Printer help needed

Hey
So, I've been scrolling through a few pages here and it looks like the consensus is leaning toward Xerox or a Samsung laser setup.
Honestly, I'm over the whole routine of trekking over to a buddy's place or heading down to campus just to print out my study guides and lab reports...
I’ve got a Canon mp140 sitting there that barely scraped through its first 100 pages three years ago before it gave up the ghost—ran out of ink, and finding replacements is basically impossible now. Plus, I bet the print head is fried, so I'm definitely not risking it by buying cheap ink... anyway
I'm looking to grab a new printer, and my first question is what's actually worth picking up on a budget. Then there's the big debate: laser or inkjet? My workload is picking back up, probably printing around 30-40 pages a week. If I go laser, what should I look at? If I stick with inkjet, what's the move?
Also, can you actually find third-party toner for lasers? Or can you just refill them? Roughly how much are we talking?
Any advice at all would be huge... I'm ready to drop about $200
Thanks

Robert Smith28 said:hey
so, I've been scrolling through a few pages here and it looks like everyone's recommending either a Xerox or a Samsung laser printer.
I'm honestly fed up with constantly running over to my buddy's place or heading to campus just to print out study guides and lab reports...
I have a Canon mp140, but obviously, it barely hit its 100-page limit three years ago before it died on me. No more ink, and honestly, I can't even find compatible cartridges anymore... plus, I bet the print head is totally fried by now, so I don't want to risk buying ink for it.... anyway
I want to pick up a new printer, and my first question is what cheap ones are actually decent... then the big debate: which one is actually worth it in the long run: laser or inkjet?! Since my classes started back up, I'm printing maybe 30-40 pages a week now. If I go laser, which one? If inkjet, which one?
Are there compatible toners for laser printers? Or can you refill them? Roughly how much does that cost?
Either way, any advice would be awesome... I'm willing to drop about $200
thanks

For $167, you could grab a refurbished HP 1012 or something similar. You can find replacement toners for those everywhere for around $15 - $67 for 200 pages. You can also get an Ecco refill kit that does 3 refills for $67 == 6000 pages.

If you sit down and crunch the numbers against any other option, for a college student, the cost difference is night and day.

So the real question is, what is the cost per $67 / 6000 pages == ?? The only thing you can really compare that to is an Inkjet with a CISS system.

With those, the math is usually 40ml == 800 pages, while 400ml == $50/8000 pages == ?

Just keep in mind that depreciation and maintenance aren't factored into that price per page.

Right now, I find myself in the process of shopping for a new printer. My main requirements are that it must feature Wi-Fi connectivity, maintain relatively compact dimensions for my desk space, and offer respectable print quality when using photo paper. I am looking to spend approximately $167 (give or take $33)
.
I don't need to print constantly; this is strictly for occasional home use.
Looking back, I used an Epson about five or six years ago, though I recall having some frustrating issues with the print heads. I have also owned an HP, which was perfectly fine, but I haven't had much experience with Canon yet. I would truly appreciate any recommendations you might have, as well as your personal experiences with these specific brands.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/can...on_pixmamg3150
http://www.dpreview.com/products/hp/...hp_dj3050j610a
http://www.epson.co.uk/Store/Printer...-Stylus-SX435W

Thank you all so much for your advice...

James Mitchell3 said:Basically, I'm looking to pick up a printer. It needs Wi-Fi, shouldn't take up too much space on my desk, and needs decent enough print quality for photo paper. Budget is around $167 (+-$33)

I won't be using it constantly—just occasional home use.
I used an Epson about 5 or 6 years ago (head issues were a pain), and I've used HP before, which was okay, but I haven't tried any Canon yet. Looking for some advice or anyone's experience with these brands.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/hp/...hp_dj3050j610a

http://www.epson.co.uk/Store/Printer...-Stylus-SX435W

Thanks for the help...

http://www.dpreview.com/products/can...on_pixmamg3150

If you look at this from a repair shop perspective—or just as someone buying gear meant to last five years—you should know that the previous versions of this Canon were the MP 520 and the IP 3600. Those inkjet heads ended up being pretty short-lived, usually acting up after just 12 months.

As for the other two, the Epson is solid for text. It’s also a really cost-effective setup if you use Colibri refillable cartridges. The only real downside is that the cartridge capacity is pretty small. We don't see many of these HPs coming through the service center since they aren't super common, but basically, it's just a clone of a Canon.

Thanks for getting back to me....I was wondering about how the print heads work on Canon machines...are they built directly into the cartridges, similar to how HP does things, or do they follow the same principle as an Epson setup? Also, since I don't plan on using this printer every single day, is there much of a risk regarding the ink drying up inside the nozzles?

