Canon pixma MP780 vs MX850 -which is best for ink refill + durability?

[lakanook]

My Canon MP780 has gotten more trouble than it's worth (likely to have purge unit issues as I found out in a reply to my last post, and then "Wrong Cartridge" a few days ago) so I went on the hunt for a "new" used one. Last time I looked around for one I couldn't find any, and now I found so many I have a dilemma!

After reading this thread http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6436 where ghwellsjr recommended to replace an MP780 with an MX850, I even found one of those too! Luck is definitely on my side at the moment.

So now I have the dilemma:
buy a used MP780 (I could even buy 4 of them, keep the print heads and resell the rest cause I don't have storage space) or a used MX850?

My criteria are :

1- ease of maintenance - I'm a newbie ink refiller and not afraid to try some repairs, although I'm not that comfortable about dismantling most of the printer to get to a piece (what fixing the purge unit on the MP780 sounds like)
2- ease of refill - I've had the MP780 so never used a chip resetter and not sure how easy it is to find and use one
3- how likely / how often the printer would need real hands-on maintenance (that involves a screw driver)
4- quality of print/copy/scan - I don't print many photos but sometimes posters for my business or my business cards
5- speed of print - it seems the MX850 is much faster
6- networking capability - I could connect the MX850 to a wireless router via ethernet cable so I could avoid the risk of tripping on a long USB cable running across the room as I now have
7- cost to run/refill/maintain the printer - at least all the predictable expenses, I print LOTS mostly in B&W (publishing my books)
8- longetivity - how easy it might be to find parts for it in the future and how long it is designed to last
9- anything else I may not have thought of that would be worthy of consideration
-> these numbers are not an indication of the importance or priority, just for ease of reply

At the moment, my thoughts are tending towards the MX850, but I'm a little worried how durable it would be (read some user reviews that were questioning that) for a long term relationship with my printer, how easy it is to repair (one user review said it was a bad design to repair / counter-intuitive) and if the extra investment about the ship resetter outweighs the benefits of that printer.

I would greatly appreciate your opinion and experiences.

Thanks in advance!

 

[panos]

I use both printers.

1. Maintenance: I can only reply in regards to waste pad cleaning since you will, sooner or later, require that. They are probably the same, somehow difficult to dismantle. But instructions can be found on the net for the MP780 while I haven't been able to find them for the MX850.

2. Ease of refill: easier on the MP780 due to chipless design, prism-based remaining ink evaluation and also the cartridges contain slightly more ink (less refills).

3. Maintenance frequency: same.

4. Quality: Slightly better scan/copy quality on the MX850. Better photos as well, due to the 1pl droplet size. No difference in document printing. Business cards will probably look the same because they won't be using or taking advantage of 1pl droplets.

5. Speed: better on the MX850 due to increased number of nozzles in the printhead.

6. Networking capability: the MX850 provides ethernet, but I generally prefer the option of connecting the printers to a small cheap netbook (or an old laptop) that acts as a server with more options available.

7. Cost to run/refill/maintain the printer: The same (you'll need a resetter for the MX850 but they are very cheap)

8. Longetivity (parts): The specific details of your posting aside, the MX850 is newer and therefore easier to find replacement parts for. However I would invest in a spare printhead ASAP because they are getting phased out. (If not already phased out).

9. The MX850, due to the 1pl nozzles and higher speed, requires higher quality ink. The MP780 occupies less space. The MX850 has duplex feed on the scanner/copier. The MX850 has a color display but navigating on the MP780 menus requires less clicks. You can use the color cartridges of the MX850 on the MP780 but not vice versa.

 

[lakanook]

Thanks panos!

Sounds to me like the MX850 is better for my uses as long as I can find a spare printhead in advance.

The MP780 seems to have a bigger fan club though, which makes it easier to find instructions and help when we get stuck. But I'm curious... Why is it so popular still if many other Canon models can now be refilled fairly easily?

 

[panos]

Why is it so popular still if many other Canon models can now be refilled fairly easily?

I like the fact that it's more tolerant to my inks. The old cartridges hold a very satisfying amount of ink: lots of printing, little time wasted for refilling.

I also like that it tells me the truth about the amount of remaining ink instead of a chip reading (which can read zero even if the cartridge is full).