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Epson sucks. Don't buy Epson printers. (advice needed on other brands)
- Thread starter Diablos
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Patrick S.
Banned
I've heard of replacement firmwares for printers that do stuff like circumventing DRM. It's a saddening thing people have to do this, really.
Plenty of third party brother toner on Amazon.
Patrick S.
Banned
They might be for pre-DRM models, though...
The models that wirecutter recommends are still sold and have third party cartridges.
Polishin8r
Member
I use brother no problems after 6 months..had a hp that had to weird shit too to bypass low ink/out of paper bs...it's like the printer liwed being tortured
I don't totally agree... While it's true that the printer will die first (and will probably lock the scanner), having quick copy, better network integration, less space needed is handy.
Replacing both when the printer die isn't that a big hassle when it works 10-15 years.
While true, what is the explanation when the printer has TWO kind of blacks, one being designed for text and B&W documents?
(Though as I said, "using" a dry cartridge will make the head overheating, and destroy it, or the head will clutter if not used, and destroy it all the same... so I'd say requiring all ink to be available is probably just a safety feature. For the same reason, I at the very least plug my printer once a week, even if I don't need it.)
That's interesting, and I think you're right. May not be the only reason, but it's most probably one of them.
Patrick S.
Banned
Aha, ok. At any rate, at a price of around 60 for an original toner, that will last the regular home user years, running costs are reasonable even with original toner cartridges.
My Samsung has seen office use and is six years old, and works as when new. I'll definitely get a new Samsung down the road if I don't buy another one of these used units.
Patrick S.
Banned
Why is that a thing? Did printer makers come up with this, or is it some kind of crime prosecution requirement?
Will look into it (just did so, at first glance, it's still awful compared to inkjets, and I'm even more worried by the fact that the user reviews are almost unanimously awful for the color laser brother that is said to be one of the best, especially about reliability)
BlueLiquid
Member
I have a Brother 5340D (laser, monochrome) from several years ago that's still kicking. It's a great printer.
If you're going to print photos or art for display, a good inkjet is the way to go. They have a much better color range and reproduction. But for general purpose or most work use cases, a color laser printer is good enough, cheaper per print, and faster.
Think it's used in forensics work but not sure why it came into being.
Usually, yes.
LordAmused
Member
Notes for films, technical guides and stuff are always useful on set/in the studio. I have a basic Laser HP p1102w, it's been going strong for years now and with toner at 15$ CAD a piece, it's a bargain.
Wolf Akela
Member
Timestamp, or serials, or any other meta data. It's usually yellow dots.
Could also be part of anti counterfeiting laws in some countries.
Mostly work for me, indeed. Especially since I can't print in color at work, unless doing a specific request (and that huge professional laser copier at work do a worse job than my 8-years-old printer, anyway... though I guess it's mostly because of high use).
Though being able to quickly copy a document in everyday life is sometimes handy.
Patrick S.
Banned
I'm looking for a job, and while I can send most of my resumes per email, some businesses expect a physical copy. Since I bought the printer, I printed out two resumes, a dozen or so pages of flight schedules and boarding passes, a few things the employment agency needed, and a bank loan contract I had to send a signed copy of. I might not need to print more than 20-30 pages per year, but when I do, I want to be able to it right then and now and don't want to go to some copy shop.
Tickets to events, self created recipe books, various bills and legal responses. Once you're in a house there are tons of things that still only work in mailed responses and payments by check.
When mine started refusing to print because a colour ran out I was able to find out you could hold the cancel button for a while to actually disable that cartridge check. It printed again after that.
Then it ran out of the smaller black cartridge (it has two, one big and one small), and would spit out blank or messed up pages despite still having ink in the large cartridge. Apparently it only uses the large cartridge for special print types. So now I set everything as an 8.5" by 11" photo to get it going.
...my next printer will be a laser one...
Thankfully it's rare that I really need to print and can't do it at work.
Then it ran out of the smaller black cartridge (it has two, one big and one small), and would spit out blank or messed up pages despite still having ink in the large cartridge. Apparently it only uses the large cartridge for special print types. So now I set everything as an 8.5" by 11" photo to get it going.
...my next printer will be a laser one...
Thankfully it's rare that I really need to print and can't do it at work.
I had to print sooo much shit recently when selling my apartment. And scan too.
Poodlestrike
Banned
Tips from working at Staples:
Canon has the best image quality, but the worst... everything else. Especially ink. Motherfuckers suck it up like nobody's business.
HP is sort of a middle of the road deal where they're not GOOD at anything but they're also not awful.
Epsom has some really shitty models but they also have some refillable ink tank ones. They're expensive to buy but the refills are WAY cheaper.
Brother is like HP, but cheaper for the same quality.
If you have the room, buy a "business" model. That's where the best efficiencies are, and if you aren't doing photo printing you don't need the image quality.
