Economical Inkjet printer

[dowaaditty]

I am considering a new inkjet printer. The printer I have now is a HP3830 All-in-one, and costed less than the ink cartridges do. Is there one you use that doesn't break the bank to operate or purchase new, and prints on 110# card stock??

[buggainok]

I have an older Canon Pixma All In One that I've been very happy with. It has an outside feed for the paper, so you can load cardstock in and print. Since it goes through flat, and doesn't have to go around a roller, it works really well.

The ink seems to me to last quite a while and I get economy packs of several at Sam's Club. They come with 2 black and one color. Since I don't print in color very much, this works out great for me.


I got mine at Walmart and it was around $60. I think they have newer models of this printer for about the same price. Just be sure that there is an outside paper feed for cardstock.

[dowaaditty]

Bugga in OK

Thanks for your information about the Canon.


When you say outside feed for the paper, is that the ones that the paper feed sits on the top of the back of the printer? Canon and Brother printers have very good reviews. It's so hard to determine a good printer reading reviews on the manufacturers websites.

[buggainok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dowaaditty

Bugga in OK

Thanks for your information about the Canon.


When you say outside feed for the paper, is that the ones that the paper feed sits on the top of the back of the printer? Canon and Brother printers have very good reviews. It's so hard to determine a good printer reading reviews on the manufacturers websites.

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. It's hard to tell when looking at pictures, because they don't show the back, and usually don't even mention it in the descriptions.


I like to shop for things like this at Walmart because I can go and actually look at what I'm buying. Also, Walmart is pretty good about returns if you have a problem if you keep your receipt. Their prices are competitive, too.


I'm not a very tech savvy person. We do have wireless internet in our home, but I preferred to just connect the printer directly to my computer. When I read reviews, lots of folks seemed to have problems setting up the wireless software. I just plugged the printer into the port on my computer, and my computer recognized it right away and I was good to go.


I've been very pleased with my Canon and have had it for a couple of years with absolutely no problems. The actual model # is Canon Pixma MX360, but I think they've upgraded since I bought mine. I'm sure you can find something similar for a very reasonable price. Good luck!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Canon-Off...inter/16439863


Here is a picture of the one I have but it's no longer available. This might give you an idea of what to look for.

[bjeans]

I also have an old Canon Pixma which is a great workhorse and not an ink hog. And Canon's customer service is excellent, and in the U.S. They've helped me more than once and some of the reps are really good techies.

Just a suggestion - whatever printers you narrow it down to, google for reviews, paying attention to how much ink they go through. In some cases the manufacturer is making nothing on the printer; they know they'll get you for tons of ink. Besides googling, sites like newegg and amazon can be mined for at least some decent info.

Good luck!

[etsdas]

I don't have an answer for the original question, but will put in my 2cents worth anyway.
I seem to go through printers often. The latest is an Epson XP 410. The printing is ok, but it will not take cs in spite of what the salesman assured me. Also, it seems to go through ink way too quickly. I replace color cartridges fairly often, although the only color printing I do is an occasional colored digi. (The printer will not operate when printing black if one of the color cartridges shows empty.)
So I will be reading subsequent comments to glean information regarding a future purchase. Thanks for sharing, every one.

[dowaaditty]

Dorothy, I'm doing the same thing with this HP3830, and not really satisfied with it's output. Bugga in OK has given us some good tips about checking out the Canon. Thank you Bugga in OK!

[YorkieMoma]

I have an old PIXMA too (MS870)..............but it is my understanding that Canons no longer have the "rear paper feed" that mine has, so if you find one that does, please post a link here. I LOVE my PIXMA all-in-one with the rear feed!!!

[buggainok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YorkieMoma

I have an old PIXMA too (MS870)..............but it is my understanding that Canons no longer have the "rear paper feed" that mine has, so if you find one that does, please post a link here. I LOVE my PIXMA all-in-one with the rear feed!!!