James Mitchell3 said:Thanks for the reply... what's the deal with the print heads on Canon printers? Are they built into the cartridge (like with HP) or is it more like an Epson setup? Also, since I don't plan on using this thing every single day, is there a risk of the ink drying up?

Looking at this from a repair tech perspective: Canon print heads vary wildly. Some models have fixed heads, while others are basically disposable. Since companies like Canon or HP don't really care if a head lasts forever, they design them to just barely survive the warranty period.

So, where's the catch?

The catch is that hitting that specific "lifespan" target is nearly impossible to do perfectly. What does that mean in plain English? It means depending on how they were made, one batch of Canon inkjet heads might have heaters that die fast, while another batch lasts way longer. Honestly, neither you nor Canon can predict it. You might get heads that quit en masse after 18 months, while others cruise along for 2 or 3 years. There isn't even a major tech difference between them. Buying a more expensive model won't necessarily save you from this.

With Epson, those issues aren't really a thing anymore—they used to be, though. Nowadays, the only real downside with Epson is that to get the same print quality, they're either twice as slow or twice as expensive as a Canon. Plus, the plastic build and mechanics are starting to feel pretty similar across the board.

But honestly, you just have to ask yourself: Who actually benefits from me printing constantly? Is it Canon, Epson, or HP? Once you figure that out, you'll know which one to buy.

Apparently, they only sell the original color 🤷
I was wondering—if I go ahead and buy the original, is it actually possible to refill it later with a generic one? Like, just taking it to a local print shop to get it topped up?
I’m pretty clueless about this stuff, so if anyone could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it 🙂
thanks

Noah Kern5 said:Supposedly there's only original color ink available here. 🤷
I was wondering if I buy an original cartridge, can I just get it refilled later? Like, take it to a local print shop that does refills.
I honestly have zero clue how this stuff works, so any help would be awesome. 🙂
Thanks.

Quick question though: How many times are you actually planning on refilling that thing?

rustysurfer79 said:One could argue—how many times do you actually plan on refilling that cartridge?

To be honest, I haven't really thought about it—I only use the printer once in a while, mostly just for the fax function.

Noah Kern5 said:Honestly, I have no clue. I only need a printer once in a while, mostly just for faxing.

In that case, just grab a laser printer for about $350 - $133

Print Cartridge(s) Not Detected/Cover Open

Please try checking a few things here.
-There might not be any cartridges installed at all.
-The cartridges could be seated incorrectly in their slots.
-The right front cover might just be sitting open.
If you could just pop open the cover they're pointing to, take a quick look at those cartridges, and then make sure the cover is shut tight.

What am I supposed to do about this? I mean, maybe it's happening because my color cartridge isn't actually inside the machine??

copperstag95 said:Print Cartridge(s) Not Detected/Cover Open

Check one of the following.
-No cartridge(s) are set.
-Cartridge(s) are set incorrectly.
-Right Front Cover is open.
Open the indicated cover and check the cartridge(s), then close the cover.

What should I do? Is it maybe because my color cartridge isn't inside??

I mean, it's literally telling you what's wrong right there... do you not speak English?

The first thing... a cartridge is missing.

The second thing... the cartridge isn't seated properly.

The third thing... the cartridge cover isn't closed.

Which printer are we even talking about here?

Here, take this and go read up on printers and their issues.

Maybe you'll actually find something useful for your specific model in there.

http://rustysurfer79.com/

Well, I suppose I might have been mistaken; I didn't think it was strictly necessary for that specific color to be loaded, especially since I’m planning on printing with a different one that happens to be inside anyway.

Thanks so much

copperstag95 said:Fair enough, I just figured those colors didn't necessarily have to be used since I'll probably end up printing with whatever else is loaded in there anyway.

Thanks

It won't work if you're only using black.

You might be able to get away with just color, as long as it isn't an Epson printer.

I was just wondering if anyone happens to have any spare black toner lying around for an Aficio gx2500

I’ve got an Epson printer that uses four colors. At first, I stuck strictly to the original cartridges, but last time, I decided to swap all four out for compatibles.
Yellow and red ran out, so I popped those replacements in and everything worked fine. Then blue ran dry, so I added a compatible blue, and suddenly the machine started claiming it couldn't recognize the yellow ink—even though it was working perfectly before. I figured maybe the ink itself was the issue, so I bought an original yellow cartridge, and once again, it printed without a hitch. But then my black ran out (that one was original), I swapped it for a compatible, and now it’s back to its old tricks, insisting it doesn't recognize the blue, which has been printing just fine for a while now.

I’ve noticed a pattern: if I have two compatibles and two originals, it prints normally. But the moment I hit three compatibles, it starts throwing error messages about inks it was handling perfectly yesterday. Am I imagining things, or is there actually logic to this? Does anyone know how to fix this, or should I just toss these compatibles in the trash and buy only originals before I lose my mind?

