New Epson printers/all-in-ones

[sarcodian]

Hey guys,

Been searching/reading through the forums and been impressed with the amount of knowledge bouncing around. However, there is very little mention of the new epsons, esp. the WF 635/840 and the artisan 725/835. I currently own a Samsung laser for business color printing and copying and while the cost it ok, the speed and quality is not so good. I am from Africa, so HP rules here, but the OEM carts/toners are really expensive.

So, I wanted an inkjet with CISS, and after reading around the net and talking to a local comercial printer, Epson is the way to go. I prefer inkjet to laser because I want to print on 250/300 gsm paper and I cant on my laser and not hopefull about other brand lasers either. the epson artisan 835 or the WF 840 look ideal, very fast and full featured with decent text quality and good graphics, but no one here talks about them.

Is there something wrong with these printers in terms of ability? Any reasons why they arnt popular?

Thanks for any help

 

[jtoolman]

I have a Artisan 725 currently runnin on Inkjetcart refillables. I love it and it does a tremendous job on Photgraphs. I have no complaints.
However because of "U" shape paper feed system, it has trouble sometimes with thicker papers. The heaviest paper I've run through it without any trouble ranges about 230gm

I just got a CISS from ink Republic and will install it soon. I use this printer almost exclusively for 4x6 and 5x7 photos which it handles very fast, efficiently and in high quality.

 

[Leonardjohn]

I have several Epson Artisans, models 700 thru 835. All very good printers.

Print quality is superb.

However paper tray and paper holder is of light construction. Some people have complained about that.

I have a 700 running daily for over two years.....

Cheers
Leonard

 

[sarcodian]

Ahh, that was my biggest worry about the artisan 835 and workforce 840, no straight through paper path. This is disappointing. There was very little information available but the pics made it look like no bypass paper feed available. Thanks for the confirmation.

Any other recommendations for a fast inkjet with CISS/Extra large refillable carts? Maybe i'll just get an HP printer and mod it.

 

[slocumeddie]

You might consider the Epson Stylus Photo 1400. Straight thru paper path, up to 13" x 44" printing, and lots of aftermarket items available(CISS, refillable cartridges with autoreset chips or pushbutton resets.)

If you are still considering any of the "Workforce" line of Epsons, be advised that these are 4 color pigment based printers.

The Artisan line, and the Stylus Photo mentioned above are 6 color dye based printers.
I don't know about the African market, but here in the US, The 1400 can often be found around $220 USD...............

 

[david1965]

the old all in one from epson can be installed ciss easier, the newer all ink one might be better to stay with refillable carts without too much effort:
some good refillable carts and aftermaket inks can be found
http://www.ufosystem.net/products.asp
or
http://www.inkrepublic.com/irefill.asp

 

[cheapprinter]

You might consider the Epson Stylus Photo 1400. Straight thru paper path, up to 13" x 44" printing, and lots of aftermarket items available(CISS, refillable cartridges with autoreset chips or pushbutton resets.)

If you are still considering any of the "Workforce" line of Epsons, be advised that these are 4 color pigment based printers.

The Artisan line, and the Stylus Photo mentioned above are 6 color dye based printers.
I don't know about the African market, but here in the US, The 1400 can often be found around $220 USD...............

Hello Everyone,

I just subscribed to this forum today. Maybe my questions are answered elsewhere, and would appreciate any answers. We own an Epson Workforce 840 and are very happy with it. However replacement Epson ink cartridges at Staples or Amazon are half again as much as the printer cost = Very Expensive! We had a Cannon inkjet previously that used little ink tanks. The cheap aftermarket ink tanks always had inferior ink (smears with highlighters, and not so sharp in color depth). The print head eventually failed, so we purchased this Epson Workforce as a replacement. We're very happy with the print quality.

Questions:
1. You mention that our 4 color printer is "pigment based printing", and 6 color printers are "dye based printers." What is the practical difference between pigment and dye? One better than the other, and for what purpose?

2. Can you advise the best alternative to print cheaply and as good as possible - Alternative to purchasing OEM Epson cartridges? I saw an ingenious system in use in Ukraine - they had half liter ink/pigment in cans on a shelf above their printer, with little plastic tubes routed down to the print head - must have been a very inexpensive print cost per page! WOW! Can this be done on our printer?

Thanks,

Olga

 

[OutOFtheinkwell]

I have both the Artisian 725 and the Epson Stylus 1400 and use Claria type inks in both. They both produce good prints and in fact seem to have the same printer heads but I'm not positive about it. One suggestion I might make is to think about getting Epson Factory Refurbished printers when possible. I bought two of those in the Epson 1400 models for $149 each and the first one performed very well until I had it shut down by the Epson (Printer has come to the end of it's useful life) notice. I got it going again but it's not the same as before. However since I paid so little and got many thousands of prints from it before that occurred I can't complain too much and the second printer is still in the box ready to be set up with a new CIS system. I do however feel that Epson is not doing right by the customer when they arbitrarily shut down a perfectly good printer just because they think the customer has had enough prints from it. Then they tell you to buy a new one? Just imagine GM doing that to your car! (your car has come to the end of it's useful life so buy another"? LOL! Anyway, it is what it is so I'll just "adjust". Happy Printing".....Outoftheinkwell.

 

[OutOFtheinkwell]

Just had a brain storm. If Epson can build in a time bomb into their printers, could not a smart computer geek come up with a replacement mother board or whatever board printers use to do the "counting"? I'd be happy to be able to send a printer out to have that done for a fair price. As for the cartridge chips, we already have RATF replacement chips and resetter devices, right? Just a thought! Happy Printing....outoftheinkwell.

 

[jtoolman]

All printer manufacturers, Epson, Canon and HP build the same "Time Bomb" into ALL their printers!!!!
This is to keep the waste ink that you've generated through printing borderless and doing head cleanings from pouring out of the bottom of the oversaturated waste ink pads all over your desk!!!

Outoftheinkwell, there are already individual and specific adjustment programs that will reset all your "TimeBomb" counters back to zero.

If someone could rewrite the the epson firmware, which I seriously doubt, your only option is to always set up an external waste ink collection bottle and live with the counter.
When it nears full ( use the WIC tool to monitor the counter ) reset them both to zero using the specific ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM for the resetting all functions controlled by the printer's firmware.
In this case, the WASTE INK COUNTER!
Not like the half way working one, "FREE" one from EPSON that you recently used to get your 1400 back working again.
It is the same "SECRET" software that Epson techs will use to reset everything back to new after replacing your pads.
I have them all and I can send you a copy.
Using it is the ONLY solution unless you want to pay for the reset.

This problem ( which to me is nothing but a mere annoyance ) is never going to go away and remember they ALL do that!