What inkjet printer/scan/copy to buy

[Captor]

Hi,

I need to buy a reliable all-in-one printer that is cheap in ink. A printer that can handle copy cartridges and maybe also if I want to refill by myself which I have seen here in Thailand many do. I never seen that before. Is it a good idea?

The printer itself don´t need to be the cheapest. I am not looking for a cheap charlie model. Just a good reasonable printer/copy/scan with cheap ink in the long run.

 

I have now a HP Officejet 8720 all-in-one. The copy cartridges I bought for that don´t work. It is saying in the description that not use this copy cartridges as the first cartridges. Use original the first time. So I wonder what is the first time? Is it the cartridges the printer comes with or the next ones?

 

Best Regards

Captor

[CharlieH]

The answer really lies in the amount of printing you do as some will "dry out" quickly, others do not. Is this occasional use or daily use ?

 

Canon with refillable tanks are available but in my opinion, having had one is somewhat messy and cant see much advantage for my type of occasional use.

 

HP are good machines easily available and cartridges readily available at good prices no need to buy "copies". )I have an HP right now.

 

Other good brand is Brother.

 

Your type of use/frequency etc is the key.

[Crossy]

Indeed ^^^.

 

Do you actually NEED colour printing? Mono laser all-in-ones are not silly money and a laser will print first time, every time even after months of sitting unused.

 

After spending way too much of my time unblocking inkjets I finally stumped up for a colour laser, I'll never go back.

[Captor]

Hi

The originals for my printer cost about 4500 THB. I think that is a bit on the higher side. The copies cost 2000 THB (for all 4 colours). That is OK because they last long. How much to print is not so easy to answer. There is a teenager in the family so....

Lets say 200-300 papers per month. The teenager of course likes to print photos.

[Captor]

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

Indeed ^^^.

 

Do you actually NEED colour printing? Mono laser all-in-ones are not silly money and a laser will print first time, every time even after months of sitting unused.

 

After spending way too much of my time unblocking inkjets I finally stumped up for a colour laser, I'll never go back.

I had a Samsung colour laser before in my job. First is was very loud. For long time also after the printing. And second the colour quality was not that good.

I have seen that Brothers have printers with tanks for the colour. Is that a good way? Sounds like having ink everywhere after a while.

[CharlieH]

I would suggest something like this.........

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/earth-shop-hp-deskjet-2676-all-in-one-wifi-advantage-680-bk680-co-1-on-site-i279301944-s450872922.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.7.64b22349XtxX3h&search=1

 

Cartridges black/color are around 350 baht each and last a few months dependent on load etc.

[Captor]

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

I would suggest something like this.........

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/earth-shop-hp-deskjet-2676-all-in-one-wifi-advantage-680-bk680-co-1-on-site-i279301944-s450872922.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.7.64b22349XtxX3h&search=1

 

Cartridges black/color are around 350 baht each and last a few months dependent on load etc.

That is a good price. 350 baht each.

[CharlieH]

1 minute ago, Captor said:

That is a good price. 350 baht each.

 

Yes makes it very practical and economical and not copies etc.

 

see here for a set color & Blk @ 540 baht

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hp-680-colorblack-ink-crtg-combo-2-pk-x4e78aa-i160587535-s193401045.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.2.15213c95IUKUuV&search=1

[Crossy]

We have one of these https://www.invadeit.co.th/product/multi-function-printers/canon/imageclass-mf635cx-color-multi-function-printer-with-duplex-lan-wifi-p033987/ about 15k Baht, now discontinued but there is an updated unit. Duplex scanning and printing. 

 

A full set of refillable copy cartridges are about $140 US from AliExpress with the refill toner about $20 US for a full set. It's pretty quiet even when printing (OK I wouldn't have it in the bedroom) and powers off after a few seconds. Filling the carts is clean, no smokers fingertips (yellow ink on the fingers makes you look like an 80 a day man).

 

Oh, and the photo quality is more than adequate even on plain paper, on the special laser photo-paper it's perfect (to my ageing eyes).

 

If you're doing 2-300 prints spread over a month then any inkjet should stay unblocked, if it's a month then 200 over 2 days ...

 

[Captor]

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

 

Yes makes it very practical and economical and not copies etc.

 

see here for a set color & Blk @ 540 baht

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hp-680-colorblack-ink-crtg-combo-2-pk-x4e78aa-i160587535-s193401045.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.2.15213c95IUKUuV&search=1

Nice! How about this printer with tank you had before. Will they block same easy as cartridges? And wheat to do IF they block?

[frequentatore]

I was rarely using the printer. Having to perform too many head cleaning / test print... wasting more ink... having to buy expensive cartridges again...

