Home printer recommendations

dipsomaniac

islandman wrote: »

That free offer is thus:-

(a) New printers / new accounts,

(b) Only free for 3 to 5 months.

But thanks anyway. I followed through checking ink levels and it seems from the icon display, I am only a QUARTER of the way down on each. Ive never bothered too much about looking at the tiny screen of options as it has been too low, but now have printer raised so had a look. Then printed out a few different things from the options. All clear and give no concern. My next plan is to find a suitable template to print of a few photo's, about 4/6 on a A 4 page, but don't know how to do it.

Back to the £1.99 charge, seems it has cost me £24 or maybe £26 so far. In all probability buying cartridges individually would have been more. At least these are the genuine things.

just looked and it appears they have pulled the option. it was free for 15 pages per month

as for printing multiple photos on 1 x a4 sheet. if using windows just select the photos you want to print > right click > print > select multi photo option > print

[Deleted User]

tonyh66 wrote: »

you can get colour laser printers at a reasonable price.

I'd second a colour laser as the prices nowadays are ridiculously low although you don't state any sort of budget.

Heedtheadvice

Ok I will chip in with my comments to try and present a balanced view! This is based on experience of business and professional use. I can sell see that homework can require or benefit from colour but is that just for charts etcetera or is there a photo printing need?

If you expect to do a lot of printing and colour does not need to be of photo quality standard then I would agree with a laser printer to be a serious contender. High level of use with an HP colour laser printer have several years use with annual change of toner and new parts after five years working out at 11p per page. Domestically that might be a lifetimes printing! Newer low cost ones are better suited for home/small office use and should last for years - but are a higher cost outlay at the outset and when toner is required.

However going against the grain as regards most of the rest of the posts and just based upon personal experience.....
I would plump for an Epson. Many do not like them but I have found the following:
In common with most Ink Jets cheap to buy.
If left switched on very economic with ink use (cleaning and switch on cycles waste ink so I avoid) and clogging has not been an issue.
Use compatible ink cartridges for economy, I have never had a problem.
My usage? Estimate up to 50 A4 text pages a month plus several A4 photographs on high quality setting.
Cost of ink? 6 cartridge set for under a fiver and two sets a year ....about a pound a month.

Compared to HP originals and compatibles at getting on for £20 to £30 a set or the figures quoted in this thread's posts for 'rental' I do not see the competition. An elderly neighbour has an HP, he does not do much printing and has gone through about £35 worth of ink in four months (6 ml ink, two cartridge printer) I can see the attraction of Instant Ink!

As a footnote I have found that ink use has been quite balanced across the colours, so much so that when there is averaging of one being empty I just change the set. There might be an advantage in just changing one if say a lot of text only is printed when black would be the greatest used.

Take your pick OP, you will get as many a view as there are printer types and brands.

Edit: just notice Hoogle's post! Looks an interesting printer especially for high photo printing volumes. Note there is a newer model at reduced price.
Cost comparable to a laser so, apart from the potential for mess at ink/toner changing times, the choice there would seem to be between photo quality need from the inkjet and print stability (water stable) from the laser?

square_bear

Hi

Thanks for all your comments, very informative.
Our printer use at home varies from homework to statements and photocopying so colour is required.
The latest printer won't print black, even after I put in a new cartridge. So, guessing that the jets were blocked I bought a cleaning kit and tried that. Still not working.
I'm thinking perhaps we don't use it enough before they dry up. The ink levels were very random and seemed to fluctuate in their levels.
I'm just fed up with buying cartridges and not getting the full value from them.
Perhaps the instant ink option is best for me.

Cornucopia

I'd definitely suggest having a look at a low-end HP Office Jet with Instant Ink.

The Office Jets are slightly bigger with more features (double-sided printing, photocopying with document feeder which also works with scanning, large paper tray, etc. etc.)

They aren't much more money than the DeskJet machines - I got my HP6960 for £70 in 2016.

Instant Ink is for me a no-brainer. My printer takes 4 cartridges (cost about £35) and is still covered at the same prices as a 2 cartridge printer.

There are indeed 4 plan levels, starting from £FREE.

https://instantink.hpconnected.com/uk/en

There's also an active referral scheme, whereby you and your friend both get a free month when they sign up.

chib

I'd also vote for a colour laser printer, ours can sit for over a month with no use and prints instantly and perfectly any time we send something to it. It's a little more expensive and [ours] takes up a little more room than the inkjet did, but it's never missed a beat.

jamesperrett

I'm not an Epson fan as the print head isn't replaceable and it will clog eventually. I have an old Canon IP4200 for CD printing and the only problem I've had with it was when a genuine Canon cartridge didn't report its ink level properly and let the print head dry out. However, I've just managed to revive it with a cotton bud soaked in pure alcohol so it seems as good as new. Cartridges are very cheap for this printer - a complete set of compatibles was around 3 quid.

I also quite like HP as the print head is exchanged every time you buy a replacement cartridge. I don't go for their ink deal as compatible cartridges make more sense for the amount of use we give it (which is very variable).