Which printer is best for using generic ink?

I was wondering if anyone might be able to point me in the right direction regarding printers and scanners; I'm currently looking for the best option on the market if my budget is sitting around $75.

I haven't been keeping a close eye on the price tags lately, but if there's one thing I need to tell you, it's this: pay serious attention to the cost of the cartridges—specifically the ink.

Look, you can find some decent printers for around $67, but then you turn around and find out a single color cartridge costs $150. Also, make sure you check whether the black ink is housed in its own separate cartridge (it usually is, but don't be naive about it). Black is what you'll burn through most often, and it’s incredibly frustrating to be forced into buying an entire multi-color unit just because you ran out of black. It's ridiculous to end up printing plain text in red just because the black tank is empty.

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a heads-up on those ink prices. I'm sure the other folks on here who actually track these market fluctuations will be able to point you toward a better model.

John, thanks for the heads-up. I'll definitely start looking into this...

Nathan Foster5 said:Does anyone know which printer/scanner combo is actually the best on the market right now for around $75?

Let’s break this down with a little comparison.

HP Deskjet 1050 = a
vs
EPSON DX 4450 = b

Basically, brand new vs. refurbished.

Look, new is new. Everything comes all neat and tidy—drivers, manuals, cables, a full ink set. It feels like a real treat. The HP Deskjet 1050 is incredibly fast. Honestly, a total rocket. A few years back, printers three times the price ran just like this. You’ll be super happy with the purchase.

The EPSON DX 4450. Just an old, slow drag. It's twice as noisy and three times slower than that shiny player above.

But here's the kicker: after about 50 to 100 prints, both A and B start crying. They're hungry. They want more ink. And if you look at what a bag of Pedigree or Whiskas costs for your pet, there really isn't a massive difference between A and B. You're looking at roughly the same total cost—around $250 $100 for a full ink set.

What about third-party ink? For A, you're out of luck because the manufacturer keeps swapping in new models, kind of like how fashion brands change styles just so people feel they need the latest thing. So, you can't dodge that cost mentioned above.

With B, you have plenty of cheap alternatives, but it's a headache waiting to happen. If you go for the whole deal—the package B + Colibri $167 + tax—you might solve your problems for the next 5,000 prints.

At this point, grab a hammer and hit yourself in the head. Maybe you'll end up with option A, or maybe you'll get B.

Nathan Foster5 said:Hey guys, if anyone knows which printer/scanner combo is currently the best on the market for around $70-$80...

About those third-party cartridges
>>>>>>>>>>>>
Be careful who you trust here.

Check out these three examples:

1. A seller offering knock-off cartridges. They brag about how much ink you actually get.

http://www.printerheads.co.uk/Ink_Ca..._BX_305_F.aspx

2. The manufacturer sells original ink, but they conveniently scrubbed the info on how much ink is actually in the T1281 - 1284 series. Instead, they leave you guessing by only showing the volume for the t1285 pack.
http://www.epson.com/viewcon/consumables/3979

3. An example of playing with an open hand.
http://www.lasermediasupplies.com/...x-ep46534.html

Here’s the catch:
1. They aren't lying about the ink volume in the cartridge, but they fail to mention that you can only use what the chip allows.
2. Again, they aren't lying about the total volume, but they don't tell you how much is in a single cartridge—they just give you the grand total for everything combined, like 3 * 3.5 + 5.9 == 16.4.
3. This one is just being totally transparent, so take it or leave it.

So yeah, watch who you're dealing with. No retailer is technically lying to you, but at the same time, they aren't telling you the whole truth either.

My friend, I really can't thank you enough for all this help... I think I'll definitely be picking one of these options out.
I will certainly reach out and let you know once I've made my final decision and pulled the trigger on a purchase.

I thought I should probably weigh in on this discussion as well. My trusty old EPSON DX 4450, which was an absolute workhorse and handled all sorts of third-party ink without a single hiccup, unfortunately met its untimely end due to a rather unfortunate accident. Consequently, I find myself in urgent need of a comparable printer-scanner combo—ideally one that features a continuous ink system where you can connect tubes directly to the ink bottles. I have spent quite a bit of time attempting to track down such a model via Google, but my efforts have proven entirely fruitless.

Joshua Cook62 said:Just wanted to jump in on this thread. My old Epson DX 4450 used to handle all those third-party inks like a champ, but it finally kicked the bucket. Now I'm looking for something similar—basically an all-in-one printer-scanner that can hook up directly to ink bottles via tubes. I've been trying to Google my way through this, but I'm coming up empty.

You could grab the package SX 125 + continuous ink cartridges + Colibri ink

It works perfectly.

You also have the option of the Package
SX 125 or 130 + continuous ink cartridges + Colibri ink

The price is basically the same.

Which one's better?

Go with the DX 4450.

Why?

Because when manufacturers release newer generations on the same platform, they tend to cut corners to save money compared to the older ones.

How?

Simple. A company might try to sell the exact same product for years at the same price point, even though raw material costs fluctuate right along with oil prices.

So, somewhere along the line, the consumer is the one getting the short end of the stick.

Everything that rustysurfer7 mentioned is absolutely spot on, though I am quite convinced you can track down an even more budget-friendly deal if you look hard enough. All told, we are looking at roughly $174.