We now save documents on a USB key, then go to a shop (ID photos, photocopies, etc) next to the university. We tell them the names of the files (WORD documents in my case)... 10 Baht for a printed page in color! (Bangkok)

 

[Captor]

Hehe, yeah that is another way of doing it. We do that now. But the nearest shop here in Nong Khaem don´t have a computer so no USB. Only copy service. And same at dougthers school. I told her to bring a USB and then print out in school but that was not an option.

[Buffy Frobisher]

I lived with Canon inkjets for many years too, but found that they become uneconomical if you don't use them regularly because of the wasted ink while they clean heads and recalibrate. I finally bit the bullet and stumped up for one of these low-end HP colour laser printers (scanner/fax/copier/printer) and it's been sensational. HP original toner cartridges are about 1,674 baht each (4 of them - B/M/Y/C) from the Earth Shop on Lazada, but I get at least 800-1000 pages between changes, and the software for scanning and editing is the easiest I've found to use. The "starter" cartridges the unit comes with gets you through about 300 pages. Much better value than forever replacing small ink cartridges, and as @Crossy said, they don't care if you leave them dormant for months on end. Have a look at https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hp-colorlaserjetpro-mfp-m181fw-i270756871-s423861763.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.17.2c7e85550zRCw5&search=1

[CharlieH]

34 minutes ago, Captor said:

Nice! How about this printer with tank you had before. Will they block same easy as cartridges? And wheat to do IF they block?

Honestly I chucked it in the bin ! In favor of the HP.

No advantage and always seemed to be clogging etc.never again for my type of use.

[Captor]

33 minutes ago, Buffy Frobisher said:

I lived with Canon inkjets for many years too, but found that they become uneconomical if you don't use them regularly because of the wasted ink while they clean heads and recalibrate. I finally bit the bullet and stumped up for one of these low-end HP colour laser printers (scanner/fax/copier/printer) and it's been sensational. HP original toner cartridges are about 1,674 baht each (4 of them - B/M/Y/C) from the Earth Shop on Lazada, but I get at least 800-1000 pages between changes, and the software for scanning and editing is the easiest I've found to use. The "starter" cartridges the unit comes with gets you through about 300 pages. Much better value than forever replacing small ink cartridges, and as @Crossy said, they don't care if you leave them dormant for months on end. Have a look at https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hp-colorlaserjetpro-mfp-m181fw-i270756871-s423861763.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.17.2c7e85550zRCw5&search=1

Hi, there is nothing there in that link. But I guess you mean thin one?

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M181fw (T6B71A)

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hp-color-laserjet-pro-mfp-m181fw-t6b71a-i263429388-s407196603.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.10.2acf67c8udrRIZ&search=1

17.750:-

Do you know if there are copy laser cartridges?

 

 

[Captor]

51 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Honestly I chucked it in the bin ! In favor of the HP.

No advantage and always seemed to be clogging etc.never again for my type of use.

OK, I have never had problem with clogged HP-printers so far too.

But the ink for mine is to expensive and copies seems not to work so I need another.

I think the best is if I go to a shop physically. What shops in Bangkok are OK for printers? Is it like Power Bay? Maybe Office Mate?

[VocalNeal]

Just take your existing printer to a small local printer repair place and get them to instal CISS tanks. 

 Or you can buy a new printer with CISS. In this day and age there is no reason not to. 

 

[Captor]

18 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Just take your existing printer to a small local printer repair place and get them to instal CISS tanks. 

 Or you can buy a new printer with CISS. In this day and age there is no reason not to. 

 

Wow! I did not know that this is possible! I will check that out as well. Thank you all for your inputs so far.

[Buffy Frobisher]

47 minutes ago, Captor said:

Hi, there is nothing there in that link. But I guess you mean thin one?

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M181fw (T6B71A)

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/hp-color-laserjet-pro-mfp-m181fw-t6b71a-i263429388-s407196603.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.10.2acf67c8udrRIZ&search=1

17.750:-

Do you know if there are copy laser cartridges?

 

 

Sorry 'bout that. Not sure why the URL didn't work, but yes, that's the right one - HP MFP M181fw. There are no special copy cartridges. It just uses the one set of toner cartridges for all functions. I get about 800 pages of copy or print out of each colour at a minimum, and over 1000 for the black. HP sell original cartidges at an outrageous price, but that Earth Shop I mentioned on Lazada sell exactly the same HP original toner cartridges for less than half. Black is slightly cheaper than the colours.

