Need New Colour Printer - any advice please (inluding compatible carts) ?

JB · Jan 30, 2010, 11:55:58

Our old HP Stylus 680 has finally given up the ghost and need to buy a new colour printer. We don't really print photographs, so the colour is needed for the odd CD cover or fancy letterhead.

Would like to get a printer that works OK with compatible cartridges, having seen the various threads on IDNetters about Choice Stationary and the like. Took a look at the newer Canon printers which can be had from Amazon with good price reductions but there seems to be a lack of compatible cartridges available for them. Not sure if this is a legal thing or due to the new level detection method they are using.

So I am finding it a bit of a minefield really. As to make, not too bothered really as most of my bad experiences have been with printers of a previous generation.

Would welcome any suggestions as what to look for in a price range of £50 to £100.

Many thanks,

JB.

Rik · Jan 30, 2010, 11:56:54

Do you want to be able to print CDs themselves, JB?

Glenn · Jan 30, 2010, 12:06:03

I brought my Canon MP610 from here. It looked brand new, not a mark on it, comes complete with a 12 month warranty too. About 12 months on, it is still going strong.

kinmel · Jan 30, 2010, 12:12:45

I bought a Brother MFC from Here, you cannot tell them from new, I find the compats from Ijtdirect work just fine and are always on offer

Simon · Jan 30, 2010, 13:12:57

Good sources, guys, thanks. I shall bear those in mind for when I need a new one.

JB · Jan 30, 2010, 16:12:52

Quote from: Rik on Jan 30, 2010, 11:56:54
Do you want to be able to print CDs themselves, JB?

No Rik. Just on paper and the occasional print on photo paper.

Rik · Jan 30, 2010, 16:16:46

Canon, Brother or HP then, JB. Something like this falls in your budget but gives you some extra facilities.

Glenn · Jan 30, 2010, 16:19:25

Headaches when setting it up, or is that a different model, Rik

Rik · Jan 30, 2010, 16:22:35

It's not the one I have, Glenn, and that wasn't too bad to set up.

Glenn · Jan 30, 2010, 16:28:50

Apart from the bottom of the page missing.

Rik · Jan 30, 2010, 16:36:20

That one was faulty. The replacement has been fine.

Glenn · Jan 30, 2010, 16:40:19

OK

JB · Jan 30, 2010, 17:22:15

Just want to say thanks for all the comments.

I am favouring Canon at present. For example, Amazon have the Canon MP490 on offer at present for £59.68. I can't find any compatible cartridges available for it but the original two cartridges cost about £27 from Choice, the cheapest I can find.

One issue I do have is that I am away several times a year for up to six weeks at a time. I always had trouble with the print head on Epson printers drying out during this time. I have seen this reported by a number of people on the various forums I have checked. I'd be interested if anyone has seen the effect on Canon printers.

It would be better economy for me to use original cartridges on a Canon, provided they don't dry out, compared to compatibles on the Epson which need replacing every time I get home, followed by many minutes of cleaning cycles.

JB.

Rik · Jan 30, 2010, 17:23:50

I've never had to clean the Canon due to dry out, JB, and as it's reserved for photo printing, it's often not used for weeks at a time. In that situation, the Epson would want multiple head cleaning sequences.

JB · Jan 30, 2010, 17:29:14

Brilliant news Rik.

Rik · Jan 30, 2010, 17:30:22

NP.

john · Jan 31, 2010, 00:28:23

Is the MP490 a new model as the company I last used for compatible cartridges just list them as 'coming soon' ?

(see the posts about compatible cartidrges here)

kinmel · Jan 31, 2010, 07:49:48

Quote from: 6jb on Jan 30, 2010, 17:22:15
One issue I do have is that I am away several times a year for up to six weeks at a time. I always had trouble with the print head on Epson printers drying out during this time. I have seen this reported by a number of people on the various forums I have checked. I'd be interested if anyone has seen the effect on Canon printers.

Brother use a recycling system to avoid drying out, you leave the printer in standby and every so often ink is pumped through the nozzles and then returned back to the cartridges.

No waste, no clogging, no cleaning cycles for the user.

Baz · Jan 31, 2010, 08:39:40

I just bought this one a few weeks ago and its very good.gives good prints and excellent photos. It is a little noisy in between printing jobs but I can put up with that.Unfortunately no compatible cartridges are available yet....on the way ive been told.but if you hunt about you will find originals at a decent price,I just got some from Amazon who were the cheapest I found

heres the post when we were talking about it too if it helps

JB · Jan 31, 2010, 11:35:54

@john - Yes this seems to be a new model and as such appears to use a new design of cartridge which the 3rd party suppliers haven't caught up with yet.

@kinmel - Alan, thanks for the info about the Brother. That may well be what I need the most. How is the print quality on the Brother?

Many thanks,

JB.

kinmel · Feb 01, 2010, 17:20:29

The print quality is excellent, even with compats