Printers (1 Viewer)

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,006
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Depends what you want it for ... if you just want a basic monotone then a laser wins every time and you can pick them up on Ebay cheap, HP are best - just check the toner cartridge costs first.

If you want to do colour then inkjet as a colour laser is expensive! We like HP because they are well made and the ink cartridges are cheaper than a lot of other brands - Espom and Lexmark can be horrendous!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Sep 24, 2013
1,302
736
Norwich
Funster No
28,255
MH
Carthago A class
Exp
Since 2014
Laserjet for me as I only need to print black or greyscale. Inkjet if you need anything in colour. I'm not sure if colour laserjets are cost effective for home use yet.
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,006
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
This is the mono laser printer we use at home - I hate to think how old it is, but it's still going strong with no problems.

A girl at work had a slightly older model which she' used constantly for over 10 years and it was still going strong when I left! She'd been asked on numerous occasions if she wanted to change it but refused point blank!
 

Jim

Ringleader
Jul 19, 2007
36,190
128,612
Sutton on Sea, UK
Funster No
1
MH
Adria Panel Van.
Exp
Since 1988
For photographs, Inkjet. For Docs, Laser

For Photos I use an Epson R3000 with a continuous ink system from Marrutt

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,006
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Laserjet for me as I only need to print black or greyscale. Inkjet if you need anything in colour. I'm not sure if colour laserjets are cost effective for home use yet.
Colour laser printers aren't that 'cost effective' even in a business so for home use - no way.
 

icantremember

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 2, 2010
8,318
17,526
Near to Watton in Norfolk
Funster No
13,512
MH
Hymer T-SL668
Exp
since 2005
Laserjet for me as I only need to print black or greyscale. Inkjet if you need anything in colour. I'm not sure if colour laserjets are cost effective for home use yet.
Mine is a HP Colour laser and although the cartriges are not cheap they last me for years.
The printer is now at least 8-9 years old and I have only recently started my second set of refills.(y)
 
Aug 27, 2009
19,788
23,032
Hertfordshire
Funster No
8,178
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
40 years

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,076
8,979
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
If you are doing a lot of colour printing I suggest the Epson ink jet printer I have

an Epson Work Force Pro ..http://www.epson.co.uk/gb/en/viewcon/corporatesite/products/mainunits/overview/10831

it's a big beast, designed for office use..

you can buy generic refillable cartridges from Ink Express that make it really cheap to run.. http://www.inkexpress.co.uk/catalogue/Ink-Refills/Epson/Workforce-Pro-4525DWF.html

Also first class service from Epson.. I had a small problem with mine, called Epson and a guy was out the next day to exchange it..
 

Langtoftlad

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 12, 2011
8,832
148,802
Langtoft, South Lincs
Funster No
16,024
MH
WildAx Aurora FB [PVC]
Exp
Since 2015
Cheapo colour laser for me - I've had enough of blocked inkjets to put me off them for life.
I got a Dell 1320C, so old it's obsolete, but is reliably there when I need it.
Compatible toner cartridges still widely available even after all these years (approx ÂŁ18 for a set of four). Think I'm on my 2nd set of colours, probably 3rd or 4th of black.
Wifi too.
Never ever ever will I go back to inkjet.
[If, and it's rare, do I want a photo printed as in the old fashioned way - life's too short to be messing about with blocked jets, having special printer paper, aligning etc etc - just get them printed via an online service, costs pence & takes a couple of days]
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
This is what I do for a living so I'm speaking with more than just opinion this time.

Forget laser unless you need to produce reams and reams of documents. The running costs just aren't worth it otherwise.

Inkjet is the way to go for 99% of home users. If it's just for photos and nothing else then a 6 colour one will give better results, if it's for general printing as well then a standard CMYK one. As with anything you get what you pay for so buy cheap, expect rubbish.
I have a Canon Pixma MG7550 at home which is pretty good for what it is.

The problem with water based inkjet though is that the colour isn't fixed. If you hang a print in a bright room the colour will start to fade noticeably within about 3 months, sooner if in direct sunlight.

