Printer issues?

Wait, didn't you guys say this was wrapped up and we wouldn't be talking again for another year? 🤷

I was honestly about to close the thread...

It seems like the Canon G series should actually be more expensive than the Epson models...

The Pixma g series range starts from USD 9,595 for the basic model- G1000 printer and goes up to USD 16,795 for the wireless G3000 model. And the replacement ink bottles are priced at USD 499 per unit. The printers will compete with the ink tank series printers from Epson, which come at a starting price of USD 7,500 (approx.).

Nathan Mitchell3 said:It feels like the Canon G series should be more expensive than the Epson ones??

The Pixma G series range starts from USD 9,595 for the basic model- G1000 printer and goes up to USD 16,795 for the wireless G3000 model. And the replacement ink bottles are priced at USD 499 per unit. The printers will compete with the ink tank series printers from Epson, which come at a starting price of USD 7,500 (approx.).

Look, pricing isn't some scientific formula set by engineers. It’s just commerce. If people are willing to shell out that much, then that's what the market price becomes.

Marketing teams have to work overtime with their campaigns and hype just to cover their own costs and make sure everyone in the supply chain gets their slice of the pie—call it profit, call it cream, whatever you want to call it.

If someone else makes a similar device, they know perfectly well they can make a decent profit selling the exact same thing for around $600 $233 + tax. Just look at the Brother MF units. They've been sitting there at that price point for a year, and all those models come with an integrated CISS system built right in.

Basically, once the market gets bored or saturated, that's when you see the real price for a product like this. Marketing can spend as much on ads as they want, but at the end of the day, it only matters how much the customer is actually willing to pay for the same damn thing. If a company decides they aren't making enough margin on a specific item, they'll drop it from their lineup faster than you can blink.

The Epson L220 isn't a bad concept while it's actually working. But not every link in the chain is playing by the same rules. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and in this case, that's the paper feed system. And the scanner unit.

Nathan Mitchell3 said:It feels like the Canon G series should actually be more expensive than the Epson models...
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Not really... I mean, the Canon g2400 is actually a solid machine. It features a print head that's easy enough to swap out yourself—any amateur DIYer could handle it at home without needing specialized tools. But honestly, that’s not even the main point. The real kicker is that if the head fails, the replacement cost is minimal compared to buying a whole new printer. Back when I picked up an IP3300 at a local Best Buy for about $167, it was basically the last floor model they had. Now, a new head costs roughly $35 online—sure, you have to deal with the shipping and fees, but you aren't stuck paying some technician's hourly rate just to get it running again (which would easily run you $133 at a repair shop). As for the scanner, it's pretty middle-of-the-road... totally fine for basic stuff, though the software can be a little clunky. It's been working perfectly for me for over five or six years now. Even if the original ink is pricey, it doesn't matter much; you use the Canon, and it delivers those vibrant colors. It's definitely heavier than an Epson, probably because it's built sturdy enough to be shipped in a standard cardboard box across the US without getting trashed... everything considered, it's actually a better value than the Epson L220. (I won't even mention the L210, since Canon has already moved past that, but if we did, the Epson would seem cheaper, even though that model is bulkier than the newer L220) 😁

hollowmarlin27

If the G series is based on the IP 7250, can we expect they won't need 3 minutes to print that first page?

The Epson L220 isn't a bad concept while it's running. But not every link in the chain aligns with that idea. The chain breaks at its weakest point. In this case, it's the paper feed system and the scanner unit.

eKupi: L365 with 3 years of warranty = $417

$417 / (3 * 365) = $0.38 / day

That's the operating cost. There's plenty of ink included anyway, so there's no need to calculate it, and it isn't expensive ($17 / 70 ml), so it doesn't matter.

After 3 years, you just toss it in the trash.

L220:
$300 / 365 = $0.82 / day

Basically, as long as the device is under warranty, it should work, and during that time, we can rely on it. Every day past the warranty... a free gift.

Nathan Mitchell3 said:hollowmarlin27

If the G series is basically just an IP 7250 in disguise, can we actually expect it to take less than 3 minutes to spit out that first page?

Best Buy: L365 with 3 years of warranty = $417

$417 / (3 * 365) = $0.38 / day

That’s the operating cost. You get plenty of ink anyway, so there's no point calculating it—it's not like it's expensive ($17 / 70 ml), so who cares.

After 3 years, you just toss it in the trash.

L220:
$300 / 365 = $0.82 / day

The logic is simple: while the device is under warranty, it should work. You can rely on it during that window. Every single day after the warranty expires is just a free gift to the universe.

From what I can tell, the G series uses two print heads instead of one. It's kind of like those HP LaserJet Pro cartridges designed for one-time use that can burn through 50-100 ml easily, and replacing them costs next to $50

Second thing.

Because I know people here who swear by warranties and buy new printers just for the coverage, but in reality, they’ve had HP tell them they won't replace a head under warranty once printing issues start up. Or the service center just makes excuses, claiming the head is a "consumable" item and therefore isn't covered.

I'm genuinely curious if anyone here has actually dealt with that.
With the G series, you fix the issue for about 150- $67.

Does anyone actually know from experience how much that same fix would run you on an L series?

DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT AN ANSWER TO THAT?

HP print head for the L series: $238 plus if they can fix it, you get a 6-month warranty
Service Center: labor cost is $53 + tax = $67

Basically—just buy a new printer.

Now we just need to see how many pages HP guarantees per print head, so they can't try to claim the head is just a consumable part...