Ink Jet Printers and Ink

stevec59

Hi everyone,
I've had a few ink jet printers in my time, I generally o for compatible inks, but when I do, the nosel gets blocked up, I've got a print head flushing kit, but it doesn't clear it. So I'm thinking this time I'll stick with original inks, I prefer printers that have Individual cartridges for each colour, rather than a multi colour.
We don't do a lot of printing, I guess 10 pages a month, so the question is, what do I do about inks? I'm looing at an 'Epson Expression Home XP-3155 All in one Wireless InkJet Printer (£59.99 at Curry's), it uses a 603 cartridge, they are quite expensive depending what you go for. Epson have a 'Ready Ink Subscription' 99p a month for up to 10 pages, (https://www.epson.co.uk/readyprint) that comes to £11.88 a year (Quite cheap), so if i do 10 pages a month that is 120 a year, the standard Black 603 does 150 pages, so I guess I'd get 1 black cartridge a year? Or, do i just buy a black cartridge at £12.98 when I need it. I could go for a 603XL (500 Pages), that would be £27.29, but would it dry up?
A full set of XL Inks is £75.87
Many Thanks,
Steve

Cornucopia

If it works the same as HP Instant Ink, you can't mix & match their cartridges and your own.

Your link is broken:  https://www.epson.co.uk/readyprint

stevec59

Cornucopia said:

If it works the same as HP Instant Ink, you can't mix & match their cartridges and your own.

Your link is broken:  https://www.epson.co.uk/readyprint

Thanks for that. Does that mean that you have to decide when you buy the printer if you want to replace the cartridges yourself or go for the readyprint option? I've never had a prescription cartridge before, so no idea how it work.

Thanks,
Steve

Cornucopia

I've been using the HP service for ages, and with that once you sign-up for the subscription you can only use the subscription cartridges - the printer becomes locked to them.  Presumably if/when you cancel, the printer unlocks and you can then buy your own.   I imagine the idea is that you can't interfere with the page limit by using your own cartridges.

Hopefully, someone who uses the Epson scheme will come along and confirm whether it works the same way.   

Neil_Jones

stevec59 said:

Hi everyone,
I've had a few ink jet printers in my time, I generally o for compatible inks, but when I do, the nosel gets blocked up, I've got a print head flushing kit, but it doesn't clear it. So I'm thinking this time I'll stick with original inks, I prefer printers that have Individual cartridges for each colour, rather than a multi colour.

Well I don't know what you're doing but I've only ever used Epson compatibles and the nozzle has never clogged up.

This problem is usually caused by not doing enough printing in the first place and would affect all inkjet cartridges - compatible or otherwise.

If you have that many issues with blocked nozzles maybe it would be worth looking at a black and white laser?  You just buy toner, and none of the blocking, as its a powder that does the printing.  Yes they're more expensive but they'll do a hell of a lot more pages.

stevec59

Thanks Neil_Jones, I have thought about a laser, but prefer to stick with an ink jet. Maybe I’ll just make sure I print something of regularly, just to keep it good.

RichardD1970

Ditch the ink jet, get a laser. I did a few years ago after getting fed up with having to clean the heads all the time as I don't print much now. 

I got a Brother colour laser printer for around £100 (although looking now, there's nothing even close to that price). I am still on the supplied cartridges years after buying it. The only issue is that it's not the best for photos.

fimacdoodle

second the laser. I hate rip off inkjet. i tried fill your own, that was a mucky job.
i once threw a new printer right out the window when it did not play ball - being a week old. (thankfully it landed on the road and not a passing car or poor person....)