Can you help me decide?

[dilone]

I am looking to buy either a Canon PIXMA MP560, which uses the PGI-220 & CLI-221 cartridges, or the HP Photosmart Premium, which uses the HP 564 cartridges. Both have the features I want (duplex, wireless, separate trays for regular & photo paper), and both are pretty much the same price (if you include the HP trade-in $50 off, I can get either for about $100).

I am very concerned about ink cost, as I will be printing a good deal of photos. I have a separate monochrome laser I'll be using for plain documents, but the color printer will also be used by my son for school projects and such.

I've checked out retail cost of cartridges, which shows the HP as slightly cheaper (and slightly better page yields), but I've never really explored generic carts or refill kits before, although I'd be open to them if I knew they wouldn't mess the printer up.

Any recommendations here as to which of these is the better option, ink-wise? I've lurked around here as a non-member and read a lot of posts, and I really trust your wisdom.

Thanks!

 

[ghwellsjr]

It appears, from what I've read on this forum, that HP has "stolen" or maybe licensed Canon's overall printer design in producting the Photosmart printers. See this thread:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=26282#p26282

I have no experience with either of these printers or any others that have chips in the cartridges. These chips complicate things when it comes to third-party cartridges (which I am not in favor of) or refilling (which I am in favor of). I'm still using the older Canon printers that do not have chips in the cartridges but none of them are wireless. I have mine connected to a desktop computer which acts as a print server and allows the printer to be wireless.

 

[websnail]

On the simple basis that Canon write very good driver software and HP bloat their rubbish to a faretheewell I would recommend the Canon every time.

That said, I wouldn't generally recommend any of the newer Canons either... but if push came to shove...

 

[stratman]

I am not familiar with the Canon MP560 except from Canon's website specs. I am familiar a little bit with the HP Premium since I helped a friend with a printer purchase last week.

The apples to apples comparison of the HP Premium would be with the Canon MX860. Main differences are the cartridges, the scanner (better specs with the HP), and native CD/DVD printing with the HP only. (I don't think one can modify the MX860 for CD?DVD printing at all per http://pixma.allhyper.com/.)

The MP560 lacks Fax capabilities and I have not read that it can print on CD/DVD's either.

While the scanning/copying speed was slower than the Canon MX860, the HP's output was quite nice. The salesman tinkered with the control panels of both machines a bit before he scanned and copied a brochure as demonstration. The output was strikingly better with the HP. The next day I wondered if the salesman changed output quality and purposefully made the HP output look better. Both machines have a one-touch button on the control panel to copy, so I am now suspicious and will revisit the store and make sure we were comparing like format and settings output.

It appears that refilling is a bit more pain in the rear with the HP because of the tiny window on the cartridge with which to see levels, but once you get used to refilling it shouldn't present as an issue. I wonder though if a resetter is more quickly forthcoming with the Canon because of their popularity with refillers. Time will tell. I do like the XL cartridge size you can use with the HP because it means less refills overall, but refilling is quick and easy using the Durchstich/German Method anyways.

Don't know how economical HP is with guzzling ink. The Canons are pretty good at wasting less than other manufacturers. In the past, HP's were known guzzlers IIRC. Using bulk ink and refilling yourself almost makes you not care about having an inkaholic printer. Almost. You still have to consider how quickly the printers waste pads / diaper gets full and you have to replace the pads - something that may or may not be easy to DIY or inexpensive for a service shop repair to do with the HP.

BTW, my friend bought the HP and is currently loving it. We'll see how he feels when he needs to buy cartridges - they ain't cheap.

 

[leo8088]

The print head on HP ink cartridges are not as durable as Canon's. You will have to replace HP ink cartridges once in a while when the print head wears out. This will be a significant cost factor. I have had my Canon ip4300 for 3 years. I never needed to replace the print head. I never needed to buy new ink cartridges (nor used) either. I use the printer almost everyday and refill once every other week. I print text (with color graphics) and photos. Most of my cost to keep up the printer has been buying refill ink.

 

[stratman]

The print head on HP ink cartridges are not as durable as Canon's. You will have to replace HP ink cartridges once in a while when the print head wears out.

The thought is that the HP Photosmart Premium "borrows" technology from Canon and has the print head separate from the cartridges. Is there data out there showing HP's Photosmart Premium print head is not as durable as Canon's?

Also, why do you have to change cartridges because the HP print head wears out? Do you mean cartridges that have a self-contained print head built into the cartridge itself?

I'm not disputing you, just curious and looking for data. A friend bought the HP last week and I'm wondering.

 

[leo8088]

Stratman, this particular HP photosmart printer is not the first HP printer that has separate print head and cartridges. A few years back I tried to help a friend to refill one of HP's multifunction (can't remember the model name now) that they own. What I learned from them was they already had replaced the print head a couple of times. Some of them were under warranty but some were out their own pocket. I helped them to refill only ht black ink cartridge. It was a successful refill. The refilled cartridge worked. Well, a few weeks later I was told that it stopped working. The next thing I was told was they bought another print head and they decided that it's not worth refilling the printer. A few more month later I was told that they bought a Canon ip4000 and put the HP printer in the garage. I tried to apologize for failing to make the refilling work for them. They told me that they decided to toss the HP printer because they have had too many print head replaced. The one they replaced after refilling was just one of many.

Most HP printers use ink cartridges with print head on them. You can refill these cartridges a limited times. When the print head wears out you have to buy new cartridges. Although this does increase the cost of using the printer than that of Canon printers HP printers are actually very durable. I have had quite a few HP printers that just never quit. As long as I am willing to buy new ink cartridges they just continue to work like new. But each of these printers have gone through many new ink cartridges (and new print heads on them). They just don't last very long.

HP had printers with separate print head and individual ink cartridges (w/ and without chips) in the past. My overall impression is that their print heads are not very durable. Of course this may be just my knowledge about them. Things may be very different today.