Seeking replacement printer recommendations

[infotheory]

My IP3500 died. I tried to use the HP C3180 we were given by a family member but it won't recognize the cartridges despite trying multiple cartridges.

I realize there is a very large range of printers available with ranging functionality, age, dependability, usability, and so forth. I've been searching the forums for replacement printer recommendations and have found mixed reviews.

What I'm looking for:
1) A dependable printer; I don't need a scanner (phone can do this well). Printing on media besides basic/photo 8.5x11 is an extra but I have never had a specific demand for this.

2) Ability to refill cartridges (familiar with canon BCI3/6 cartridges; but anything relatively simple is fine)

3) Long term serviceability. My most recent printer's waste ink reservoir was all but impossible to reach. I would like to have access to the service manual and have a printer that's relatively simple to service despite the reality that many printers are explicitly designed to make this hard. More popular printers are often a bonus due to part availability and a wealth of videos/advice.

4) I don't print in high volumes regularly. Mostly legal documents, colored fliers in low quantities, and pictures around the holidays.

5) Under $200 unless something stands out strongly with no good alternative.

One recommendation I came across was the Canon Pixma MP780. I found one locally for under $200. However, this recommendation was from a thread 6 years old, the replacement parts for this seem pricey, and I suspect the scanner adds some additional cost that I may be able to avoid with another option.

There also seems to be some love for the IP8500 but I can't find one in my price range.

Epson WF-3520 seems to stand out as the best option for now. The used ones I have found are about half as expensive as the MP780 so I'm not worried about the scanner. The only concern I've seen raised about it is Epson's ability to auto-update the firmware to prevent non-OEM cartridges from working. I'm comfortable with software/hardware, however, and don't expect this to be an issue as long as the method is known (and the one I buy hasn't already been upgraded...)

Sidenote: Has anyone considered -starting- a google spreadsheet listing printers and their functionality? The list would never be complete but it could be maintained by the entire community and at the least contain the commonly loved printers around here. I'd be happy to set up the sheet if there is interest in some members in filling in their printers of choice. It's almost trivial to use a filter in a google sheet to filter printers by the things that matter most to you if the sheet is well designed.

 

[The Hat]

Unfortunately the desktop printer market is not standing still long enough to get it down on paper easily, in fact it’s shrinking so fast that in another 5 years time the printer choices will be very poor to total rubbish.

Yes the older printers are real gems if you can get one but they are few and far between, so future choices are limited in the near non existing future markets.

To get something that will last you and can be refilled you’ll have to go up market to the so called “ Pro Printers” the Pro 100 is about the cheapest right now and the 3880 is the dearest, both are well outside your price range but there are lots of other printers in between.

The good old days of the BCl-6 carts are gone for all except those lucky few who stocked up on them when they were plentiful and bought a number of them and are now kept lovely by their owners.

But don’t give up because with garage and backyard sales plus Craig List you might get lucky and find one and in the mean time you can keep fiddling with the HP but you maybe forced to get OEM carts to get it to work sorry !

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

My IP3500 died. I tried to use the HP C3180 we were given by a family member but it won't recognize the cartridges despite trying multiple cartridges.

Are you sure it's not just warning you about the cartridge being empty or expired or whatever? Ignore such warnings and use it if you possibly can. But if it's really not recognizing cartridges and really refuses to print, then either you have the wrong cartridges or the printer is really kaput. I think it uses HP564, doesn't it?

 

[andy_48]

I had a Pro9000 mkII. As a retiree, it was a great pass-time - buying empty carts off ebay, learning about purging, refilling and smugly printing cheap A3+ colour prints for my friends and family. Our walls are plastered with large prints of our grandchildren that bring us joy wherever we turn.

Then a print head failed (dreaded magenta). Okay, another steep leaning curve, much frustration and more expense. This forum is a mine of information and I feel like I've tried all the experts' suggestions!

I bought a replacement head. That failed so I bought a replacement printer. Then another magenta failure. And another head.

Don't get me wrong, it is a rewarding hobby and not everyone is as unlucky as me. The sheer cost of OEM carts alone would have prevented me from ever embarking on this journey. But I reached the end of my patience and changed tack.

