Need HELP buying a printer!!

Armanius

Bring Jack back!
Location
Houston, Texas
Name
Jack
I have an Epson Artisan 700 multi-function printer. I apparently don't use it enough, and now the printer head/nozzle is clogged just enough to create all these vertical lines. I finally received the wedding photos from the pro photographer, but can't print them, because of the lines.

I already used all the cleaning functions built-in the Artisan 700, and it is still partially clogged. The Artisan 700 has been discontinued, so I can't get a replacement head/nozzle. But I still have many ink cartridges that I stockpiled when I first bought the printer, which apparently will not work on any of the new Epson printers!! Wasted money ... figures.

So I'm in the market for a new printer. Any recommendations? Ideally, something with an easily replaceable printer printer head/nozzle would be great. I think there are some printers where the printer head is part of the ink cartridge, right? Is it safe to assume that those printers would last longer because I would be constantly replacing the printer head?

HELP!!!
 
Our cheap Kodak is beginning to show signs of very light banding/streaks also. we don't print many pictures, or other papers, so it's to be expected, I suppose. It's ink, and ink dries. Still, I would like to be able to print when I want to. So I also, would like to hear a solution to the occasional use nozzle drying.
 
Armando,

I know this recommendation does not meet with all of your specifications (no replaceable print head) but I would recommend an Epson 3880 based on image quality and reliability. I have owned its predecessor (3800) since 2008 without a single print head clogging problem, or any problem at all. I print often, but have also gone without printing for weeks at a time (or even a couple of months) with no issues.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Antonio
 
I think about a year ago or so, I had the same question and received recommendations for Epson (forget which model) and the Canon Pixma Pro 9000. The Epson being recommended was a bit more than I wanted to spend. The Canon kinda was too, but that model often has massive rebates. I think I ended up getting one for around $250 after the rebate (and I see them regularly BNIB on Craigslist for around $200 because of the massive rebates when you buy one with a Canon camera). I have no problems with it, but haven't been using it very much. I think you're probably looking for something a little more high end, but I have not seen anything from my results that I have been unhappy with. I'm sure an expert could find some faults, but to me it generally looks like what I see on the screen.

FWIW, I think printers are like diesel engines. If you keep them running, they will go for ever. It's the infrequent use that will lead to an early demise. I'm going to try to get in the habit of just printing a snapshot or two every week just to keep the ink flowing. Maybe have a rotating gallery on the fridge of snapshots. And I should really start printing one big one a month. A year after I bought that printer and the walls in my house are still bare.
 
There is a $150.00 Epson mail-in rebate on the R3000 until end of June. That brings the price to $650 which I think is a great price for a very good printer. Mine was sitting idle for several months and I didn't have any problems with clogged heads. The ink is more expensive than for the 3880, but if you don't print a lot, that's not a huge issue.

-Thomas
 
I have the Canon Pro 9000 and it is a good printer, especially for color. If you want to print a lot of black and white there are better ones with multiply grey-scale inks. But when you look at reviews on Amazon there are always problems noted for every printer.
 
You state that you don't print often. If that's the case, Epson wouldn't be the first brand I'd choose. They make very fine printers without a doubt, but with me (a very occassional printer) they keep clogging up. What size do you want to print? Since most of my prints are A4 or less, and I can easily have the occassional larges ones printed in my local photo shop, I went for a Canon all-in-one (top of the line, still pretty cheap). It saves space in the home office, is Airprint ready, makes nice prints up to A4 size and works fine so far.
 
I use a Canon Pro 9500 MKII and I am quite pleased with the output. Prior to the Canon, I was using the large Espons, but the Canon delivers a superior product at a significantly lower price. I purchased mine off Craigslist, someone got it with their camera and dumped it for a couple of hundred (NIB). Canon has an upgrade to the Pro 9500 MKII, the Pro 1, twelve ink cartridges compared to the 9500's ten.

Gary
 
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