I need help buying a new printer

[Danny McG]

All I want is a basic printer, cheap and cheerful, the one I have is years old and very creaky and it's getting too prone to jamming up.

It's for September when one bratoid moves up to the next school, I know they're occasionally required to print out a page or two for homework.

However the ones I see online all seem to be 'instant ink' which I'd never heard of. Apparently your printer connects online through "the internet of things" and, when you get low, replacement ink cartridges are automatically dispatched ( I really don't like that idea)

I only want a couple of recommendation's for cheap printers that don't require this annoying skynet intrusion

cheers

 

[chrispenycate]

You can get the HP ones without going the instant ink option (which I would suggest - the app is supremely annoying, blocking it functioning because it believes you should be changing cartidges while they're still working fine. Incidentally, drivers for the one I bought are not available for Windows 7. But printers are dirt cheap, they make their profit on selling the ink, so if it's automatic they win.

The Canon I got previous to that , brand new and boxed lasted exactly fourteen months, and by the time they're out of warranty theyy cost twice as much to repair as to buy a new one.

 

[mosaix]

Printers are cheap, ink is expensive. Over the years the cost of ink will outweigh the cost of the printer.

Make sure that you aren’t tied in to buying the ink from the manufacturer of the printer. Make sure you can buy from a cheaper source.

Some HP ink cartridges have an inbuilt ‘use by’ date. The cartridge stops operating even if it’s got ink left - disgraceful.

Do a lot of research, Danny, the printer will probably last years and you want to be happy with it.

 

[Danny McG]

Do a lot of research, Danny, the printer will probably last years and you want to be happy with it

IIRC it was at least ten years ago that I bought my last one, I was working in an office job back then.

By doing a bit of careful research, I found a printer that took the same ink cartridges as the ones in the cupboard at work.

Nowadays it looks like £61 for a twinpack of ink, one colour and one black..... Monstrous prices!

 

[Foxbat]

Sometimes places like Asda sell their own ink and are a bit cheaper than the named brands. I’d suggest checking out your local store (if you have one) and have a look at the available cartridges (they make them for a number of different models) for yourself before you decide what printer to buy.

 

[Pyan]

Don't, don't, don't, for goodness sake, go over to the dark side of refilling empty cartridges, though. They leak. No matter how accurately you follow the instructions, they leak. And they leak onto the printer-head track. You can't clean this, as to do so involves disassembling the entire machine, and more importantly, putting it all back together, ensuring that all the tiny springs and tabs are the right ones, in the right place, and the right way around.
And, of course, you can't test it without plugging it in, switching it on and trying a test print. I leave it to your imagination what happens if it's not correctly reassembled, apart from confirming the strong likelihood of colourful and imaginative language.

As you may have gathered, I speak from personal experience. If you suffer from any kind of high blood pressure or anger management problems, save a life, bite the bullet and buy the correct new ink cartridges.

 

[Pyan]

And those prices for ink look high.
I have a Canon Pixma M495, which should be fine for your needs, and a replacement colour/black combo ink pack for it is £24.99 on Amazon.

 

[Foxbat]

As you may have gathered, I speak from personal experience. If you suffer from any kind of high blood pressure or anger management problems, save a life, bite the bullet and buy the correct new ink cartridges.

I once physically assaulted a printer. I was so frustrated that I punched and pummulled it until it broke and I had to buy a new one (a different make). I felt no remorse whatsoever. It got what it deserved.

 

[Danny McG]

And those prices for ink look high.
I have a Canon Pixma M495, which should be fine for your needs, and a replacement colour/black combo ink pack for it is £24.99 on Amazon.

I've found a Mp495 and a Mx495, I can't find a M495, are they variations on a common Canon printer theme?

 

[Pyan]

Sorry, Danny - it's an MP495.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I wish you luck with this Danny, having had troubles buying printers myself.

And it seems like ink keeps getting more expensive and the cartridges run out of that ink faster.

 

[Dave]

I'd keep your old printer going as long as possible (unless you've smashed it up due to frustration). I can only re-iterate what the others have said - that ink cartridges are deliberately very expensive and printers deliberately very cheap - and that re-filled ink cartridges always leak in the end.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Another thing that happens is sometimes there are no new printers that will work with an older, less powerful computer. (I don't think this happens by accident.) So you can end up buying a new computer for several hundred dollars just so you can print with a hundred dollar printer. This has happened to me, so either it's a Real Thing, or the people at the large electronics store were all lying to my husband and me.

 

[Danny McG]

I've spotted (on eBay) various generic ink cartridges that purport to work just as well as the much pricier ones you get from printer manufacturers.

Anyone ever used any of these? Do they work as claimed?

 

[mosaix]

I've spotted (on eBay) various generic ink cartridges that purport to work just as well as the much pricier ones you get from printer manufacturers.

Anyone ever used any of these? Do they work as claimed?

They might and, then again, might not. Search for the combination of printer and cartridge and see if there are any forums discussing it. Be wary of any 'false' reviews though, Danny.

 

[Pyan]

I've spotted (on eBay) various generic ink cartridges that purport to work just as well as the much pricier ones you get from printer manufacturers.

Anyone ever used any of these? Do they work as claimed?

What mosaix said. Plus, on eBay, they may very well be ones that people have refilled themselves. (see post #6 above)

 

[Dave]

They may be generic cartridges made by the same company, or they may be refilled by your neighbour down the street, or they may be very cheap but with an exorbitant price for the delivery. Also beware of additional VAT charges (either being correctly or incorrectly applied) since Brexit.

 

[tinkerdan]

I've had a number of printers and recently I've had the best luck with the Canon

I've found a Mp495 and a Mx495, I can't find a M495, are they variations on a common Canon printer theme?

I originally had am MX472.
One consideration I've had with printers is that if something goes wrong you can end up with 60.00 US in cartridges that a new printer won't use.
In light of that because I was so happy with the MX472 I picked up an MX532 that uses the same cartridges.
What I like about these is they are inkjet that do double-sided -the 532 is more automatic with the double side and I often print a book out on double sided just before I go to print on amazon.
Both printers are still operating just fine and I still use them frequently.
and yes those are various builds of the same model.

As far as the auto ordering of refills--as far as I know that's optional and I have never had mine try to order any without my permission.
Also I purchased those printers for 49.00/67.00 US which is less than the replacement cartridges cost.

I just checked and they want 199.00 US for the same one I paid 67.00 for. Things have gone up a bit.

 

[Boneman]

Good luck Danny, let us know how it works out.

As an aside: in the days you had to send submissions by paper I bought a black only 'laser printer. Cost me £99, did very well, too. The time came to replace the cartridge, they wanted £59. Saw a special offer on the printer £49.99, so I bought another one, instead. Sold them later for £75 for the pair.

 

[Mouse]

My printer died just after Christmas and I needed a cheap and cheerful one fast. I got this one: HP DeskJet 3762 All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer (Actually it's gone up a tenner but still good price). I use it every day and it's pretty good.