Printer recommendations please

[Ladyof2024]

My needs are: printing about 5 invoices or postage labels a month, and once or twice a year a colour photo. Once or twice a year I print out a few hundred pages of A4 text and images.

I did not know what I was getting into when I purchased my HP Envy with "Smart Ink". I now feel I am being mercilessly fleeced!

They bill me £5.50 every month, even if I have only printed one small Royal Mail label! The ink actually costs more than the cost of the stamp I am printing!

When I printed out a few hundred pages whilst proof reading a book for a friend they billed me a horrendous £77. I could not believe my eyes and I even phoned them to query it but it was correct. I felt so stupid not knowing this. So I ended up not only proof reading for nothing but paying for the privilege!

I'm not all that savvy, I am in my 60s and did not grow up with computers.

Can anyone suggest a more frugal alternative to this?

Have a look at the Epson Ecotank. You buy bottles of ink and refill the ink tank as and when you need. The printer cost is more expensive but the running cost is lower than buying cartridges when printing a lot.

Alternatively, you should be able to cancel your ink subscription with HP or when it ends, buy individual cartridges yourself so you don't have to buy a new printer.

Get a black and white laser printer. Ink lasts ages .

(Hi - I answered this earlier this year - here it is again with a few edits.)

I have a Canon MG7751 which I'm very pleased with.
I've had it for about 8 years (I think) - they don't make this model any more!

I've just had a look at the current range of Canon printers and if I had to replace it I'd choose the Canon PIXMA TS8750 - I want good quality colour document and photo prints and I prefer multi individual inks.
Good luck - Let me know how you get on.

(secondly)

It can be difficult to choose printers - one wades through the various reviews - trying to weed out the 'fake reviews' written to make one choose the item you're lookin' at - and the 'nutter reviews' - "I couldn't get it out of the box so I sent it back".

I know one person who wouldn't choose a Canon again and two who wouldn't choose an Epsom again. Years ago I spent a long time reading, picking and choosing and re-reading and making notes - then I realised two weeks had gone by and still I didn't have a printer! I can't remember what finally made me choose Canon - it was probably the 'automatic double sided printing' and the multi individual inks.
Good luck.

Try IJT to buy ink, or 'buy' one of their printers often you can get the printer free just paying for x lots of printer ink. Just an example from a quick look just now:

www.ijtdirect.co.uk/epson-expression-home-xp-2200-printer-deal-2-set-of-ijt-recycled-ink-cartridges-1-ijt-recycled-black-ink/

(third and finally!)

I've found it impossible to compare ink usage/pricing across machines - it's totally dependent on number of pages printed - documents or pictures - quality and size of the pictures - usage and size of ink cartridge/container - someone else can construct the Excel formulas to work lot that out.

I print one or two pages every three weeks for me - about thirty pages every six months or so for an organisation I'm involved with - and about 200 pages every two years for another organisation I'm involved with.

It you're printing quite a lot I suspect the Epsom system might be easier - although you'll (probably) be paying full price for the Epsom ink.

I get a low/yellow warning when the ink cartridge gets low (clever eh?) and a red/empty warning when the ink cartridge gets, er, empty.

I order a new cartridge as soon as I get the low warning.

I get my compatible toner ink cartridges from www.internet-ink.com - I find their ordering process and prices the best - after 3 orders (I think) you get an extra 10% off your order and sometimes at Christmas you're offered 15% off.

The only slight problem is that I must not update my Printer's Firmware - this is what Canon do to force you to use only Canon cartridges although there are ways round this. I've found www.internet-ink very helpful

Hope this all makes sense!

I have an Epson eco tank 2810 that I got last black Friday. It came with a bottle of ink for each colour, I have a quarter of the black left and 3/4 of the colours left. I print 150ish B/W pages a month and enjoy crafting so use the colour for that but it's probably around 20 a month. I've been really impressed with it.

The only thing I would say is if you don't use it regularly enough you need to do a maintenance clean to make sure the nozzle doesn't block.

Many thanks to everybody for the all the replies. I actually didn't realize that I could cancel the smart ink thing with Hewlett Packard. I will do that today and find out how much the karchers will be if I buy them myself. Thanks to all once again.

Have a look on hotukdeals... Theres a few brother colour laser printers on there at the minute. Ive had the smaller one for 5 years.

Super reliable as in never jams, automatic double side printing, and it takes generic toners at £20 for a set of 4 (CMY amd Black).

For the one photo per year, use snapfish or some other online print store.