Hello,

My brother is looking to pick up a printer for college. He’s currently staring down an inkjet—it’s relatively new, maybe five years old—but the running costs are killing him. Between endless study guides, e-books, and presentations, he's burning through ink like crazy.
So, I'm looking for some advice. He wants to switch to a laser printer.

To be honest, I've never looked into these things in my life. Here is what matters: it can't break the bank. We're looking at something in the $400 range.$167 He needs black and white printing, roughly 1,500 to 2,000 pages per month.
I noticed some estimates suggesting monthly costs could hit $30, which feels steep, but I suppose that's the reality. So...

I've come across some options from Xerox and Samsung. Print quality isn't actually a priority here. As long as the text is legible enough to read without squinting, we're good. The main goal is low upfront cost and making sure replacing the supplies isn't a total nightmare.

Regarding the refills—am I correct in assuming it's toner? Roughly how much does a black cartridge run, and how many pages should we expect to get out of one?
Thanks for any insight you can provide. Best regards.

Thomas Davis4 said:Hey guys,

My brother needs a printer for college. He’s got this relatively new inkjet, maybe five years old, but the running costs are killing him. Between study guides, e-books, and presentations, he's printing a ton.
So now I need some advice. He's looking for a laser printer.

I've honestly never looked into these before. Basically, here's the deal. It shouldn't be crazy expensive... maybe around 400-$167... Needs to do B&W, and he'll probably run through about 1500-2000 pages a month.
I saw some prices hitting $300 a month which is just insane, so yeah..

I found some Xerox and Samsung models. Print quality isn't actually a huge deal. As long as it's legible, we're good. The main thing is keeping the upfront cost low and making sure refills aren't a total nightmare.

Regarding refills, is it toner? How much does black usually run, and how many pages does a cartridge actually last?
Thanks for any info. Cheers.

Look, print quality isn't the issue. The real headache is the paper feed. Most Samsung or Xerox machines won't even make it to their third year because of that one flaw. That's why buying those cheap Samsung models doesn't make sense—you end up dealing with chips that you have to replace twice a year. Pretty soon after buying it, you'll realize you're stuck only using original cartridges.

You can't refill the starter toner, so that initial $500 $200 quickly turns into $1100 - $400. For that kind of money, you could grab a way better laser printer that already includes 14,000 prints in the price. Plus, the paper feed issue is handled as a user fix rather than needing a service call.

Just use your head.

Thomas Davis4 said:Hey guys,

My brother's looking to grab a printer for college. He’s got this inkjet sitting around, pretty recent, maybe five years old, but the ink costs are killing him. Between lecture notes, e-books, and presentations, he's printing a ton.
So now I need some advice. He wants a laser printer.

I've honestly never looked into these things before. Here's the deal: it can't be crazy expensive. Maybe around $400-$167... needs black and white, and he'll probably run through about 1500-2000 pages a month.
I saw some running about $300 a month which is just insane, so yeah...

I spotted some Xerox and Samsung models online. Print quality isn't a big deal for him. As long as you can actually read what's on the page, we're good. The main thing is keeping the upfront cost low and making sure refilling isn't a total nightmare.

Regarding refills—is it toner? Roughly how much does a black cartridge run, and how many pages does it actually last?
Thanks for the help. Cheers.

Look, print quality isn't the issue here. The real headache is the paper feed. Honestly, none of those Samsung or Xerox machines make it past year three because of that exact flaw. That's why buying a cheap Samsung isn't worth it; you end up dealing with those annoying chips that you have to swap out twice a year. You'll realize pretty quickly that you're stuck buying only name-brand cartridges.

That starter toner? You can't even refill it, so that $500 $200 turns into an $1100 bill before you know it. $400 For that kind of money, you could get a way better laser printer that comes with 14,000 prints already included. Plus, the paper feeding issues are handled by design on better models, not just something you call a repairman for.

Just use your head.

rustysurfer79 said:The issue isn't actually print quality. It’s the paper feed mechanism. No Apple or Xerox machine makes it past its third year because of those reliability issues. That's why buying a low-cost Apple printer is a trap; they swap out the chips twice a year just to keep you on a leash. Pretty soon after you buy one, you'll realize you're forced to spend a fortune on nothing but OEM cartridges.

You can't even refill that starter toner, so that initial 500 $200 page yield quickly turns into an 1100 $400 headache. For what you'd spend on that, you could probably snag a much better laser printer that comes with 14,000 prints already baked into the price. And as for the paper jams? They should be fixing that at the design level, not expecting the user to call a repairman every month.

Use your head.

So, what's the actual advice then? What should I be looking for given all that? I need something for student life—around 1,500 to 2,000 pages a month—where the ink refills won't bankrupt me. I'm not looking for a heavy-duty office laser; I just need something to handle a college workload. Presentations, study guides, e-books... just general academic clutter.