printer which doesn't need cleaning

[lars69]

I have got the following problem:

 

I use an Olympus P-400 dye sub for all my photo printing and love it. But I also need an inkjet printer (or

maybe laser?) for office use. Sometimes I need color for charts etc. but mainly text only.

 

I therefore only use my current inkjet (Epson C66) once every 2 to 3 weeks. And every time the nozzle is

clocked up and I need to clean the head. A part from wasting a lot of ink it goes seriously on my nerves

and now it is so bad I can't get it cleaned at all anymore.

 

So my questions is, are there any printers around which can survive with less cleaning? I think I remember

that HP changed the head itself with each cartridge, does that make a difference?

 

Or should I seriously think about laser printers and if yes what are the running costs?

 

I just need a cheap and cheerful printer which I can use once in a while without becoming poor and

without cleaning issues. Quality is not very important.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Lars

[alex_milton]

Basically, don't get an Epson. The equivalent products from either canon or HP will need cleaning at some point, but NOTHING like the maintenance an epson requires.

[steven_clark]

Either that or install a purge program on your computer for the Epson.

[don_e]

"I just need a cheap and cheerful printer which I can use once in a while without becoming poor and without cleaning issues. Quality is not very important."

 

I have a Canon ip4300 (about 100$ at Radio Shack). It is inexpensive and decent quality for a 5x7 print and not bad at 8x10. It is superior to previous generations of Canons in this price range I've had as the office color printer. In the year I've run it I haven't had any need to run maintenance on it. No clogs, no lines, just a nice print.

[don_e]

Should add I only use Canon inks and paper with Canon profiles.

[mendel_leisk]

The HP B9180 would fit the bill, except the price tag is in the $600~700 range: if it you leave it on all the time it periodically (once a day or so) runs a little ink through. It also has a feedback system in place to detect clogged nozzles and switch to alternate as needed. I believe each cartridge has a myriad of nozzles, for this reason. Of course, if your print volume is low enough, this daily calibration would become a signif percent of your total ink usage, but I believe it is fairly small amount used.

[J.W. Wall]

I've had some luck just turning on the Epson printer every few days and letting it cycle through its startup procedure.

[jtk]

As you don't want photo quality, you don't need an inkjet machine...get a cheap bubblejet from Canon.

[Ed_Ingold]

I find that Epson printers that use pigment-based ink have much less tendency to clog than older dye-based printers. Pigment-based printers include the Epson 1800, 2400 and older 2200 (which I have).

 

If you don't need top-level photo quality, then consider a color laser printer. You can get a suitable printer for much less than $1000, depending on your needs. The operating costs are a fraction that of an inkjet printer - less than $0.20/page in full color. Cartridges are expensive - $150-$250 for each of 4 colors - but last a long time. Typically you get between 5000 and 15000 pages for a set of cartridges. I have a Xerox Phaser 6360, which produces up to 40 ppm in full color, and will print both sides (duplex) from tray or manual feed.

 

You can use nearly any offset or laser grade paper. Be careful with gloss paper, since some offset grades have a plastic coating that can melt on the fuser roll. Use a gloss paper rated for lasers!

 

The image quality is "brochure stand" grade (if you've ever been in an hotel). I also use it for inexpensive (and fast proofs) for clients who need something in their hands for review. From "Enter" to finished print takes less than 30 seconds from a warm start. For best results, you need to use a CMYK profile, but the factory calibration procedure is reasonably good. Text production is especially fast and very clear - better than any inkjet on paper. I can hold 6pt type in reverse.

[lars69]

Thanks for all the answers.

Laser printer is tempting but the amount of printing I do would not justify the toner costs. I know per page it is cheaper but it would take a good few years before I get my money back.

 

At the end I just ordered a new Canon ip4300. Basically because it is the cheapest Canon with seperate ink cartridges. Hopefully I will have better experiences than with the Epson and I also will try to print something once a week to keep the nozzles free.

 

Thanks,

 

Lars

[mendel_leisk]

That's not a bad strategy. Maybe more often than once a week tho, say Mon/Wed/Fri. I know my HP B9180 runs a cycle daily, and for me with my current next to zero usage, I need that. I think almost anything will "exercise" all the colors, pick an image that's mostly white with just a flower or something, and run it on photocopy paper.