I was recently in the market for an inexpensive color printer for home/home office use. I had an HP black and white laser printer, which after 10 years, was ready for retirement. Besides, I wanted color printing capability. So I started shopping for inexpensive color laser printers.
The reviews were not great, especially on photo printing. I will rarely if ever print photos but stupidly let that factor too high in my decision-making process. What I did discover is that the cost of four replacement toner cartridges for an inexpensive color laser printer was more than the printer itself, in many cases. Since I was only planning on light use, I started looking at color ink jet printers.
I had owned a Canon black and white only ink jet printer years ago and could go months before having to replace the ink cartridge. Ink jet seemed like a good option.
I shopped, read reviews, compared the price of ink cartridge replacements, and in the end, decided on the Epson CX6000. I had a lot of features like a scanner, was on sale at Best Buy for $79.95, and the Epson Ink was considerably less than other manufacturers' charged. Within the first month, I found out why.
The first document I printed was all black and white except for a blue logo less than the size of a quarter. Imagine my shock when I saw that the Cyan ink cartridge had drained almost 20%!
After that, I printed about 20 misc. documents and web pages on the bright white (economy) paper setting and 20 resumes on 24lb cotton bond paper which I selected Matte as the paper type on the Epson. And then I ran out of black ink......and the color ink cartridges were at least half drained. LESS THAN 50 PAGES! AND NO PHOTOS!
I've already ordered my replacement ink cartridges: from one of those 3rd party, $5 a cartridge Epson-compatible companies. What choice do I have? Epson's DuraBrite ink would end up costing me MORE than color laser toner would have at this consumption level! It's too late to return the printer...I'll have to take my chances on the quality of the ink. Since I can't bring myself to throw out the stupid printer and go buy the color laser I wanted in the first place, I'll just use cheap ink until it dies (if it does...some of these "compatible" ink cartridges are as good, if not better, than the manufacturer's ink).
Then I can go to my wife with a clean conscience and say "Honey, the printer's broken. I'm going to buy a color laser to replace it."
I can't speak for other color ink jets, but I can speak with authority on this one: DON'T BUY AN EPSON CX6000!!!!!!!!!!!!
One Sub-Note for ALL people purchasing a printer. None of them come with the printer cable. Now I like Best Buy but the CHEAPEST printer cable they sell is $35!!! I bought my printer at Best Buy, then stopped at Fry's Electronics on the way home and picked up a gold-plated printer cable.....for $3.99! Depending on length, a USB to Printer cable should never cost more than $9. Shame on you, Best Buy! But I still like you anyway.
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1 comment:
I'm having the same problem with my Epson CX6000! After printing a half dozen photos to try out my printer and a few black and white homework assignments, my pink and blue (I know they are called different names but you know what I mean) were out and my yellow and black were at 50%! I thought this would be perfect because I go to school over the computer and always need to send documents back and fourth but buying so much ink is a waste of money!
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