What are the last printer series with a resettable cartridge chip that can be refilled w/ bulk ink?

[videobruce]

I'm thinking about a move to Epson, but my major concern are their locked out, non-resetable/ non refillable carts and printheads that can't be replaced.
I don't need or want the 'latest and greatest' models as long as the bulk ink, carts/tanks and printheads are available.

These models with the large 'tanks' aren't really of interest to me either.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

O.k. - fine - but what type of printer are you looking for - what are you printing - which format - which print volume - which type of ink - dye or pigment - which type of papers - glossy or matte etc - so there are plenty of questions - and why would you prefer refill over a tank printer if that model otherwise would meet your requirements ? Just have a look to the new Canon G620 - a Megatank printer with replaceable printheads - and what's wrong with it ?

 

[videobruce]

Mostly documents, color web pages (captures), some photos, drawings, charts etc. Yearly count; maybe 5k prints all together, scanning documents & hi-res color photos also. No faxing.

Admittedly, I haven't looked into any of those "tank/mega' printers, 22 years of refilling, I'm use to the 'old school' way since it basically worked (as long as there isn't a problem with these 'chips'). With my current printer (resettable carts), I have refilling down to a science. The Panny is a surprisingly decent 'scanner'.

But, I like the idea of picking up a decent used printer for a fraction of a new one.

 

[videobruce]

How about Epson? Are all of their current machines non-replaceable printheads?

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

Epson printheads are not user replaceable and never have been.

 

[videobruce]

Then how do you account for these available by the hundreds?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=epson+printheads&_sacat=0

Just because it isn't a separate item 'supply' item like a ink tank, doesn't mean a user can't replace it. (I corrected my OP, regarding the printhead.) Granted, it's not the Canon version, but it is replaceable by a knowledgeable user, no different than refilling carts.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

Those Epson printheads are refurbished, you can for sure replace an Epson printhead but that is not advised as such by Epson, HP printheads for office type and large format printers are on the other side user replaceable and listed as such together with other consumables - inks - waste ink containers etc .

 

[videobruce]

Of course the manufacture wouldn't "advise" that, no more will they "advise" using 3rd party inks that most (knowledgeable) users (that don't drink the Corp. KoolAid) have done for decades.

They can't sell new printers when users 'fix' the old ones themselves, can they?

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

That's not the point - there is a fundamental difference between printheads for the thermal printing technology and the piezo technology - Canon and HP printheads for thermal printing have a limited lifetime by design - there is unavoidable wear on the heating elements in the printhead - those which produce the bubbles to eject the ink drops, they are exposed to millions and billion of temperature cycles - to the boiling point of the ink solvent, and this leads to effects like the dreaded 'B200' failure and possible subsequent damage to the mainboard. Epson printheads run for the lifetime of the printer and as long as you don't tinker around with bad inks or let the inks dry out in the printhead the printhead can go for very long - I got about 80 000 pages on my last L300, and the problem was the cleaning unit but not the printhead.
But why are you asking - a replaceable printhead is typically not a decision point for the purchase of a printer.

 

[videobruce]

a replaceable printhead is typically not a decision point for the purchase of a printer.

Maybe for most, but I'm not most and neither are probably most here.
And, I'm familiar with these 'refurbished' PH's.

As to Canon PH's after over 18 years with canon, I'm more than familiar with the technology.
As to Epson, yes, if the head is allowed to dry out and flushing and/or soaking doesn't help, the only other solution is replacement which is one of the reasons why I'm here.