I will try to check out the Canon printers next time I'm at Walmart to see if any of them still have the rear feed!


I guess it would be pretty bad to hoard a printer, but I'm tempted to. I love mine, too, and would hate to have to start over and find another one.


Here is a crazy thing, I just now looked on Amazon and the exact printer MX 360 that I have is for sale there for $249.00. I got mine at Walmart about 3 years ago and paid about $80.00!! What's up with that?


https://www.amazon.com/Canon-MX360-M...ma+360+printer

[bjeans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggainok

I will try to check out the Canon printers next time I'm at Walmart to see if any of them still have the rear feed!


I guess it would be pretty bad to hoard a printer, but I'm tempted to. I love mine, too, and would hate to have to start over and find another one.


Here is a crazy thing, I just now looked on Amazon and the exact printer MX 360 that I have is for sale there for $249.00. I got mine at Walmart about 3 years ago and paid about $80.00!! What's up with that?


https://www.amazon.com/Canon-MX360-M...ma+360+printer

I it still manufactured? If not, the seller knows they're scarce and so is pricing accordingly - what the market may bear.

My Pixma with rear feed isn't made any longer, but I only use the rear feed once in a blue moon - for small photography paper, but almost never even that. What do you use the rear feed for?

BTW mine is on a wooden lazy susan so I can get to the back the rare times I need to. (Love lazy susans.)

[buggainok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjeans

I it still manufactured? If not, the seller knows they're scarce and so is pricing accordingly - what the market may bear.

My Pixma with rear feed isn't made any longer, but I only use the rear feed once in a blue moon - for small photography paper, but almost never even that. What do you use the rear feed for?

BTW mine is on a wooden lazy susan so I can get to the back the rare times I need to. (Love lazy susans.)

My printer has only the rear feed where I load all paper. I like that I can put cardstock in and it goes through flat without having to wind around a roller and get stuck!

[dowaaditty]

Looking on Amazon for printers that are recommended to handle 110# card stock paper, the prices start from $200.00 and go up. There's got to be better prices on rear feeding printers that aren't ink hogs somewhere else. Will keep looking. If I find anything interesting, I'll post it.

[BlueFeather]

Just in case anyone has been looking at the Epson ET2650. I've been using mine for a little over a month. I print all my own backgrounds and do a lot of digital coloring in Corel Painter as well....so I print A LOT! I also digitally color my stamps so I can use them over and over. It does take cardstock but it can be picky if you put in more than one sheet at a time. I've put 65, 80# cover, 110 lb index, and 110 lb cover through it. All printed just fine. Does envelopes as well. My real complaint is the colors are a little more drab than my WF3620 I had. So now I have to brighten up my files a little. The ink is certainly much cheaper this way though. And you cannot use Modpodge on top of the 2650 inks. They will smear, especially the black. Never had that problem with the 3620. So there are trade offs. I recalibrated my monitor so WYSIWYG on screen and that is helping.But for cost effective color printing, it's pretty good.

[canada goose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dowaaditty

Looking on Amazon for printers that are recommended to handle 110# card stock paper, the prices start from $200.00 and go up. There's got to be better prices on rear feeding printers that aren't ink hogs somewhere else. Will keep looking. If I find anything interesting, I'll post it.

I recently posted on another thread that I purchased an Epson XP. I use several brands of 110 paper and always take my paper with me to have them run it through. It was under $ 100 u.s. Dollars.
They also have a printer in this line that is made for cardstock in that it feeds from the back, mine is from the bottom. The reason I chose the bottom feed is the color was superior. You get what you pay for.
I purchased this one from Staples, but I did the exact same thing when I purchased my previous printer elsewhere.
I will say three places we went to told me they would not recommend a Cannon Printer. They all said " they make great cameras.......but not printers".

I always tell people to take their cardstock, and tell the pic techs there that I am a card maker and that's why I have these requirements. Hope this helps.