Who makes the best printers really?

[caliphe]

Of all the brand names & models. Who makes the best printers? Companies, old or new models. I don't care. I need a good printer. I'm using Lexmark right now. How good are hp printers? I nead a good Idea/lead. I'm shooting for picture perfect quality. Some names and models to look for would really help.

[fryincpus]

Usually Lexmark and Hp make really good printers, except hp may only offer 90 days on some models. Hp has some really nice models coming out. Hp really made some nice quality laser printers.

http://www.tomshardware.com/consumer...926/index.html

http://www6.tomshardware.com/consume...906/index.html

Epson was very crappy a few years back, don't know how they are today.

Never had much experience with Canon or Nec.

They might be good.

[ukulele]

The best are color lazer printers but they are very pricey. For average home use I like HP lazer b/w printers (I now have two both working, one is a spare) and it's used 99% of the time and for color I use a cheap high resolution Lexmark Z22. The lazer printed will print a 50 page PDF file in about five minutes and is almost silent. A toner charge will last for over 2500 pages at 60% fill. The Lexmark puts out excellent quality prints at 1200 dpi, and has never jammed, but it is noisy, very slow and sucks ink like a lenotype. I get about 50 prints to a refill and it costs almost as much to refill as it cost new. I have owned Lexmark, Epson, HP and Canon ink jet printers and they all good for light duty use. I would recommend you by a cheap ink jet printer and save your money for the ink or go Lazer if you got the bucks and want a work horse.

[Cluedo]

Might depend on your requirements. I would have recommended HP till about about the time XP was released. Their support has really gone downhill the last few years and left a lot of us swinging in the wind.

Going to use it connect to your pc? Digital camera? They have ones now that can do amazing things without even being hooked up to a pc.

I'd recommend browsing through Epson printers here

and also Canon printers here Both are making very high quality photo printers these days. If you've never bought a printer, don't want to spend a lot, I'd still make sure it's one with seperate cartridges for each color. Replacing a tri-color cartridge just because one color is out is tooo expensive.

Late edit ad:
There's tons of sites that provides user reviews of printrs. Might check out a few from this Google list

[rmanet]

I use HP4 and HP5 printers, with an old HP540C and a newer 800 series - fooling around with the 800 series made some pretty cool looking money with my kids (they're all millionaires now )

I had an Epson LaserJet 1500 that was an absolute workhorse - huge numbers of copies using all sorts of heavy stock paper and it took major abuse - problem is toner cartridge is at or just more than $120 - I've also had a Canon inkjet that does a great job.

The key for me - like Ukelele says - is finding the right printer for your needs and rembering that all these manufacturers usually break even on the printer and make huge $$$$$ (especially HP) on selling toner and cartridges.

A slow laser printer will drive you nuts waiting for a print job - cost of toner cartridges is important and I always check to see if the local stores carry a generic version ($25-50 cheaper)

Inkjets will ruin your retirement with the cost of replacement cartridges (don't remember the brand but I bought one cheapo that, if you left the cartridges in for more than few weeks the ink dried up on its own)

I went to Fry's compared inkjets, then looked for the best combination of quality, made sure I could buy generic ink replacement cartridges - then bought one online

p.s. ukelele - you sure look pretty in that new grass skirt

[Vernon Frazee]

http://www.zdnet.com/products/filter...500123,00.html

[embj]

I would reccomend Lexmark. All of my printers are Lexmark's except an old one that I picked up at GoodWill for $10 and the one that came with my comp. The one that came from GoodWill is an HP 660C. The one that came with my comp is an HP 920c.
Also, I have a Lexmark Z11 and Z22. I have never had a problem with those HP's or my Lexmark's. I still would reccomend Lexmark over HP. They just have great printers and good customer support.

I can't wait to get the Lexmark X75 or X83. That way I can get rid of my crappy scanner.

[leprechaun_40]

We have 3 printers here, #1 is an HP 722, it's OK,, but I don't like the way HP handles paper and ink is a killer to buy.

#2 is a Canon BJC 5000, works great. Only thing I don't like is the 3 in one color ink cartridge.

#3 is a Canon S9000. Great printer for photos. It has the 6 tank system so it's nice to buy ink for. It's so quiet sometimes you have to go look to see if it's printing.

[ironik311]

Lexmark and HP's are pretty much top of the line. You get what you pay for with most printers.
The lexmark t522 and t614 are fantastic laser printers. Easy to service, great print quality... but they are fairly pricy.

Canon and epson are cheaper and lower quality, but they get the job done. I have a cheap Canon BJC2000sp at home and its almost literally a piece of ****...

I'd vote lexmark... a pleasure to service

[IanMatthew]

I have an HP LaserJet 6L. Nice laser printer. May get something "beefier" though. I've owned 6 laser printers so far and all except my 2nd wre HP laserjets.

The big advantage of going for a well known brand name such as Lexmark, Canon, Epson and esp HP is the wide availability of toner / ink as well as spare parts, esp from second user / ex demo models.

Almost every PC supply store sells HP laser cartridges and inkjet supplies. They are the "Ford" of the printer world.

[AllGamer]

I own Cannons, HPs, and Epsons

but i like Xenon

cuz they offer the HIGHEST resolution in the market, and at the lowest prices

man i can get a 1200x1200 color for $20
that's cheaper than the color Cartridge itself

[trouble]

I'm using a lexmark z32.
Its an ok printer except for the fact that replacement cartridges are 70 bucks each (aussie $)
Dang printer only cost me $120

The print cartridges blocked after a few months and I cant clear them no matter what and there is no generic brand cartridges available in my area.

If you are going to get an inkjet I would be looking at ones with the cheapest cartridge replacement cost and making sure that there are generic cartridges available in the particular brand.

BTW Anyone know a nifty trick to clear blocked cartridges?

[strat1]

Originally posted by fryincpus
http://www.tomshardware.com/consumer...926/index.html
http://www6.tomshardware.com/consume...906/index.html[/url]

Tom's reviews sure are going down hill- That was so Biased against HP it was painful to read.

[Met-AL]

Originally posted by strat1


Tom's reviews sure are going down hill- That was so Biased against HP it was painful to read.

It does hold some merit about the cost of ink cartridges. Cannon uses individual ink tanks on some of it's models which makes them more cost eficient. I used to fill my cartridges, but with these new HP and Epson cartridges that have that chip, it's impossible.

[strat1]

You are right about the test being useful because the facts stand on their own. His graphs were very helpful in deciphering the true test results. What he wrote about the results and his opinions are what surprised me. He had a very obvious and biased agenda in mind before conducting that test. Some how he twisted it around to bash HP-too bad Tommy.

I am not for or against HP and have had 3 HPs, 1 Lexmark and 1 Cannon. I did not like the Cannon's software or quality. The Lexmark was loud but the software was good as well as the quality. The HP I liked them all except the cost of the ink. HP's software is the best and the speed is good too. I have always had HPs in my office and they work well.