Posts by rustysurfer79

Carl Sullivan22 said:Why call it a bad investment? From a user's perspective, it’s simple: it either works or it doesn't. If it breaks, you try to fix it, but if it's beyond repair, it’s like any other printer—you just buy a new one instead of wasting money on repairs...
It's not about that. Just tell me how much that printer would actually cost, okay?

You're paying for premium ink here, meaning the top-tier stuff that actually works. 50 ml per color equals $23 per color.

I just doubt there's enough ink. If you're saying it uses some kind of chip, and probably an RF chip like HP since they follow the same lazy design school, you can bet on that.

Now hopefully you see why this is a dead end. Kodak basically killed its own future by doing it this way. Take Brother, for example—they're smarter. They have cartridges without chips. It's obvious Kodak messed up from the jump because they were being greedy. By slamming the door on refills, they pretty much sealed their fate.

That's why investing in this printer is a total joke. That's probably why you see them on clearance for pennies...

Which is exactly why you're asking the question in the first place.

Look, if you actually want to make a profit and print high-quality color cheaply, stick to Epson + Colibri replacement cartridges + Magnetic or Colibri or Premium KMP ink for refills. Don't go looking for trouble.

Carl Sullivan22 said:Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone knows where I can find original ink, generic brands, or even refill kits for HP printers.
I'm looking for this:
http://www.amazon.de/Druckerpatronen...XI/ref=lh_ni_t
or maybe
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+...7250&cp=1&lp=3

Specifically for HP printers:
Compatibility: HP Printers: 5100 All-in-One 5300 All-in-One 5500
ESP 3/ ESP 5/ ESP 7/ ESP 9/ ESP 3250/ ESP 5210/ ESP 5220/ ESP 5230/ ESP 5250/ ESP 6150/ ESP 7250/ ESP 9250 All-in-One

Is there any way to pick up some ink here in the States? Like generics or something I can use to refill them?

The ink itself isn't the issue. You can find ink for any inkjet printer without much trouble.

The real problem is that it's kind of a lost cause. Basically, HP has moved on from this market entirely. They're pulling out.

quietowl39 said:Just wanted to drop a quick note and say I finally picked up an HP OfficeJet Pro K8600 for my A3 printing needs. Since they don't make them anymore, it was a total hunt just to track one down. I'm loving it so far—those ink tanks are huge. Also, sorry if this is a bit off-topic, please don't kill me. Quick question for rustysurfer79: is there any way to shrink the margins on A3 format? Like, get them closer to the "Default" setting. These cheaper HP models usually have 0.3cm margins right out of the box (or under "minimize margins"). I'd love to do the same here if it's even possible. Thanks, and sorry again for drifting off-topic.

Basically, if you head into printer & Faxes and tweak something there—like Print Quality, for example—that becomes your new Default for all your programs moving forward. As for the margins, you'll have to dig into the driver itself to see if it's even an option. Check it yourself.

Emily Barnes6 said:The main thing is that it doesn't mess with my printer! 😁

Doesn't matter.

Why?

Because the value of this printer is $17

Emily Barnes6 said:Maybe this is a dumb question, but honestly? I’m totally clueless when it comes to tech stuff. 😁
So, what’s actually the deal with generic replacement toners versus just getting your current one refilled? It’s a fair question.
So, I’ve got this black-and-white HP LaserJet P1102, right? I noticed that a genuine refill costs me like $220, but these off-brand ones are only about $120. Honestly, I’m a little lost—what's actually the difference?
So, what do you guys think I should go with?
P.S. I tracked down this replacement right here: I’ve been looking everywhere for decent toner replacements for my old printer, and honestly, I just found this page. It’s all about swapping out cartridges for those older models like the LaserJet P1102. If you're tired of overpaying at big-box stores like Staples or Best Buy just to get your home office running again, this might be worth a look. It seems pretty straightforward, but I'm still weighing whether going with a refill is actually worth the hassle compared to just grabbing a new OEM one. What do you guys think? Is it a smart move or am I just being cheap?

The difference is pretty simple: in one scenario, that money stays right here in the American economy, whereas in the other, most of it ends up flowing straight into the China Economic Review's backyard. Obviously, it's not every single cent, but we're talking about the vast majority of it.

Look, it really just comes down to you and your own gut feeling. You have to decide what’s actually smarter for society in the long run, and more importantly, what makes the most sense for your specific career path and your paycheck.

Lawrence Reed3 said:Hey guys, I've got a Canon Pixma MP250 series all-in-one, and I'm running low on ink. I checked out some local shops, and the only place in San Diego that carries them is Links, but they want almost $100 for both cartridges. Honestly, for that much cash, I could probably just grab a whole new printer. I heard there are third-party inks that aren't official brands but still work and are way cheaper. Does anyone know if that's an option for my model and where I can find them? (I've got Links, Eurotrade, and Chipotle nearby, plus whatever I can find online). Thanks.

