Printers...

[Tortuga]

My printer just died. Its an old Canon MX870 All in one printer with ADF scanner, Duplex printing and Fax. I'd like to find something similar without paying a lot of money and I don't want to get something cheap that uses expensive ink.

 

Any suggestions?

[Jarred]

I've had an Epson XP7100 for over 6 years and it's been solid.  Printed a ton for my kids during the pandemic and it's still going strong.

 

Although I don't typically recommend remanufactured cartridges, I've found the valuetoner brand to be very good and a lot cheaper than the Epson.

 

Link to printer here:  https://a.co/d/0fkEOE5f

[Indapipe]

From Claude:

 

Epson EcoTank printers are generally well-regarded, mainly for the ink economics rather than raw print quality.

 

**Strengths:**

- Refillable tank models like the EcoTank line use only a few dollars of ink per year, giving a much lower total cost of ownership over five years compared to cartridge printers [Consumer Reports](https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/printers/best-tank-printers-of-the-year-a3972617436/)

- Bottle refilling used to be messy, but redesigned bottles now lock in place during refills, so that's largely solved [Consumer Reports](https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/printers/best-tank-printers-of-the-year-a3972617436/)

- RTINGS rates the Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 as the best Epson printer they've tested, aimed at small offices [RTINGS](https://www.rtings.com/printer/reviews/epson)

- Tank printers as a category get notably better owner-satisfaction scores than typical inkjets [Consumer Reports](https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/printers/best-tank-printers-of-the-year-a3972617436/)

 

**Weaknesses to know about:**

- On budget models like the ET-2800, text quality isn't as good as most printers and it's on the slow side for printing text [Consumer Reports](https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/printers/epson-ecotank-et-2800/m404775/) , and photo printing on glossy paper comes in below-par quality [Consumer Reports](https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/printers/epson-ecotank-et-2800/m404775/)

- Some owners report clogged print heads on Epson inkjets requiring wasteful cleaning cycles, which is a common complaint against Canon/Brother tank alternatives

 

**Bottom line:** If you print a lot of documents and want to avoid buying cartridges constantly, EcoTank is a solid value pick. If photo quality or fast text printing matters more, it's a step down from other options in that price range. Are you looking at a specific model, or just weighing whether to go EcoTank at all?

[jwhess]

I use a Canon Pixma printer TR8622. It has ADF, back side vertical paper dispensing and lower front paper source as well.  It is a multicolor unit with 4 CLI-221 cartridges and a large PGI-280 black cartridge. The XXL hold the most ink.  A set of five cartridges is less than $10 (even at Walmart).  I pay less than that on eBay.

[Mike047]

that sounds like an excellent printer . To replace the cartridges for my wife's printer cost around £220

[pnutts]

I bought a Brother all in one with internal tanks that you fill by means of a cartridge. It empties cartridges into tanks, no mess, no fuss. lasts a Long time. Got mine on sale at Staples Canada. duplex printing 3 colours plus larger black internal tanks.

MFC - J5855DW

 

p.s. bought extra set of ink from Amazon.

Edited 22 hours ago by pnutts
post script

[pnutts]

LC406 Ink Combo Pack Replacement for Brother  MFC-J5855DW MFC-J6555DW Inkvestment Tank All-in-One Printer (4 Pack) current price $36 Can

[carlos]

21 hours ago, Tortuga said:

I'd like to find something similar without paying a lot of money and I don't want to get something cheap that uses expensive ink.

 

The problem with ink, besides being expensive, is that unless you use the printer often the cartridges dry up. I bought a laser printer many years ago and don't want to have an ink printer ever again. Laser printers may be more expensive at first sight, but toner lasts for ages. You can often find a laser all-in-one device at second hand for $100 or less. If you prefer buying it new, you can find them for between $200 and $300, or almost half that if color is not a need for you.

 

I now have a wireless Brother MFC-L3750CDW that has everything your Canon does, and it has been working without a glitch for eight years. This model is big because it also works as a photocopier with all the different paper trays, but there are much smaller models out there.

 

 

[Mike047]

Maybe, in the future, we will have total recall, with photographic memories. The ability to filter out the rubbish.... what a thought.

[On the huh]

I use a Epson EcoTank ET-2550.  Its over 10 years old, and still going great!.  Must have printed tens of thousands of invitations with it over the years.

[Indapipe]

Please let us know what you eventually decide on and what factors influenced your decision. It could help those of us looking to buy a new printer in the future.

[Qapla]

I have an Epson EcoTank ... it has been nothing but trouble. Since I don't print on a daily basis, the heads keep needing cleaning and it fails to print when it sits like that.

 

My brother has an HP tank printer. While his seems to work better than my Epson, it is not without its own issues. His reports paper jam errors when there is nothing stuck and we have had to remove and reinsert the printheads to get them recognized.

 

Seems all the brands have issues.

[Tortuga]

43 minutes ago, Indapipe said:

Please let us know what you eventually decide on and what factors influenced your decision. It could help those of us looking to buy a new printer in the future.

Part of my decision will be based on what I can find today. We are assisting with a Pioneer School lunch later this week and my wife needs to print some recipes, so my decision is more about timing than research. 

[Tortuga]

7 hours ago, Mike047 said:

Maybe, in the future, we will have total recall, with photographic memories. The ability to filter out the rubbish.... what a thought.

In the meantime the exact opposite is happening...