recommendations for home printer?

MyRealNameToo

recordplayer said:

I would avoid both Brother and HP right now. There printers need a constant connection to the internet, phone home and update the firmware regularly, and use draconian tactics to push you into costly ink subscription or to ensure you only buy branded (aka V expensive) supplies, pushing up your costs.

£25 for toner that lasts almost a decade doesnt meet my definition of costly ink and its never even offered a subscription let alone pushed it. 

Le_Kirk

I've used Epsons for years and not had any problem (except of course, when they die unexpectedly).  The one I currently have is the XP-860 and is a three-in-one.  The standard paper drawer take A4 (unfortunately not A3) and adjustable for other paper sizes.  There is also a separate drawer for photo paper (but as people have said that is a U feed).  If you want to use higher GSM, which I occasionally do, there is a rear feed function which is a straight through not U.

steviebuk

YBR said:

Vitor said:

A3 puts you into a limited set of more expensive options such as the HP OfficeJet Pro 9730e (if you can still find one new) or the SOHO Brother MFC-J6959DW

I'm interested in the answer to this question, considering an A3 printer myself.

Does anyone know whether either HP or Brother allow unbranded replacement ink cartridges?

HP don't. They have been chipping their inks for a few years now to stop you using unbranded. Its why, with any printer, I stop it connecting to the internet or allowing firmware updates.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/09/hp_class_action_ink/

Sadly, Brother have started to do the same.

chunter

I had an HP A3 inkjet which I used infrequently - so infrequently in fact, that every time I switched it on, it took almost half an hour to clean heads and muck about an align. That took a lot of ink. 

It got to the point that the ink sponge/well thing became full and I just threw it down to the recycling. 

Unless you're using the A3 on a regular basis (at least once a week), I would avoid,

I do some work for a local company and they have an A3 colour laser.

I give them a few quid any time I need any A3 stuff printed. 

Yorkie1

steviebuk said:

YBR said:

Vitor said:

A3 puts you into a limited set of more expensive options such as the HP OfficeJet Pro 9730e (if you can still find one new) or the SOHO Brother MFC-J6959DW

I'm interested in the answer to this question, considering an A3 printer myself.

Does anyone know whether either HP or Brother allow unbranded replacement ink cartridges?

HP don't. They have been chipping their inks for a few years now to stop you using unbranded. Its why, with any printer, I stop it connecting to the internet or allowing firmware updates.

https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/09/hp_class_action_ink/

Sadly, Brother have started to do the same.

My HP also rejected its own cartridge - failing to recognise it. I'll never buy an HP again

johannis

hi!- update, i've managed to clear the issue that was stopping me adding to this thread, i'm going to delete the new one

Hi All,
I've asked this question before, but I suddenly dfound that i couldn't reply to posts, kept getting an error message. spent a while going back and forth with the MSE helpdesk but it seems easier to start again.
Thanks for all the replies to the previous post, really helpful, certainly in ruling out printers.
I've been having a think about what I really need and will be using the printer/scanner for. A lot of the replies assume i'm printing documents etc.
I've always had access to a buisness machine that could comfortably handle anything I wanted to do, but I've recenty taken voluntary redundancy and while I'll still need to work. I'm spending a lot more time on painting and illustrating. (something that raising a family put a stop to...)
I'm only working up to A3 at the moment and being able to scan and digitally store the imagery is useful and can be part of my process. I don't necessarily need to print on A3 but as far as i can see, being able to scan A3 means going for an A3 printer/scanner (I thought about a stand alone scanner but A3 seems to be very expensive?). Print quality is relatively important, I'd get something printed professionally if needed) and ink cost is a consideration as far as i don't want to find myself not using it because its prohibatively expensive.

What do we think about these?
Epson WorkForce WF-7830DTWF
Brother professional MFC-J5740DW

I'd mentally set myself a budget of £150 and these are £200 and above, but that looks like where what I want is going to be costing?
Again, really appreciate the opinions and your patience.

eamon

My tuppence worth.

Spend a few minutes working out how frequently you want/need to print.

Investigate local office facilties (stationary/small printing business) and ask if they can do very small batch printing for domestic cosumers.

Many post offices & librarys  have a printer for customers to use (there will be a fee).

Network your friends/family if they can print the occasional document for you at their workplace (but don't be taking the mickey).

I do the above, whilst I do have a printer its now an underdesk ornament (HP A4 Inket) I print very infrequently and hence suffer what other posters mentioned (blocked jets and excessive cost of new cartridges) i can't justify that expense. So two pages or less its the PO for me at 60p per page. More than that I ask 2 good friends and they will print at their workplace (both employers print thousands of pages daily so an extra 10 pages is a drop in the ocean). I few years ago I did use a local print shop and they were around 90p per page.

poseidon1

eamon said:

My tuppence worth.

Spend a few minutes working out how frequently you want/need to print.

Investigate local office facilties (stationary/small printing business) and ask if they can do very small batch printing for domestic cosumers.

Many post offices & librarys  have a printer for customers to use (there will be a fee).

Network your friends/family if they can print the occasional document for you at their workplace (but don't be taking the mickey).

I do the above, whilst I do have a printer its now an underdesk ornament (HP A4 Inket) I print very infrequently and hence suffer what other posters mentioned (blocked jets and excessive cost of new cartridges) i can't justify that expense. So two pages or less its the PO for me at 60p per page. More than that I ask 2 good friends and they will print at their workplace (both employers print thousands of pages daily so an extra 10 pages is a drop in the ocean). I few years ago I did use a local print shop and they were around 90p per page.

As regards using the local library, that is exactly what I do when the printer head on my inkjet printer went kaput back in 2018.  The printer now sits in the corner, and was last used 2 years ago to scan a document.

The very few occasions when I need to produce a physically printed document, the 20p per page I pay the library more than suffices for my needs.

Read/write pdfs on my android tablet for  digitally  amended and signed documents fulfills all other requirements.

johannis

poseidon1 said:

eamon said:

My tuppence worth.

Spend a few minutes working out how frequently you want/need to print.

Investigate local office facilties (stationary/small printing business) and ask if they can do very small batch printing for domestic cosumers.

Many post offices & librarys  have a printer for customers to use (there will be a fee).

Network your friends/family if they can print the occasional document for you at their workplace (but don't be taking the mickey).

I do the above, whilst I do have a printer its now an underdesk ornament (HP A4 Inket) I print very infrequently and hence suffer what other posters mentioned (blocked jets and excessive cost of new cartridges) i can't justify that expense. So two pages or less its the PO for me at 60p per page. More than that I ask 2 good friends and they will print at their workplace (both employers print thousands of pages daily so an extra 10 pages is a drop in the ocean). I few years ago I did use a local print shop and they were around 90p per page.

As regards using the local library, that is exactly what I do when the printer head on my inkjet printer went kaput back in 2018.  The printer now sits in the corner, and was last used 2 years ago to scan a document.

The very few occasions when I need to produce a physically printed document, the 20p per page I pay the library more than suffices for my needs.

Read/write pdfs on my android tablet for  digitally  amended and signed documents fulfills all other requirements.

Thanks for both these comments, I appreciate you taking time out to do so.
I don't think a local library or similiar is going to work for me, based on what i'm using it for. I do want something that can scan up to A3, again, if anyone has experience of either of these...
Epson WorkForce WF-7830DTWF
Brother professional MFC-J5740DW
I'd be interested in your opinions?