New printer

We need a new printer for 'light' family use. by light I mean a few pages per week and occasionally 20+ page docs from the net/email; also some photos. Epson work force printers currently on sale at Best Buy. Any thoughts appreciated.

Am I right that modern printers can be used by Mac and Windows- we have one of each.

T H A N K S

Just got our first wireless printer, also for light home use. Installed it yesterday without a problem (and I am noooo techie). Have only printed out a handful of pages so far, but seems to be working fine. Have printed off MacBook and (using Google Print) off a Chromebook. Bought it via Amazon ($70!): Epson Expression Home XP-420 Wireless Color Photo Printer with Scanner & Copier.

Yes, it doesn't matter what computers you have. You will get decent print quality out of almost all printers these days. It is the ink cost that kills. Try to look at those costs before you choose a machine.

Font only the cost, also availability of the ink/toner. We bought a Fuji Xerox printer from the Aussie version of Staples, just a couple of months ago, did some necessary but big black/white printing for several areas of family and work life and now can't get black cartridges anywhere: it's all on back order. (Unless stocks got caught in recent dockside warehouse explosions, which seems odd, or tax season caught stockists by surprise which again seems odd)

If you know someone who services and supplies the equipment, check these things with them.

There is no service for an 80 dollar printer. Just check ink prices at amazon and online reviews for cost per page.

You've never replaced a part on a cheap printer?

No. I buy a cheap printer and run it for 3 or 4 years. Something wears out and I buy a new one that is better and cheaper.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply.

We're looking at the Epson Workforce 3620. Ink costs can be a real problem for those who print a lot... we don't. A little printing most of the time and some big spurts. Our present canon can take close to 2 mins between turning on and finishing the first page- so that's THE big frustration every time we need to use it. We don't use so much ink that a few dollars once a year is a problem, for us. Build quality, OTOH, is a concern.

J, no we don't repair inexpensive printers since the cost of repairs would equal or exceed the cost of a new inexpensive printer.

We get blocked jets, dust build-up in awkward moveable places and stuff like that, since our printing comes in seasonal batches and 'someone' doesn't think to turn the machine off and on, or thinks that stand-by won't affect such things then finds it does. (He never listens) the repairs are well under $79 per replacement printer.

Oh and one memorable summer with outrageous temperatures, the coloured ink actually baked in the cartridges and the jets! Even though the room was air conditioned, and humidity was high, the night temps were so high that the machine heated anyway (we weren't aware of it) and we weren't using coloured ink. 2 months later, nothing would work...the techs saw the warping inside the cartridges and said they'd seen lots of from our region, it was the heat.

"SHE made me do it" obviously the woman's fault.

Epson had a whole line of *****ty $39-$50 printers a few years back. It was cheaper to buy a new printer than it was to buy new ink.

Also, the print heads will dry out if you don't use it occasionally.

I started to have that problem with my old printer. How "occasionally" does one have to run a printer to prevent that? Our print needs are very light.

FilmCarp said:
Also, the print heads will dry out if you don't use it occasionally.

I don't have an answer to that. I usually end up printing a little something every week. Printers I have stored for 6 months have had problems, but I don't know where the sweet spot is.

This is only one article, but has some useful info:

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/avoid-clogged-printhead-72338.html

Hmm...interesting. There are certainly times when I don't need to print anything for weeks at a time.

Apollo_T said:
This is only one article, but has some useful info:

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/avoid-clogged-printhead-72338.html

@Uni & Film,

I believe most printers have test patterns built into them. Try printing a test once a week.