Jiminy Criminy these printer ink cartridges don't last very long

[Questor]

We upgraded our computer back in January and got a new printer too. The old one would barely run because of the windows updates, and the printer was a piece of junk too. So I got one of these cool HP multi function printers for about $150 and it does fax, scanning, and printing. Very cool. But it sure does eat ink cartridges. I just installed the third one since January and we don't do much printing.

[torpedoman]

they usually dry up and wont print if you dont use them much, soak the nozzles in warm water for  a few minutes wipe with alcohol and put them back. another tip is walgreens refills them cheap.

[Hodr]

I print a lot of photos here at home.  Right around 250 glossy eight by tens a month.  I found an Epson dye sublimation I liked and waited till Epson came out with thier new model and bought three more for under $50 apeice on closeout from Fry electronics.  I went on line and found a company that sells bulk in systems on Ebay.  I ordered two and about six large bottles of ink for each color, followed instructions ripping out those $6.95 cartridges and installing the new ink delivery system.  No I don't really work on computers but this was easy.  Original price per printer and each ink system was about $150  average.  Costs per 8x10 have dropped to about 3 cents a sheet without adding in paper cost.  (worked out better price by buying more ink at a time on subsequent purchases) I still have 2 Epsons new in box and have run over 8000 through the first two I set up.  They might be better than average machines but they are still producing and the customers are as happy as I am.

blindhari

[Redtail1949]

If you use your computor be sure to turn on your printer even if you do not plan to print. Yhis lets the printer go thru the warm up routine and wipe the nozzle heads as well as heats up the heat and keeps it hot and ready to print. If you leave it off and rarely turn it on except to print the nozzles will become clogged.

Even if clogged but if they will make some printed letters even faintly. print a full page doocument several times and it is possible that it will clear the nozzles and then start printing clearly. Then from that point leave you printer on all the time when you use your computor. If you do not use the computor daily turn it as welll as the printer anyway. That will save you a lot of ink cartridges from ruining.

Ink cost those companies about 8 to 9 cents a cartridge to make. The head of Dell Computors once said that he could give the computors away and still have profits if he can sell ink at the price levels at that time.

[oldandslow]

Canon makes a little printer that is listed as photo quality. It comes with the ink cartridges and a USB cable. A month or so ago Walmart was selling them for $26.50. A full ink refill for my HP 6280 is $70. The next time I run out of ink the Canon is coming home with me instead of ink for the HP. When the Canon runs out of ink I'll chunk it and buy another printer.

[TYM2MOTR]

I have a HP Photosmart, nice for printing photos but $$$ for the ink cartridges.  I keep a second cheap printer ($40 on sale) for the bulk of my printing, one that is cheap on cartridge replacements (only $19 @ Staples). 

[bobg]

  Just bought an ink cartridge at Wal-Mart for my HP Deskjet D1520. $21.57 including tax.
    bobg

[BBF]

The Canon printer  I have requires 35 bucks worth of Canadian coin to get a black ink cartridge.
We set the printer on Economy quality and that makes a big difference.

[jlchucker]

I've used Epson all-in-one printers that I've bought reconditioned off the internet, from the Epson Store website.  I like their system of several cartridges of different colors.  Unlike HP printers that I've had before, the Epson versions let you know which individual colors are running low or out every time you print. You just buy the color you're low on and replace it for about 13 bucks or so--unlike the HP printers which lump all colors except black into one cartridge.  With the HP system you never know which color is actually low, but when one of the mix runs out, you're stuck as far as printing photos.  You'll need to spend 40 or 50 bucks for a new cartridge.  I'd never buy a new printer.  Those reconditioned ones look new, work fine, and I've gotten them for as low as 50 bucks or so and given them to my nieces.  They are all still running trouble-free.

[oldandslow]

Actually the HP 6280 uses separate color cartridges and a large black cartridge. That is why I bought it. And it is a very good scanner-printer combo. The only trouble is the cost of the ink has about doubled since I purchased it. The color cartridges are a little under 11 bucks each at Wally World or were the last time I bought any. The black cartridge runs over $20 but is much larger than the color ones. I keep it set on "fast draft" except for photos.

[Questor]

Thanks for the tips. Our printer is mostly for the kids' homework and it doesn't need to be highest quality, so I changed it to a lower quality, hoping that will help.

By the way, the printer companies don't make any money on the printers, they make the money on the ink.

[BBF]

By the way, the printer companies don't make any money on the printers, they make the money on the ink.

No kiddin'. When Future Shop sell you a printer for 29 bucks at times you know that cartridges are going to be high.

I like the type that you can replace both cartridges with a double sized black only.

[torpedoman]

Thanks for the tips. Our printer is mostly for the kids' homework and it doesn't need to be highest quality, so I changed it to a lower quality, hoping that will help.

By the way, the printer companies don't make any money on the printers, they make the money on the ink.

used to buy epson printers when they ran out of ink toss it and buy another it was cheaper that way.

[jlchucker]

Thanks for the tips. Our printer is mostly for the kids' homework and it doesn't need to be highest quality, so I changed it to a lower quality, hoping that will help.

By the way, the printer companies don't make any money on the printers, they make the money on the ink.

used to buy epson printers when they ran out of ink toss it and buy another it was cheaper that way.

Especially when you buy the factory reconditioned ones on line.  Epson doesn't play the game, apparently, with "introductory" ink cartridges. Every one of their printers that I've ever bought came with full ones.  Epson ships direct by Fedex, and I've never waited more than 3 days or so before I had what I ordered on my doorstep.  Never had to contact them either.  The trouble with any printer company is that they change models faster than US Car companies did before the "great recession".  What you have on your desk is probably superceded by now.  That's one reason to get the reconditioned ones.  They work, they last, and the up front cost isn't near the original selling price.

[mechanic]

I've been waiting until Wally World has a big sale, then I buy two or three printers.  Donate them when the ink runs out.  I bought some HP all in ones a while back for $25.00 or so each.  Ink for them is over $40.00.