For that reason I can't have inkjet anywhere near my work.

For professional quality, long lasting images, for photo prints the best option is Thermal Dye Sublimation. Amongst others I have a couple of Broken Link Removedfor photo prints covering all sizes up to 8"x12" The advantages of these little printers is that they are small enough to be portable, for events and stuff, whilst still delivering quality that will match any dry lab. As with anything though they aren't cheap.

For anything bigger than that I use my main full solvent machine but one of those isn't an option for home users. That will go pretty much as big as you want.

One last thing, speaking again as someone who does this for a living. Don't touch generic or refillable cartridges with a very very long bargepole. I don't care what anyone says or how cheap they are the colour replication is never correct and they have been known to damage printers.

If you're printing photos and are the slightest bit interested in the quality stick with genuine ink.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,527
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
I buy cheap ex-office lasers. When the toner runs out I buy another. Had three over the last 15 years or so. Paid under ÂŁ30 each for them. We have a Canon Selphy for the odd photo printout - expensive per photo but used rarely. If we need a number of photo prints we use one of the Internet services.
 

Tootles

Funster
Deceased RIP
Sep 14, 2013
9,511
34,799
Lancaster
Funster No
28,093
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Was a newbie, now a Middie.
Laser. Unless you have the cash of Donald Trump. The ink cartridges in a laser printer dry up so fast. Just bought a new Brother Wi-Fi laser from Amazon, around 70 quid.
 

GJH

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 20, 2007
29,450
38,828
Acklam, Teesside, originally Glossop
Funster No
127
MH
None, now sold
Exp
2006 to 2022
When we did family tree printing we started off with an Epson Stylus Color 1520 (still up in the loft I think) and then upgraded to an Epson Stylus Color 3000, for which I always bought Epson genuine inks which did not have the fading problem of generic inks.
I used to print A4 town plans and CDs using a Canon Pixma ip3000 (genuine inks also very good). We've had a few monochrome laser printers, eventually finishing up with a HP Laserjet 1320 for printing catalogues (which I still use with generic toner).

Around the time that I sold the Epson 3000 (after we sold the business) my A3 scanner failed so I bought a Brother LC1240 all in one. I tend to use it more for scanning than printing, though, so I think I use more ink in cleaning than printing.

Jill likes to make greetings cards so has a Samsung colour laser which we got on a good deal some years ago. The toner lasts for ages but it's a big, heavy beast and we keep threatening to replace it. It's definitely a luxury for most households.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Jim

Ringleader
Jul 19, 2007
36,190
128,612
Sutton on Sea, UK
Funster No
1
MH
Adria Panel Van.
Exp
Since 1988
The problem with water based inkjet though is that the colour isn't fixed. If you hang a print in a bright room the colour will start to fade noticeably within about 3 months, sooner if in direct sunlight.

Dye inks I agree, but don't dismiss all inkjets I've had a inkjet pigment ink photo sign in a window for 4 years (albeit in Wales) with remarkably little or no loss of colour or clarity. Subli is great but it's not for everyone especially so with more long life pigment ink systems coming on line (y)
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
Dye inks I agree, but don't dismiss all inkjets I've had a inkjet pigment ink photo sign in a window for 4 years (albeit in Wales) with remarkably little or no loss of colour or clarity. Subli is great but it's not for everyone especially so with more long life pigment ink systems coming on line (y)

You're right about pigment ink of course. It's better than water inkjet but it's still not good enough for what I do. They're popular with people that print on to fabric for the better colour fastness.

The cost of the printers is a little prohibitive for home users though both initially and in running costs.

The Dye Sub machines are really not for home use either unless you're doing a lot - they're too expensive to run but the quality is unbeatable.
 

icantremember

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 2, 2010
8,318
17,526
Near to Watton in Norfolk
Funster No
13,512
MH
Hymer T-SL668
Exp
since 2005
just get them printed via an online service, costs pence & takes a couple of days]
I get any photo prints I need done at our local pharmacy which has a Kodak DIY machine from which you can produce various size prints for a few pennies each.(y)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top