Honestly, the only smart move here is grabbing a refill kit.

Made in America by KMP German ink

Why?

Because most "replacement" cartridges are just old, used ones refilled with cheap ink from China. You're basically just recycling the exact same stuff already sitting in your printer before you toss it.

Amanda Evans56 said:I did some digging and found out the worst part of my problem is a clogged printhead—specifically the black ink. If I try to get it fixed, is it even worth it considering the risk of things going wrong?

It’s not worth it.

Why?

Because

Fixing a printhead
== $50 == takes about an hour of work.
Why so long?

Because when you deal with HP OfficeJet heads, you might get lucky with one, but usually, you end up wasting a ton of time trying to clear two others that just won't budge.

Why is that?

Because before you even start cleaning, there's no way to tell if the head is just clogged or if the electronics for that specific color are fried.

Bottom line: don't bother.

Plus, you'll have to buy a new black ink cartridge anyway.

== $17

Why?

Because if you put the same old cartridge back in that caused the clog in the first place, don't expect anyone to fix it for free again in $50.

So yeah, seriously, DON'T DO IT.

fadedskipper85 said:Hey there,
I'm hunting for a new printer in the $110 +/- $33 range. At Target, they suggested I look at the HP 3525 or the Brother MFC-J220.
Looking at the specs, as a total newbie, the Brother seems better—higher resolution and faster printing—but unlike the HP, it doesn't have Wi-Fi, which is a huge deal for me since my apartment is pretty cramped.
I'd love to get your take on these two, specifically regarding print quality. I need to print photos, though just decent enough for documentation purposes.
Feel free to suggest anything else in this budget range that has Wi-Fi.

You seriously want my opinion?

We actually have two of those Brother models in the shop right now. They were running OEM ink. Both have completely clogged Black nozzles. We've cleaned a mountain of Epson, Canon, and HP inkjet heads, but with these, the design is such that you can't even touch the head without smashing three-quarters of the printer. Honestly, in cases like this, they're headed straight for the trash.

And what about HP? HP basically set the rules so they always win and you're just supposed to deal with it. That said, they do print really nicely and really fast.

Benjamin Diaz71 said:Looking for some ink-jet printer recommendations, even an older model is fine.

Here’s what matters to me:
- small footprint
- cheap third-party ink
- individual ink tanks

I don't need an all-in-one, just a printer. I used to have a Canon i250 and
was super happy with it. Honestly, I have no clue what to buy these days—all I hear
is bad things about every single one (which can't be right), or they're way too pricey,
or there's no cheap ink available, or the compatible stuff is still overpriced... So
if anyone has a good recommendation, please let me know. Even an
older model I could hunt down used would work. Print quality isn't
really a big deal; even "okay" is fine for me. I'm not printing photos, just
text, forms, charts, or maybe a webpage here and there.

Thanks!

Check out these two links and tell me what you think.

Or

Keep in mind Option I is noticeably faster for the same print quality.

But Option II is way cheaper if you skip the CISS and just go with standard cartridges. Unfortunately, current Canon and Epson models when it comes to ink costs and durability are definitely worse options than these two examples, so they aren't great candidates for a CISS setup either.

Just read up on them so you don't waste money or time.

Ryan Thompson69 said:It's a bummer 😳
Now I'm totally stuck on what to pick
To be honest, I mostly print black and white. I barely touch color unless I'm printing a CD/DVD or maybe a photo once in a blue moon (like 4 or 5 times a year).
I'm torn between grabbing a slightly better laser with a higher capacity toner or
just getting something similar to what I've been using until now 😕😕
The big question is which B/W laser to go with—maybe an Apple or a Dell? 😕 😕 😕
I don't really have much experience with lasers, and honestly, buying a color laser might just be a waste of money, right?? 😕
I'd even consider something older but reliable, like what you see over at rustysurfer79
Basically, I'm not looking for some shiny new thing straight out of a retail box. I want something solid that lets me refill the toner for plenty of A4 prints.

A4

If you're going used, the smartest move is to grab a laser that takes HP 12 toners.

Unfortunately, I only had a few of those in stock, and there's no guarantee they'll be a steady part of our inventory.

Your best bet is to hunt for one of those lasers in the general listings.
Around here, you'll probably find one bundled with a full toner for about $167 but if you check wholesale, I saw plenty of those generic replacement toners (quality is a gamble) going for around $17 plus tax.

As for the Samsung stuff (which is basically the same as the Xerox), check out this link.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>US.hardware.peripherals

So I don't have to haul all this junk to the local dump, maybe someone can find
something they actually want... the deal is, I'll come pick it up and take everything
all at once...