[Captor]

5 minutes ago, Buffy Frobisher said:

Sorry 'bout that. Not sure why the URL didn't work, but yes, that's the right one - HP MFP M181fw. There are no special copy cartridges. It just uses the one set of toner cartridges for all functions. I get about 800 pages of copy or print out of each colour at a minimum, and over 1000 for the black. HP sell original cartidges at an outrageous price, but that Earth Shop I mentioned on Lazada sell exactly the same HP original toner cartridges for less than half. Black is slightly cheaper than the colours.

I am not sure that I understand this correct? There is only 1 cartridge with all the 4 colours and that single cartridge costs 1674:- ? If that is correct then it is interesting again.

[chickenslegs]

I have a Brother DCP-T300 with built in tanks. It's never clogged up in 3+ years, easy to fill, no mess, using bottles of ink at around 150B each.

 

The link below shows a price over 5,000B but they are on Lazada and in the shops at under 4,000B (Mine was -IIRC- 3,900 and came with free ink, from Tesco Lotus). I posted this one because it has the list of features in English.

 

I have put it through the cleaning cycle just twice, both times after being away from home for well over 1 month and leaving it switched off.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/brother-mutifuction-dcp-t300-black-i675504-s777084.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.13.3a99fbf0lj1dYb&search=1

[Buffy Frobisher]

6 minutes ago, Captor said:

I am not sure that I understand this correct? There is only 1 cartridge with all the 4 colours and that single cartridge costs 1674:- ? If that is correct then it is interesting again.

No, sadly it's not as easy as that, nor as cheap. It has a pullout drawer which the cartridges drop into quite simply - 4 separate ones. The 3 colours are 1,674 Baht each, and the black is/was 1,538 Baht when I bought the last lot in August, a total of 6,560 Baht. I print a lot, several thousand pages a year, and replace the toner about twice a year tops. This pic shows the drawer - the colours are marked with a little square on the right of each cartridge.

[Captor]

13 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

I have a Brother DCP-T300 with built in tanks. It's never clogged up in 3+ years, easy to fill, no mess, using bottles of ink at around 150B each.

 

The link below shows a price over 5,000B but they are on Lazada and in the shops at under 4,000B (Mine was -IIRC- 3,900 and came with free ink, from Tesco Lotus). I posted this one because it has the list of features in English.

 

I have put it through the cleaning cycle just twice, both times after being away from home for well over 1 month and leaving it switched off.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/brother-mutifuction-dcp-t300-black-i675504-s777084.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.13.3a99fbf0lj1dYb&search=1

Very nice,thank you very much. I will check that up as well. Very cheap ink!

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

I use the Brother DCP-T310 at my school. About 3000-4000 baht. I'm considering getting one for myself eventually.

 

It's been a pleasure to use. Super quick, clean printing, bright colors, no jams, easy to refill ink tanks. The tanks last a long time. Scanning is quick for making copies. Teachers routinely line up and print 20-30 pages at a time, and it keeps chugging along.

[Captor]

14 minutes ago, Buffy Frobisher said:

No, sadly it's not as easy as that, nor as cheap. It has a pullout drawer which the cartridges drop into quite simply - 4 separate ones. The 3 colours are 1,674 Baht each, and the black is/was 1,538 Baht when I bought the last lot in August, a total of 6,560 Baht. I print a lot, several thousand pages a year, and replace the toner about twice a year tops. This pic shows the drawer - the colours are marked with a little square on the right of each cartridge.

Ooh that is quite a lot. I think I will go for the rebuild one or the other one with built in tank as it look like just now. Thank you very much for your input.

[Inn Between]

I completely agree with Crossy and others about being sure you really need to do a lot of color printing and considering a mono laser unit instead. I have come to the absolute conclusion that ink-jet based printers are a suckers' game, or at least they were for me because of the small need I actually had for color printing. The heads would eventually clog, and going through the cleaning cycle never seemed to work reliably, regardless of how much ink was wasted doing it. Go laser if you can.    

[adammike]

4 hours ago, frequentatore said:

I was rarely using the printer. Having to perform too many head cleaning / test print... wasting more ink... having to buy expensive cartridges again...

We now save documents on a USB key, then go to a shop (ID photos, photocopies, etc) next to the university. We tell them the names of the files (WORD documents in my case)... 10 Baht for a printed page in color! (Bangkok)

 

That was my problem now I mail them to my local office/copy shop but that's in the Netherlands.

[ireckonso]

I have had epson, hp, canon but now use brother as it has been the most reliable. Just remember if you use cheap generic ink you will eventually have print head problems no matter what brand of printer. And only buy a model with the built in bulk tanks, not the ones with the long hoses that always seem to capture some air sooner or later.