Joshua Cook62 said:Everything rustysurfer79 is saying is spot on, but honestly, you can find even better deals out there. Everything combined costs about $174.
http://www.craigslist.com/laser-printer...-listing-2550689
http://www.office-depot.com/ciss-system...284-sx125.html

This is just a perfect example of how sneaky marketing can be. It’s practically an art form at this point.

Nilkad doesn't lie, but they definitely don't give you the whole truth either.

By the time you realize what's actually happening, your 30-day warranty has already expired and you can kiss your cash goodbye.

It’s a classic drip system approach.

Why?

I'd love to hear from someone who actually has a CISS installed in an SX 130 that's been running smoothly for more than 60 days.

Of course, some guy will chime in about his DX 4450 with a CISS that works fine and try to say it's the same thing.

And once that happens, the marketing gets even louder and more aggressive until they run through their stock.

Classic moves.

So, I’m on the hunt for a decent printer/scanner combo too, maybe around $500, and I really need one that plays nice with cheap third-party ink. Anyone got any solid recommendations? Which model should I grab?

silentsailor23 said:I'm also hunting for a printer/scanner combo around $500 that uses compatible inks. Any advice on which model to grab?

For that budget plus tax, you really can't beat the DX 4450 + Colibri package.

The SX 130 + Colibri package costs about the same, but that first one is way more rugged and easier to fix if things go south.

If speed is your main priority, then look at the Canon IP 1800 + CISS.

You could also snag a brand new Nashuatec ST 2100 for that price, but they'll absolutely bleed you dry on ink later. You'll end up right back where you started pretty fast $1000. That's why those first two options are much smarter long-term bets.

rustysurfer79 said:At that price point including tax, you really can't beat the DX 4450 + Colibri package.

The SX 130 + Colibri package costs about the same, but honestly? That first one is way more rugged and just easier to fix when things go sideways.

Now, if speed is your main thing, then check out the Canon IP 1800 + CISS.

You could also grab a brand new Nashuatec ST 2100 for that money, but man, they'll absolutely bleed you dry for ink later on. You'll end up right back where you started before you know it.$1000 So, that's why those two options above are actually smarter long-term bets.

so what's your take on these printers?

http://www.bestbuy.com/printer-example1

http://www.bestbuy.com/printer-example2

silentsailor23 said:what do you think about these printers

http://www.amazon.com/multifunction-printer-deals

http://www.bestbuy.com/multifunction-printers

It's the exact same deal as the HP Deskjet 1050.

Competition is just competition, I guess.

They both walk away with the same slice of the pie.

rustysurfer79 said:It’s basically the same deal as the HP Deskjet 1050.

Can't blame the competition for being... well, competitive.

Everyone gets a slice of the pie at the end of the day.

So, is there actually any third-party ink for those things?

And hey, could you point me toward one? Since you clearly know your stuff, maybe drop a link to a printer from some shop that fits the description—something around $167 that actually has compatible ink available. Thanks!

silentsailor23 said:So, is there any third-party ink available for those printers?

And could you maybe drop a link to a specific printer from a shop that fits the description—something around $167 that actually has compatible ink options? Thanks.

Honestly, you guys just don't get it.

You’re acting like little kids.

Do you really think Canon HP EPSON is going to play fair with toddlers and give you a fighting chance to win while they lose?

Seriously, try to wrap your heads around this. The second they realize they're losing the game, they just reshuffle the deck.

If you want to actually save money, you have to pick a printer that these big corporations aren't interested in playing with anymore because they've already lost their grip on it.

That's exactly why someone needs to hand-pick those winning printers and bundle them together into a combo that actually works for you.

But instead, you're all stubbornly sticking to a game that was rigged from the start so you'd be the loser and they'd walk away with the prize. It's like it just won't sink in.

Just remember: "new" doesn't mean better. Usually, things are branded as "new" just so you'll buy in and lose even more money on the latest gadget.

Look, once again, the EPSON DX 4450 + Colibri setup is the winning move if you need a multi-user device. Or grab a Canon IP 1800 + CISS if you want the best bang for your buck in terms of speed, quality, and print cost.

For comparison, those Canons I mentioned are basically built on the same tech—everything from the Canon IP 1000 IP 1500 series and up. They usually come with about 3-10 ml per color. So, you're looking at roughly 20 ml total for that price. But with the CISS version, you're getting about 280 ml. Sure, it's not "brand new in box," but you get the idea.

Anyway, feel free to keep banging your head against a wall if you want. Maybe one day it'll finally click.

It was clear long ago EPSON offered something fundamentally different from the competition

Dennis Young57 said:It was obvious ages ago that EPSON just offered a totally different vibe than the competition

It's basically the same thing, just different packaging
but it's 50% cheaper, you get 100% more ink, and the MF is thrown in for free

Based on my experience, these kinds of inks are solid—the quality is nearly identical to the originals, just as you mentioned here regarding the comparison between the EPSON DX 4450 and the CISS system.

Dennis Young57 said:From what you've seen, are these kinds of inks actually decent (basically matching the quality of the originals) like you mentioned here when comparing the HP setup to a CISS system?

Exactly. Just gotta be careful, you can never be too cautious. You really need to check out the plastic quality on these cartridges. >Basically, compare how the housing is molded against similar generic imports from overseas. Honestly, those overseas manufacturers have totally crushed German companies on price. So, it’s super easy for them to pull that old trick: slapping a big-name label on a generic product and selling it for a premium. You also need to check if the black ink is dye or pigment-based. Even the design of the Intel can tell you a lot about what you're dealing with.