I ditched the Pro9000 and bought an iP8750 on a Canon Cashback deal (net £200 in UK) plus a refill kit (aftermarket carts and bulk inks) from Octoinkjet and I could not be happier! I am very much an amateur and to my untrained eye the quality is as good as the Pro9000. Certainly good enough for me and it does pretty much everything the Pro9000 did. Plus wifi. And a bit quicker. And it's a bit smaller. Refilling is a doddle, once you get used to not having a chip resetter.

Yes, it's a bit more than your budget, but (for me) in less than 12 months it will have paid for itself when compared with the cost of OEM carts. I know I might struggle to fix it when it breaks (and who knows it might last for years) but as a salesman might say it'll "owe me nothing".

In the meantime, I can spend more time with my beautiful grandchildren.....

 

[Emulator]

Just looking at Amazon and notice there are Canon Pro100 and Pro100S models at very different prices, what is the difference?

 

[The Hat]

There really isn’t any differentness at all from what I can see, they are both the same printers but one has Cloud printing capabilities if that’s important to you, this is a must have for some guys apparently..

 

[palombian]

There really isn’t any differentness at all from what I can see, they are both the same printers but one has Cloud printing capabilities if that’s important to you, this is a must have for some guys apparently..

You can make a Cloud printer from every printer connected to your PC via Google Chrome.
Only difference is that the PC must be on (Chrome must not be open). Not a big deal IMO since you do not have to forget to leave your printer on anyway.
I print without problems from my phone elsewhere to my good old MX7600 at home.

PS: just be careful on the sites you look at on your phone

 

[cls]

the "S" Canon Pro Series (100S and so on) got an logic board upgrade as well driver upgrades to embed "cloud" features
after all they are the same printer

 

[infotheory]

Are you sure it's not just warning you about the cartridge being empty or expired or whatever? Ignore such warnings and use it if you possibly can. But if it's really not recognizing cartridges and really refuses to print, then either you have the wrong cartridges or the printer is really kaput. I think it uses HP564, doesn't it?

Unfortunately, yes. I had both the old cartridge and a new one and neither would be recognized.

I ended up finding a factory new (in original packaging) pro 100 for $150 locally. Picked it up and it has been smooth sailing since! Thanks for all the suggestions everyone

Regarding the printer document I had hoped it was clear originally that the intention was never to catalog all printers. Rather, catalog the printers that the users here have experience with. That would effectively organize the basic information in one place and reduce the number of posts like this; or at least offer a starting point so there is less hand waiving. Here is an example; will add more later but my daughter is calling for me!

 

[andy_48]

I had a Pro9000 mkII. As a retiree, it was a great pass-time - buying empty carts off ebay, learning about purging, refilling and smugly printing cheap A3+ colour prints for my friends and family. Our walls are plastered with large prints of our grandchildren that bring us joy wherever we turn.

Then a print head failed (dreaded magenta). Okay, another steep leaning curve, much frustration and more expense. This forum is a mine of information and I feel like I've tried all the experts' suggestions!

I bought a replacement head. That failed so I bought a replacement printer. Then another magenta failure. And another head.

Don't get me wrong, it is a rewarding hobby and not everyone is as unlucky as me. The sheer cost of OEM carts alone would have prevented me from ever embarking on this journey. But I reached the end of my patience and changed tack.

I ditched the Pro9000 and bought an iP8750 on a Canon Cashback deal (net £200 in UK) plus a refill kit (aftermarket carts and bulk inks) from Octoinkjet and I could not be happier! I am very much an amateur and to my untrained eye the quality is as good as the Pro9000. Certainly good enough for me and it does pretty much everything the Pro9000 did. Plus wifi. And a bit quicker. And it's a bit smaller. Refilling is a doddle, once you get used to not having a chip resetter.

Yes, it's a bit more than your budget, but (for me) in less than 12 months it will have paid for itself when compared with the cost of OEM carts. I know I might struggle to fix it when it breaks (and who knows it might last for years) but as a salesman might say it'll "owe me nothing".

In the meantime, I can spend more time with my beautiful grandchildren.....

UPDATE: Just to add that Wex Photographic in UK has "Save 10% on all Canon Printers over £99 with Code PRINT1015" until 30th Nov 2015 and Canon UK has Cashback offer on selected printers until 13th Jan 2016. This includes £30 on the iP8750 so you can get one from Wex for £149 (net) this month. Pretty good value.