Don't even LOOK at the color laserjets. They look like a good value and then you see the toner prices and realize you're paying upwards of 300 bucks for a full refill. BW laserjets are alright, though.
Canon has the best image quality, but the worst... everything else. Especially ink. Motherfuckers suck it up like nobody's business.
HP is sort of a middle of the road deal where they're not GOOD at anything but they're also not awful.
Epsom has some really shitty models but they also have some refillable ink tank ones. They're expensive to buy but the refills are WAY cheaper.
Brother is like HP, but cheaper for the same quality.
If you have the room, buy a "business" model. That's where the best efficiencies are, and if you aren't doing photo printing you don't need the image quality.
Don't even LOOK at the color laserjets. They look like a good value and then you see the toner prices and realize you're paying upwards of 300 bucks for a full refill. BW laserjets are alright, though.
Random Human
They were trying to grab your prize. They work for the mercenary. The masked man.
I think I need to upgrade to a laser printer, my ink situation with my HP is getting totally ridiculous.
I have had the same printer for eleven years. I've had to replace the cartridge once.
1. Buy a laser printer.
2. Spend a bit of extra money upfront.
My printer was $150 and the cartridges are $50 but it doesn't do any of this shit. I can't print color but I basically never need to.
1. Buy a laser printer.
2. Spend a bit of extra money upfront.
My printer was $150 and the cartridges are $50 but it doesn't do any of this shit. I can't print color but I basically never need to.
I'd agree it's not cheap when you look at ink, but that's basically the only con I see (except the fact that I find stupid that you can't use the scanner if the printer has issues)
Choosing a printer is still as hard as choosing a TV set, I see...
Nothing wrong with color laserjets. Full refills are expensive sure.. but the toner doesn't dry up like ink does and a full refill will likely last for years.
Marty Chinn
Member
Various things for kid projects.
My wife leads a Girl Scout troop, so she needs to print things for the meetings sometimes.
Tickets and coupons to various things
Documents relating to property or other things that need to be filled out.
Return labels and documents relating to the return for places other than Amazon
There are still plenty of scenarios where it's handy to have a printer.
Ecotank printers are great. I would have never considered going back to an inkjet previously.
Canon has a similar competitor now (Canon MegaTank). I haven't seen the print quality in person but it looks more promising than the Ecotanks. https://petapixel.com/2016/12/28/ca...ters-use-refillable-ink-tanks-not-cartridges/
Canon has a similar competitor now (Canon MegaTank). I haven't seen the print quality in person but it looks more promising than the Ecotanks. https://petapixel.com/2016/12/28/ca...ters-use-refillable-ink-tanks-not-cartridges/
Wowfunhappy
Member
I recently realized I needed a printer.
Because every inkjet or laser printer I've ever used in my life has been a piece of crap, I decided to buy a thermal printer. No idea if it will actually be better, but it has worked for the last three days at least, lol.
Because every inkjet or laser printer I've ever used in my life has been a piece of crap, I decided to buy a thermal printer. No idea if it will actually be better, but it has worked for the last three days at least, lol.
This thread bump makes me feel elderly.
I feel your pain. That Epson printer to this date is one of the worst tech purchases I ever made; so glad I was able to return it.
For what it's worth, I still use the Canon MP240. It has obviously lasted a long time. I'm not sure if it's even sold anymore, but it does what I need (I use it sparingly though).
andthebeatgoeson
Junior Member
Fuck those guys. Used Costco to refill the ink and it stopped working properly.
Now we have a laser jet and hopefully will be done with some problems.
Now we have a laser jet and hopefully will be done with some problems.
I got pissed off at my HP inkjet 2-3 years ago and got a Canon MF3010. Only does black and white, but that's essentially all I need. Haven't even gone through the first cartridge yet and printed tons of pages. Haven't had any problems.
I'd have to drop 30-40 bucks nearly every time I wanted to print on my HP printer. Inkjets are a scam.
I'd have to drop 30-40 bucks nearly every time I wanted to print on my HP printer. Inkjets are a scam.
I did this a few years back. How often do I ever print anything in color? and the answer was maybe once every six months, if that. Bought a B&W laser printer and been happy ever since.
Daffy Duck
Member
Haha, sorry about that.
I was in a right mood earlier and if I'd have bought this printer (gf did) I'd have chucked it there and then but she stopped me, it's so anti consumer I'm amazed they are allowed to do it.
GifGafIsTheBestGaf
Member
another vote of confidence for brother laser printers here, we have 2 in the office mfc 8710dw and the other dcpl something. we have been using aftermarket toners just fine, you have to do some trick to reset the counter warning everytime you put one in but it is easy
i wanna buy an Epson EcoTank printer though, in one of the branches i work they have one and it works wonders too
i wanna buy an Epson EcoTank printer though, in one of the branches i work they have one and it works wonders too
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