if you run out of a single color ink you need to replace all the colors at once wasting the high cost ink remaining in the color cartridge.

    If I were to buy a new inkjet today, I`d likely explore Canon models.

  6. #6
    SYMAWD's Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    Sometimes a new printer is cheaper than ink. I have had good luck with my HP.

  7. #7

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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    Quote Originally Posted by jfelbab View Post
    I`m really disappointed in the new line of HP inkjets as they went to a combination color (CYM) and a single black (K) ink cartridge system. The photo output is decent but not as good as the older 5 ink models, IMO. Also, with their new lineup of inkjets, if you run out of a single color ink you need to replace all the colors at once wasting the high cost ink remaining in the color cartridge.
    I guess you`re talking about the photo printers, but I just looked and the Officejet Pro 6230 and 8100 (and perhaps others, I stopped looking) still use a 4-cartridge setup (C, M, Y, .

  8. #8
    Super Moderator Pats300zx's Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    Quote Originally Posted by SYMAWD View Post
    Sometimes a new printer is cheaper than ink. I have had good luck with my HP.
    I know...I never seem to buy printer cartridges just new printers
    Only Z Best Detailing-Automotive Concours Detailing Services
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  9. #9

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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    I have an HP 4501 and when it ran out of ink recently I bought a refill kit off eBay for $7 that has enough ink to last a lifetime. Refilling was really easy and after a bit of trial and error, and luckily the person I bought it from was very helpful, it works perfectly and I hope to never have to buy ink again.

  10. #10
    tom p.'s Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    These printers are disposable. I`ve been running Canon at home for a number of years. They`ve been pretty good. However, the sweet part of the deal for me is having a good source for eBay cartridges at about $1.25 each.

    I`ve got color lasers at work. I like the multi-function inkjet machines for home. It needs a repair? Go get a fresh machine

  11. #11
    Wax Waster Ronkh's Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    Brother multi mfc 9970cdw

    but the toner to replace all is like 600+, but got 2 years out of a set of toner carts. And I print a lot
    Formerly the "Best Detailer", now just Super Wax Waster Man. Not necessarily tactful, but normally right. It`s good to be da King !!!

  12. #12
    Detailers Workshop The Driver's Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    I just smashed my HP with hammer recently... I love my new canon. NFC printing is incredible.

    Canon PIXMA MG7520 Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer 9489B002

  13. #13
    Swanicyouth's Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    So far I`m loving my new HP printer... Why? Because I really only print documents now and then - mostly at tax time (now). But for whatever reason, once you select print B&W with this printer - it stays in that mode. With the Epson you had to select if every time and the choice was buried someplace.

  14. #14

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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    I have had my HP for the last 10 years, 2 cartridges. Works fine for me.

    Dave

  15. #15
    Wax Waster Ronkh's Avatar
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    Re: Printer Headaches.... (rant)

    Nice thing about hp ink jets is that when you replace the ink, you also replace the print head
    Formerly the "Best Detailer", now just Super Wax Waster Man. Not necessarily tactful, but normally right. It`s good to be da King !!!

 

 
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