If nobody reaches out by the end of the week, I'm just taking it to the recycling center.

- Samsung ML-1520 (91,260 pages)
- Xerox Phaser 3117 (26,327 pages)
- HP LaserJet P2015 (206,741 pages)
- HP LaserJet 1200 (263,616 pages)

All of them have somewhat "dirty" print quality—but then again, none of them
are using original toners; they're all running on Print-rite ones...

Location: Suburban area, New York City

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ryan Thompson69 said:I’m asking rustysurfer79 and anyone else who can help out here. I have a
Canon Pixma iP4500, but it just died on me. An electrician checked it and said it looks like both the power supply and the motherboard are fried. (The symptoms: when I turn it on, the power light flashes a couple of times, you hear the heads starting to clean, and then it just shuts itself off. When I try again after a while, it does the exact same thing.) I really want to fix it because I print a ton of documents and CDs/DVDs for work, so I’m wondering if it's even worth repairing. Also, would it make sense to install one of those third-party ink systems, like the ones rustysurfer79 mentioned? Up until now, I've only used original inks—they're pretty pricey, but honestly, the quality was always great, so I was happy with them.

Thanks

Tapatalk 2 sorry Pall, but last year was basically the year the power supplies on these Canon IP 4500 units just gave up the ghost en masse. Yours is clearly part of that same bad batch.

I've personally seen at least 10 of these Canon IP 4500s go down like this. Manufacturers know once you're satisfied, you'll probably just buy a new Canon. Or rather, you definitely wouldn't be looking for a new one if this IP 4500 were still running smoothly.

Basically, they made sure they got their money from you before they had to resort to extreme measures.

Get what I mean?

Don't sweat it too much; that's pretty much how it goes with all Low cost printers.

rapidotter11 said:I used genuine ink, so I'm pretty sure that isn't the issue here.

Look, you've basically got two ways this plays out.

The glass half-full version and the "everything sucks" version.

The optimistic take? Maybe some original ink just dried up in the cartridge because it sat too long. Or maybe you were pushing it too hard and pulled air through the nozzles, sucking up paper dust along with it, which then clumped up and clogged things.

Or, the pessimistic version...

For those same reasons, the printhead might have burnt out or overheated. If the heaters are shot, they can't build enough pressure to push the ink out. Basically, no ink flow, no cooling for the heads. It's a mess.

If you're lucky, you might be able to save it using some nozzle cleaning kits and specialized cleaning fluid.

But if you're unlucky, you might just need a trash can.

You can try searching online for "inkjet cleaning tools."

Or check out
>> Refill tools

quietowl39 said:Hey, I'm asking rustysurfer79 and anyone else who knows their stuff to please help me out. I need an A3 inkjet printer ASAP. It's gotta handle both text and technical drawings. I'm currently torn between two models: the HP OfficeJet Pro K8600 (around... $1050I've got an HP OfficeJet 7110 Wide lying around (roughly... $467Just a heads-up before you take any advice: keep in mind that the K8600 isn't even in production anymore, and it lacks wireless capabilities—unlike this cheaper model. Honestly, I can't sit around waiting for HP to finally drop a serious A3 printer. Who knows if they even will, considering how much of a toy this current one feels like. $467 It's been bumped down to the $12,000 monthly tier. Before this change, the HP Businessjet 2800 was sitting right there in that bracket. $1400Alright, I'm looking for some advice here. I'm definitely no expert—I only have a basic idea of how this stuff works—so I’m feeling pretty stuck on what to do next. Any help from you guys would be huge. Thanks, everyone.

It really just boils down to whether you actually need color or not, and how much ink you think you're gonna burn through over the next year.

If I were you, I'd go with the K8600 + Long for color.

But honestly, I think the business 2800 is the tougher machine.
You've got it. $1000 With that tax settled and using a CISS, the CP 1700 is basically a tank for those guys.

If you're just looking to knock out some black and white prints for schematics, honestly, grabbing an old HP DeskJet 1220 or a Canon BJC 4650 is probably your best bet for keeping costs down.
== $333 + Sales Tax

Why?

It's all about the capacity.

1 equals 100 ml.
2. == 100 ml
3. == 40 ml

Check out this post. We're talking about A3 printers that hold between 10-20 ml of black ink.

Or this one?

Why the CP 1700 and 2800 are absolute legends.

That’s exactly why people still hang around this platform—to talk about stuff like the HP DesignJet 560 ==. It's still a staple. $3000

Same old story, same old CISS, same old ink for the CISS.

Amanda Evans56 said:Actually, I'm lying. It wasn't the first time I printed yesterday. But last time, half the text was missing. And then the next time, the black ink just wouldn't print at all.

