2nd hand canon printers..bargain or lemon?

[Ant]

So of these 2nd hand printers, which one/s would you go out and "kick the tires"?
i'm running vista btw..

Canon
BJC 4300
IP3300
MP600
MP560
MP480
They are all super cheap and I wondered which ones are the "diamonds in the rough" and which ones you wouldn't touch with a "barge pole"
For a back up/odd job printer..

cheers Ant

 

[mrelmo]

i would do a nozzle check and scan i color photo or magazine cover with the mp560 it is wireless, you can do the afore mentioned without connecting to a computer, just plug it into an outlet

 

[mikling]

MP600 if wireless is not required. It is fast, uses the PGI-5 and CLI-8, same printhead as the MP830. The iP3300 is a PGI-5 CLI-8 workhorse with no dye black. Not really for photos it is a printer only, no scanner and is probably slowest of the bunch. The 560 is the pick if wireless is a requirement.
If they come with Canon cartridges and pass the above tests as suggested, you are probably 99% good.

 

[Ant]

MP600 if wireless is not required. It is fast, uses the PGI-5 and CLI-8, same printhead as the MP830. The iP3300 is a PGI-5 CLI-8 workhorse with no dye black. Not really for photos it is a printer only, no scanner and is probably slowest of the bunch. The 560 is the pick if wireless is a requirement.
If they come with Canon cartridges and pass the above tests as suggested, you are probably 99% good.

This is encouraging, so to the best of your knowledge they pretty much all play ball with vista?

no one has mentioned the BJC... probably too old eh?

 

[Ant]

i would do a nozzle check and scan i color photo or magazine cover with the mp560 it is wireless, you can do the afore mentioned without connecting to a computer, just plug it into an outlet

I hadn't thought of that, scanning a picture through it.

cheers Ant

 

[PeterBJ]

Here is a list of a few facts about each printer:

BJC 4300, very old, printer only, uses a separate print head and a separate bk plus a tricolour cartridge. The BCI-21 cartridges used by this printer are sponge only, and can be drip filled. The printer is only of value if you are a collector of Canon printers. It shows an interesting step in the development of canon print heads. No newer drivers than for Win XP exists for this printer.

iP 3300 4 cartridge printer only, uses PGI-5/CLI-8 cartridges.

MP 600. Multifunction. 5 cartridges PGI-5/CLI-8. This is the best of the listed printers in my opinion. It uses the same print head as the iP 5200, so I think the print engine is an iP 5200, which is a very good printer in my opinion.

MP 560. Multifunction, wireless. 5 cartridges PGI-x20/CLI-x21. This printer uses the same printhead as the "5 cartridge entry level" iP 3600. Lower build quality than PGI-5/CLI-8 printers and has smaller print head with fewer nozzles than the MP 600. It is therefore slower than the MP 600.

MP 480. Multifuntion, no wireless. Uses two cartridges. Entry level printer.

In my opinion the diamond is the MP 600.

 

[Ant]

Thanks for the input Peter, yes the BJC just reminds me of the old canon bubble jets when they first came about, at the time dot matrix printers where still very prevalent, I remember how quiet they where. The page counts I've seen on the IP series canons are impressive so I've been leaning toward the IP3300, I'm one of those backward people who really doesnt mind the speed of a printer, but I suppose it depends on the user's situation/circumstances in which the printer is used.

cheers Ant

 

[Ant]

so a small update... contacted a couple of these sellers... "so can you demonstrate the printer working?" "there's no ink...but it works..."
really..?
saw another new add..."ip4?00 no cables no ink..." ...really?

 

[fotofreek]

so a small update... contacted a couple of these sellers... "so can you demonstrate the printer working?" "there's no ink...but it works..."
really..?
saw another new add..."ip4?00 no cables no ink..." ...really?

No ink? Stay away from those printers --- unless they are basically giving them away and you want to try to bring them back to life. Aother rule I have for purchasing used printers is that they must have been using OEM carts and not refilling. If they are even out of one color of ink I'd bring a set of carts and run a few tests to be sure that nozzle isn't burned out or terminally clogged.

 

[PeterBJ]

If the seller is not willing to or able to perform a nozzle check while you are watching, I think the printer might be defective. I would not buy that printer.