Best printer - copier - Scanner

[Gwizz]

After my refills stopped working and the sealed ink containers (that I've had in my desk for a long time, when I started refilling my old containers) also didn't work. I gave up on my Lexmark printer.
I'm now researching a replacement printer.

The info I'm finding might be interesting to others.

1. One person on a blog commented that the alcohal I was using,
. is a bit too harsh as a cleaner/thinner. Wolvy. also stated this.
2. One site suggested soak in water as a thinner. I have not tried this
. remembering how hard it was to wash off my hands.

3. Canon and HP are rated as the best All in one machines.
4. Lexmark is near the bottom of the list.
5. HP ships their new printers with the ink containers less than half full.
. I guess it gets a buyer to buy another expense ink container quicker.

6. Ink containers bought on line are about 1/2 the cost and full, the refill
. kits are much less for the number of refills they give.
7. HP reports in one of their studies that HP ink is better than On line ink.
. Well these results could be expected since the profit is in the ink sales.

Now I'm looking at the differance between InkJet and laser printers.
I still don't understand how the printer tells the ink cartridge to squirt ink
and how it does this.

[canis39]

I used to have trouble keeping printers "alive" for more than a year or so. But my current printer has been great for several years. HP Deskjet 5650. It's my first HP, and I think I will stick with them.

[thegrindre]

I've been using a HP all-in-one for many years. Never had a problem with it and even use it when I travel. I just kept the original box and put it in it for traveling when using my laptop. I bought it at Wal-Mart for $99 a number of years ago. I think they're a little more now but not much.

[Gwizz]

I have an HP that I put away on a shelve when the Lexmark printer came with a new computer about 8 years ago. Think I will take it down and give it a try. Hope I can find the drivers.

I've looked at ALL-in one printers for under $100 at Costco. But I want an all-in-one photosmart style printer this time. About $200 to $300.
Still looking.

[Hawk]

I've been using an HP 5150 for a couple of years now and never had a problem with it.
I just recently bought a Canon MP530 printer/copier/scanner/fax combo and it seems to work fine except the data transfer for printing is a little slow but it prints double-sided better than the HP. Haven't tried printing any photos yet.
The Canon has 5 ink cartridges where the HP only had two. All five add up to about the same price as the two for the HP.
I needed a flat bed scanner is why I bought it and the reviews on it were pretty good.
It cost about $170.00. It has a plug in for a camera too.

[Wolverine@MSU]

If you don't intend to print in color, I would recommend a laserjet-based all-in-one. We have one (HP) the students use, and I refill the toner cartridge for $10-15 a pop. You could also get a cheap color stand-alone printer for the occasional color print.

[Gwizz]

My HP Ink containers have dried out.

I found out that printer ink is 65% to 75% distilled water and about 6% alcohal. The rest is mostly coloring.
I soaked the HP containers in water and they are coming clean.
I'm only working with the black ink for now. The color container is almost full so I will soak the jets on a wet towel. I have never used color very much; but with the grand kids I plan to print more color.

This color unit will only print. No scanning, etc.

This whole process is not worth the effort, except it is fun.
If it doesn't work I can always throw it out a high rise window. .

[Braindead6]

I'm on my fourth HP printer and I won't have any other brand. I started with a 722 printer, and It still works. I have a P1000 photosmart printer on my ME machine. My business and personel XP machines both have P2410 photosmart all-in-ones. You can buy 2 different color cartridges for the photosmart printers. One for color printing, and one for photo printing.
I have a sister that has a Lexmark all-in-one and she swears by it. But from what I've seen, it doesn't do as good a job as the HP.
My worth.

Jim