Just give you a nice nozzle check scan and send it over.

If you want a helpful answer...

Amanda Evans56 said:It prints in color, but black just won't work. I can't tell if the ink dried up or if it's just gone, but I refilled them pretty recently. It was my first time printing after doing that, and now this thing is acting up.

Man, you clearly weren't listening.

Amanda Evans56 said:Hey guys
I really need some major help here. I’ve got an old HP OfficeJet inkjet—it’s about 8 years old and has been a total workhorse until now. Lately, instead of buying brand new cartridges, I’ve been taking them to get refilled, which is what I did just over a month ago.
But since yesterday, the black ink just isn't showing up on the page. Like, at all. If I change my text color to red, it prints perfectly fine, but if I try to print in black, nothing happens. I already tried pulling all the cartridges out and popping them back in, but no luck.
What should I do? Is this thing ready for the trash yet? (Talking about the printer, obviously)

Toss it, or tell it to try printing on glossy paper.

rapidotter11 said:I've got a Canon Pixma 210 inkjet, and I'm getting these horizontal lines whenever I print. What's causing this and can I actually fix it? I tried running the "cleaning" cycle in the software, and it worked perfectly for one day, but now it's back to being broken.

Look, nobody's gonna help you if you won't admit what kind of junk you're feeding your dairy cows.

Everything seems fine until someone proves you were feeding them contaminated garbage. Then suddenly you're playing the victim and looking for a government bailout to get you out of the hole.

It's the exact same thing here in America—same mindset, just different packaging.

Paul Ortiz49 said:Do you have a link for that model? Just want to get a rough idea of the price and see where I can pick one up.🤷

Brother

Second row.

I was digging through some old files and found this link to an inventory list for printer cartridges. It’s basically just a massive rundown of all the different ink tanks and toner models available. If you're looking for specific supplies, it might be worth a look, though it's pretty straightforward stuff.

Paul Ortiz49 said:Can I get some advice? What do you guys think about these two models? I'm torn between going with the laser or the inkjet...

1. You can grab those Colibri refillable cartridges for it. The printer runs fine without any chips. But honestly, we've had two of these come into the shop using origig inks where the black ink was so clogged up you might as well just toss the whole thing.

2. A buddy of mine at the repair shop was laughing today. Some guy—a lawyer, apparently—picked up the second HP LaserJet 1300 in line. He thought he was getting a deal because the starter toner only had 30g. A full-sized replacement with 55g would cost him about $133. So for roughly $367, he’d basically be getting 85g total. Meanwhile, with this HP LaserJet 1300, for the exact same money, he gets about 400g of toner. That's 4 or 5 times more. Like, 4-5x more pages. Honestly, it's hilarious watching people with engineering degrees make stuff like that.

Bottom line, pick whichever one you want.

Paul Ortiz49 said:ugh, man...🙂
I just went out and bought both color and black ink, spent about $77... any recommendations for a new printer? I'm thinking maybe switching to a laser, maybe around $80 bucks??

Learn this once and for all

NOBODY SELLS NEW PRINTERS WITHOUT AN AGENDA.

And what’s their agenda?
Basically, they want to make as much money as possible.

So, if you got burned by a "new" printer, don't go thinking the manufacturer suddenly grew a heart.

Bottom line: If you want cheap printing, you have to pick a model the manufacturer has basically given up on, simply because there's no profit left in it. Or, read between the lines. It's just not a cash cow for them anymore. On the flip side, if you actually *want* to be a cash cow, go ahead and buy the latest model.

Then again, there's the refill option, which works more or less with newer devices too—whether through a service or doing it yourself. But honestly, it varies wildly depending on the specific model.

For those wanting a real suggestion: I had an HP DeskJet 1050 in for testing. Honestly, it's a great little minimalist setup for that kind of money. Prints fast and clean, and we managed to refill the exact same cartridge three times already. Total bargain. The catch? Once one cartridge dies, you usually toss the whole set because buying replacements isn't worth it.

Just for comparison, look at a similar new Canon in that same price range. Refilling doesn't work nearly as well. Why? Because the manufacturer puts some kind of additive in their black ink that basically cements the nozzles shut.

If you go with Epson, you should grab the Colibri refillable cartridges.

That's probably your smartest move. Getting an Epson with refillable cartridges is the best way to go if you print a decent amount. But even with HP or Epson, you’ll still be refilling cartridges constantly—like, 3.5 to 5 ml per color. That’s only about 100 pages.

And if HP decides tomorrow to start putting that same gunk in their new cartridges—and don't think for a second they haven't already tested it—you're right back in the mud with a brand new model. Don't assume they haven't already figured out how to screw us over with the newest tech!