Printer Ink Secret - True or false ?

I have an old Cannon IP3000, which I chose because it is so cheap to run. Non Cannon replacement cartridges (perfecty good) cost less than £2 (may be a bit more now) and last for months. I don't want to replace it because a replacement will cost several times as much for the ink.

Every now and then, when a cartridge gets low, it stops and flashes and says it can't continue because the cartidge is empty. I just press the reset button and away it goes to make a good print. Only when one of the inks is missing from the print itself do I know to change a cartridge.

Its a very good design, which has removeable ink cartridges, and also a seperate removable print head plate. Because the cartidges don't contain any circuitry they are very cheap to buy. But if the heads get clogged the head plate can be replaced.

I understand that Cannon have realised their mistake in not ripping off their customers, and later models don't do that and are five times as expensive to run.

Harry. I cannot answer your question directly, other than saying that printers will tell you you are out of ink before you really are, and if there is a means or overriding that message it will continue to print until nothing comes out of the jets.

 

[size=large]They once told me that if a cartrige is not original its status is not reported correctly.[/size]

 

The reason I keep my old printer is that there is no circuitry in the ink cartridges, so the printer has no idea if the cartridge is original or not. Newer printers can tell, but I understand that there are ways around that.

 

I can give a little insight into costs of Printer Inks. I hope it may be of some use to others.

Mine is an Epson S200 and uses the same cartridges as the SX115. The compatibles cost me £7/set of 4 (Black + 3 colours). The Black cartridge at Morrisons is £12, Tesco was £8.
A lot of the cheaper Epson printers have cheap compatible cartridges available on-line. I am lucky in that I have a local supplier I can just walk into.
My son has a Lexmark. He bought it cos it was cheap. He hasn't used it since the inks ended (£45+ to replace). He comes round and uses mine.
I used to have an HP and got rid for the same reason.
I have to admit my use is usually Word documents, with colours to provide effect, so I can't really give an insight into Photo quality of prints

 

I'll stick to my Epson SX215 - sounds like the tardis with the volume up full when in action, but takes compatible ink (considerably cheaper, and more ink volume - about £15 for 3 sets of the 4 tanks) and the photo resolution of the prints is excellent.
Did have a Canon MP something, £30 from Tesco - never used when the ink ran out...£40 for 2 tanks!!!
I think if the printer is really cheap, then be ready for a shock when its time to replace the cartridges as usually you can't use compatibles with these printers - don't know if it's true, but it has been for people I know (including me )
Printers like Lexmark have the ink head on the cartridge which makes top-notch printing every-time, or so I've been told - just couldn't bear to part with £30 for an ink cartridge :o

 

Laser printers are better value, My Minolta Magicolor 2400W (2400dpi) ran for several years on the original cartridges. It recently gave out on two of them and is waiting until I get around to refilling those. A full cartridge does about 4,500 pages. I also have an HP Laserjet 1020 (black) which is used for greyscale output (excepting photo's as it only 600dpi). Yes, it's expensive to buy originals, but the refills kits are more reasonable. They don't dry out and clog, so no head cleaning needed.

 

I can add my pennies-worth to.
I have had at least two Epsons that have now passed over..
Last one just packed up and refused to print.
Loads of cleaning and cussing proved to be of no use.
It was mainly the black that did not what to perform.
I tried new cartridges, cleaned the head with fluid etc; all no good.

Now I have got a Cannon MX855 Wi Fi printer / scanner / fax and also makes a cup a tea...
It has five inks and I have just yesterday got a new set of Canon genuing inks.
Ok. so it cost me £63 for the whole set but getting them from Cartridge world means when one set is empty I can get the set refilled for £30 and the boss gave me voucers for £4 of the next lot.
So.. yes. expensive to start but costs less as you get refills.

 

Hint..
If you have a photo printer..
1 Print at least one picture a week to keep that print head clear.
2 If you can. leave your printer switched on in standby mode.
A lot of printers will do a auto head clean when switched on and this consumes loads of ink. My Canon only takes 0.4 Watt in standby.
The above are only my observations after several years of suffering with printer problems.
Hope it all helps.
One more thing.
The printer manufactures do not want us to refill our cartridges and will make every effort to stop us. I was talking to the Cartridge world boss after taking in about 12 new / sealed cartridges for my last Epson and hoping to get a bob or two for them for the new Canon cartridges. "No go" he said I`m betting theres only three printers in York that use those cartridges. So, the catridges went for recycling.
Word is the manufactors are for ever slightly changing the kit and forcing us to replace ours after a year or two. Nothing new there then....

 

I discovered rather a good wheeze a couple of weeks ago when the HP 364 ink carts for our wireless printer where on special at Comet for £5.99 each, less 10% for having a 'Comet Perks Card', making them £5.39 each (and no hassle of buying them online and either having the postie leave them on the doorstep or driving a 25 mile round trip to the sorting office to pick them up).

I'd find a cartridge they didn't have in stock in the standard size, and being on 'special' this was easy and pay for/order it for collection in 3 days time. Everytime I turned up to collect they'd never have the standard back in stock so I'd get given an XL cartridge (with over twice the ink) in lieu FOC.

I've probably now got enough ink to see my daughter through her A Levels. Tesco now take these for recycling and give me £4 back in deals per cartridge to spend on my RAC membership, holidays, etc.

P.S. I've now located a source of multipacks where the individual carts work out just over £4 each, for which I get back £4 in Tesco Deals.

 

And I am afraid the same applies for software and all sort of products.
It should not be permitted to modify slighly a product, call it with a new name making the customers think that it is very different from the previous one.
It is an enormous environmental waste in my opinion...

 

You're right there, the computer industry has caused more waste of resources than enough. When I worked at BT in the 1980's we were talking about the "Paperless Office", what a pipe dream that was.

 

This thread is a little out of date. But I thought I'd make use of it anyway.

We bought a wireless Kodak printer about six weeks ago (my husband's final decision) after me saying that it hadn't had good reports. The quality of the pictures it prints is dreadful.

Took it back to the shop and they sent it off to have the print heads changed. It's back and there's no difference. Also, downloaded a Kodak software update today on recommendation, that supposedly would sort out the problem, it made it worse!

The shop has now offered a refund and admitted Kodak's are not good, so why are they selling them?

Anyway, I'm now looking to replace this with a different make. What would you recommend please. My budget is up to £80ish. I would also like info please on cartridges and the cost of the same too please.

 

Sorry I can't recommend a good make, but if someone offers you a Lexmark, just tell them no thanks, I already have a paperweight.

As for Kodak, a photographer friend once told me, Kodak are good at making film cameras. They have immense experience at making cameras that take film. They have had no time to learn how to do anything else.

 

I had the Kodak all in one printer, what a load of total Dingo's Kidneys that was, couldn't have bought a bigger pile of tree if i'd tried.

Total waste of £100+

Had an advent A10 for months now, £20 & its great, only thing quirky about it is scanning, its best to instigate that from the computer control panel rather than press the buttons on the printer.