I am just wondering your thoughts on printers. I have always liked Canon's because you could buy each separate color when one runs out rather than having to buy the color cartridge for HP. But now most HP's have separate color cartridges too. I have a Canon MP970 all in one and it prints fine but it costs almost $100 to replace all the cartridges so I was thinking of buying a new printer when they all run out soon. I wouldn't mind having a document feeder as well because its a pain to scan documents one at a time. I found two similar printers, an HP and a Canon both for a little over $100. Just wondering in your experience which brand you like better now, or which goes through ink faster or which ink is cheaper.
Canon or HP printer?
- Thread starter dm76
- Start date
Get a Canon printer. Not only arw HP printers junk, but their software is so bloaty it really slows computers down.
tremmor
Well-Known Member
I have HP and Canon printers. Never a problem with either. What ever ya get i might consider looking for a sale and price of cartridge. You can get printers cheap but will get ya on the cartridge later (long term). I just use for printing short documentation or procedures like from here. If pictures or manuals i will email to a local store like walgreens, office depot etc. Maybe print color but a lot of times black and white works fine. picture print is i think a dime each. Lot cheaper than printing your self that will cost ya money. Make sure it supports wireless and ready. good investment for a laptop later maybe and ready.
another note:
When shopping and comparing prices for cartridges, pay attention to the ink capacity of the cartridge.
Just because you found one cartridge cheaper at one store does not mean its a better deal. They do make low and high capacity cartridges.
another note:
When shopping and comparing prices for cartridges, pay attention to the ink capacity of the cartridge.
Just because you found one cartridge cheaper at one store does not mean its a better deal. They do make low and high capacity cartridges.
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Would suggest a laser printer if you can deal with just black and white printing. Cheaper in the long run. In fact, I just ordered a brother laser printer and it will be here tomorrow.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16828113545
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16828113545
I've completely switched to laserjet at my house. Have both a Brother monochrome and a color laserjet. I'd rather spend $50/toner cartridge and have it last forever hen spend $50 on a tiny ink cartridge and have it dry out.
Thanks for the advice. I was reading complaints of HP's while researching and I have always had Canon with no problems. This one I have now is 5 years old and still works fine, but ever since I got Win 7 the scanner was a little quirky wth certain programs. The laserjet idea is a good one but I don't do a ton of printing so I don't think it is necessary. And I do print photos from time to time so that is important but only if I need to print a few at one time. If I am going to get more than just a few I will print them at the store. I saw Costco has the Canon MX882 on sale for $115. As long as it prints photos as good or better than what I have now, it should be fine. Like I said I have a bunch of documents I want to scan so I can get rid of a file cabinet so I think the document feeder on that would be handy. And that would come with full ink so it would almost be like buying all the ink for my current printer. Anyone have any knowledge of this printer?
I concur with Voyagerfan, and not just because I have the hots for Janeway. 
Seriously, inkjhet printers are designed to waste ink at every opportunity, and are only reliable and cost-effective if you are printing on a semi-regualr basis.
I got a Samsung multipurpose color laser printer for around $250 several years ago and the only issue I have (my wife has, actually) is that it won't do card stock.
So on those three occasions every other year when she wants to make something on card stock, it's almost worth it to buy her a $99 throwaway inkjet (that's like, any of them, right?) or just commission the local print shop to run a batch for us.
I have fax something about once a year, and the machine makes copies and scans, connects via LAN, so all the household computers can print from it.
Cheaper in the long run than inkjet, can sit for a week or a month without your printing medium drying out and being useless, and lasts for more than two years.
Seriously, inkjhet printers are designed to waste ink at every opportunity, and are only reliable and cost-effective if you are printing on a semi-regualr basis.
I got a Samsung multipurpose color laser printer for around $250 several years ago and the only issue I have (my wife has, actually) is that it won't do card stock.
So on those three occasions every other year when she wants to make something on card stock, it's almost worth it to buy her a $99 throwaway inkjet (that's like, any of them, right?) or just commission the local print shop to run a batch for us.
I have fax something about once a year, and the machine makes copies and scans, connects via LAN, so all the household computers can print from it.
Cheaper in the long run than inkjet, can sit for a week or a month without your printing medium drying out and being useless, and lasts for more than two years.
We've had HP printers and they are probably some of the worst pieces of computer hardware that I've ever used. Software is intrustive and bogs down your computer while the printer is slow, noisy, and drink ink like Usain Bolt drinking water after breaking the world record. Horrible printers. My brother likes the Canon that he has. I'm typing this on an HP monitor and love the monitor but their printers are pretty much ink sucking junk.
/end rant
/end rant
zeppelin04
Member
I bought my second HP a couple months ago. At first I really liked it. Had never had a duplex plrinter before. For some odd reason the other computers do not recognize it on the network. That is a minor issue but one I still do not care for. Installing the full software package that came with it is something I do not want to have to do.
Also the ink goes far too quickly. I print a few PDFs for school and am on third black ink cartridge. They are only $12 but I am using one monthly. I feel as though I am only getting about 75 sheets with maybe 100 max. By this I mean 75 facings, not 75 sheets front and back. It is absurd to go through ink this fast.
Having said that I don't mind if it dies on me a little sooner than it should. There has to be a brand that doesn't burn through ink like this printing text and moderate settings.
Also the ink goes far too quickly. I print a few PDFs for school and am on third black ink cartridge. They are only $12 but I am using one monthly. I feel as though I am only getting about 75 sheets with maybe 100 max. By this I mean 75 facings, not 75 sheets front and back. It is absurd to go through ink this fast.
Having said that I don't mind if it dies on me a little sooner than it should. There has to be a brand that doesn't burn through ink like this printing text and moderate settings.
If the printer is attached to your computer via usb then you have to share the printer before any other pc will see it. If its attached to the network then usually you just install the software and it should detect it.
As I said before, inkjet printers are designed to waste ink-- that's where their money is.
Unless you need large formats, card stock, or use the printer on a regular (but not continuous) basis, then a laser is the better deal.