Printers -- Need Your Recommendatinos

[thecavern]

I'm not sure this is the correct forum to ask this question --- but here goes.

I'm looking to replace my home printer. It can be an impact or laser model (no preference).

This printer is just for home use, not for any buusiness use.

It MUST be 100% compatible with Vista.

I would welcome you input, based on your experience, of what you think are some of the best products currently on the market.

THANKS !!!

[puntoMX]

Do you need to print in color? If not you could get a Samsung laser printer for cheap; they are well made and not expensive at all.

[Ponch]

impact or laser model (no preference).

Surely you meant inkjet. Impact is a bit ...80's.

See this or this as starters.

[thecavern]

Thanks for your input.

I currently have an Epson Stylus Color 440. Yes, it's an old model. I'm sure I got it around 1999.

It has worked well all this time but it is getting old. I can tell by the sound of it that perhaps internals, like belts, etc, are starting to wear.

Since this is for home use I don't need anything fancy --- just a simple printer. I would like one that also prints pictures sharply and clearly. I have saved a number of pictures (jpg format) and I've noticed thay don't print very well (not too sharp at all). It is very easy to change the ink cartridges on my current printer. I'd also like to buy a new printer which is equally easy to replace the ink cartridges.

I've been happy with Epson. After all, it's lasted well beyond my expectations.

Any further suggestion would be welcome !!

[jaclaz]

It is very easy to change the ink cartridges on my current printer. I'd also like to buy a new printer which is equally easy to replace the ink cartridges.

Well, all inkjet printers have easy to replace cartridges, the whole point is how much do they cost and how often you need to change them.

A (B&W) laser printer is relatively cheap and it's cartridge (toner+drum) is relatively pricey BUT will last with no problems whatsoever for an impressive number of prints.

A (color) inkjet printer is so cheap that they could give it two of them as change when you buy a set of it's cartridges, which will last for a small number of prints and are relatively expensive.

Once upon a time when you bought an inkjet printer they gave you with it a full set of cartridges, nowadays the cartridges included are "fakes" with 1/4 or 1/5 of the ink of a "full priced" cartridge.

To this you add that you need the special photo paper to print decently an image and that probably you'll need two or three print tests each time you print a picture (if you want a good result), that usually a cartridge becomes empty just aroud half the printing of the "final" and that half of the prints that you normally do have no need for colour (but the original is colourful anyway, think at all the web pages you may happen to print).

Personally - being notoriously cheap - I have all (B&W) laser printers and when I have to print a picture I have it printed by a service.

Read this:

http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/testdrive/article.php/3521141/Inkjet-Versus-Laser-Printers.htm

(mind you the article is aimed to small businesses, but the underlying math makes sense even in a home environment)

This is a similar one more targeted to home use:

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/printers-laser-vs-inkjet

It all depends on the type and amount of your printing needs, the only senceful advice is :

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097216/quotes?qt=qt0362962

Da Mayor: Doctor...

Mookie: C'mon, what. What?

Da Mayor: Always do the right thing.

Mookie: That's it?

Da Mayor: That's it.

Mookie: I got it, I'm gone.

jaclaz

[puntoMX]

Personally - being notoriously cheap - I have all (B&W) laser printers and when I have to print a picture I have it printed by a service.

+1, that is what I do too; it will save a lot on cost when a print-shop is nearby.

I do have a color laser printer but I want the girls I print to look sharp as well, although the curves are more important!