Looking For A New Printer

[Ken B]

My current Canon ip5000 and Epson C88+ printers are on their last legs. I'm using an iMac with OS 10.6.8 and looking for a new ink jet printer. I wondered if anyone has bought a new printer recently that they are really happy with. My requirements: home office & very good photo print quality (does not have to be professional grade). I don't care if it's wireless of not. I already have a scanner so a printer-only would be fine but I don't care if it's an all-in-one. I've always liked Canons but I've heard that the latest models use ink like crazy. I've had two Epsons in which the print heads were always clogging. The C88+ I use now only works well in "quality" mode and prints poorly in "speed" mode. I've also heard hat some printers (HP) had the print heads built into the ink cartridges but that's only several that have a black & tri-color cartridge, so replacing three colors when you might only need one also seems a waste. Any ideas would be appreciated; thanks, in advance.

 

[turbguy]

Canon PRO-100, less than $100 after rebate, with 50 sheets of 13" x 19" paper thrown in. Check adorama or amazon.

 

[Lucas28]

The Epson printers of newer generations don't have these clogging problems. So I recommend Epson XP-800 or one of the other printers in the XP series.

I'm also satisfied with my Canon MG6250 printer, due to the grey ink cart photos in B/W are printed perfect. But newer Canon printers are less easy to refill.

 

[Ken B]

Canon PRO-100, less than $100 after rebate, with 50 sheets of 13" x 19" paper thrown in. Check adorama or amazon.

Thanks for your suggestion; I'll look into it.

 

[Ken B]

The Epson printers of newer generations don't have these clogging problems. So I recommend Epson XP-800 or one of the other printers in the XP series.

I'm also satisfied with my Canon MG6250 printer, due to the grey ink cart photos in B/W are printed perfect. But newer Canon printers are less easy to refill.

Okay, I had vowed never to buy another Epson printer but I'll look into them and that Canon as well... thanks!

 

[costadinos]

Epson P50 is a great little printer, really fast, very cheap, awesome photo quality, easy to refill or use with CISS and can pretty much take any kind of ink.
Its big brother the 1500w is also as good, and it's A3 as well.

 

[Ken B]

Thanks for that info.

Epson P50 is a great little printer, really fast, very cheap, awesome photo quality, easy to refill or use with CISS and can pretty much take any kind of ink.
Its big brother the 1500w is also as good, and it's A3 as well.[/quoteThat's

 

[ghwellsjr]

I'm very happy with the Epson WP-4530 AIO that I bought earlier this year. I found that the new pigment ink can print on any photo paper and the ink lasts a very long time so I don't plan to refill. The four cartridges are very large and are connected by tubing to the print head.

I have been recycling my Canon cartridges at Staples in the USA and have been able to buy these printers for around $80 cash from Staples when they are on sale from $300 to $190 by turning in one of my defective Canon printers for $50 and $60 in ink rewards.

I have to spend at least $30 on ink (one black cartridge for $36) every six months to remain eligible for Staples ink recycling program but it's still a great deal.

I don't know how the Epson WP-4530 compares to newer Canon printers but it is much faster than my Canon MP-780 AIO, and produces really good prints when used as a copy machine as opposed to the faded prints the MP-780 did, plus it starts printing right away. I can also use it to enlarge photos by almost any amount without using a computer.

In other words, I have given up on Canon printers.

 

[George in Georgia]

Since you have a scanner why not consider a cheap laser printer for "office" work and the Canon PIxma Pro-100 for photos? I have a little Samsung laser which cost about $125.00 and also the Pro-100 which you can now get for about $100, after a $300 rebate. Presto, wonderful photos up to 13 x 19 and good text reproduction for a little over $200. What's not to like .... well the Canon is a big, heavy horse so you've got to have the space.

PS, these machines are both WiFi capable.

 

[websnail]

I'd second the vote on the P50 as a well established printer with plenty of ink, refillable and CIS options to keep costs down.. plus of course plenty of support for service required issues so you can keep the thing running as long as your C88+ has managed.

A photo 1400 would edge over the 1500W in my opinion but that's purely because of the build quality degrading on printers over time. The Workforce Pro's have a potential flaw in the 4000 series so watch out for the yellow ink leak issue although some interesting (unconfirmed) theories as to how they come about (cartridge being pushed into bay too hard?).

Pro-100 also a good option if you want that big a beast or possibly a Pro-9500 (refurb/end-of-line) if you want archival quality.

Overall I'd lean towards the older models rather than any of the newest stuff and definitely stay the heck away from anything using a Canon PGI-250/550 or CLI-251/551 cartridge.