How long do printers last?

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808 Vibes
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How long do printers last?

Post by 808 Vibes »

[vent] fancy schmancy wireless, bluetooth, CD/DVD-printable, card slots up the yin yang HP all in one printer has died in it's sleep (?) and it wasn't old! I've checked all connections, tried different spots on the surge protector, even tried the wall outlet...no power light. I never even got to try it's fancy features. I bought a "better" one thinking it would last for years. Bah. I'm gonna buy a cheap one. Do these things have an internal counter that says you've printed X amount of docs, and X amount of pics, so it's time to buy a new one?
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Post by Salsa Guy »

Nope they do not! However they are cheaply made. I have an Epson Workforce 600 that died but it was still under warranty. They sent a refurbished unit. These cheap injet printers last about 3 years.
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Post by Guitarheroal »

i've had my hp printer for 12+ years and it still works pretty well, other than the occasional paper jam. Luck of the draw i guess.
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Post by 09vGT »

Maybe the cord has shorted out or something?Idk. We have a HP all in one and have had it for around 4 years.. Its still kickin'..
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Post by ponta2147 »

Yeah, in my opinion it's not worth spending a lot on a normal inkjet printer. The only ones worth spending a lot for are the ones approaching professional/photo grade quality (with the five million kinds of inks) or a laser printer (which is what we have for the home office). Inkjet printers just like to die whether or not they have all the "extra" features they are still just a cheap inkjet at heart. Besides, we all know that we'll spend more on the ink than the printer anyway!
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Re: (ponta2147)

Post by 06pvibe »

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »Yeah, in my opinion it's not worth spending a lot on a normal inkjet printer. The only ones worth spending a lot for are the ones approaching professional/photo grade quality (with the five million kinds of inks) or a laser printer (which is what we have for the home office). Inkjet printers just like to die whether or not they have all the "extra" features they are still just a cheap inkjet at heart. Besides, we all know that we'll spend more on the ink than the printer anyway!Geez Michelle, tell us how you REALLY feel? (People usually say that to me when I get on my high-horse, so I thought it only fitting....)But seriously from my personal, amateur experience you are correct.When I first got into computers for the home, some 12 yrs ago now, I bought an HP P1000, first of its kind and it cost around $400. It still works and creates good quality prints. The ink cartridges together cost around $80 and last a long, long time.So fast forward 7 yrs and I buy a Dell Vista machine (I know, I know, but I am running Win7 now) to replace the old PIII I had built. BUT, the HP doesn't work on it. No driver support. The wife insists that I buy a "new" all-in-one printer. I bought a "nearly" top-of-the-line Canon. On sale the cost around $130, takes 6 different ink cartridges (4 color and 2 black) that cost around $65-$70 total and last through 3 - 8x10's before something needs to be replaced.... and the quality of the prints absolutely SUCKS!!!I hate this thing and we are already having feeding problems with it too.JUNK. That's what they are making for us these days. Pure, unadulterated junk.And before someone feeds me my own words, yes, that's how I really feel.
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Re: (06pvibe)

Post by keithvibe »

The responses to this thread are pure gold I tell ya... pure gold HAHA
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Post by beemerphile1 »

Several years ago I bought an HP all-in-1 printer for $26 on black Friday. It still works fine after three years.Last year on black Friday I bought another HP all-in-one printer but for $28. I haven't used it yet but it is ready to go when the current one dies.It amazes me that I can buy a printer for less than the price of the ink cartridges that come included with the printer.
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Re: How long do printers last? (HawaiiPontiacLover)

Post by djkeev »

Sadly you don't know. Also even more sad, the older printers often cannot be driven by newer operating systems. Some of the old printers that worked on a 2000 machine haven't drivers for a 7 machine. Planned obsolescence?? I've had most of my printers last until I upgraded them. I'm going back to the early 90's here. Never had one actually "die". Just became out of date. Just did this again a few months ago. An old HP, worked fine, but wasn't supported by 7. Upgraded to a new Kodak that works wirelessly. Time will tell about the Kodak, no experience with them, fell for the cheap ink ad!!Just got my 94 year old mother a new HP that supports Air Print for her iPad 2 !! To quote my mom, "I've got the money, I don't know how much longer I'll be around.... why not? Get one for me and one for your daughter as well so I can Skype with the great grandkids"She decided to upgrade to the iPad 2 from the iPad which she has only had since January.Yeah, my Mom's not the sit in the nursing home and rot type!!!Dave
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Re: How long do printers last? (djkeev)

Post by epcIII »

Quote, originally posted by djkeev »Sadly you don't know. Also even more sad, the older printers often cannot be driven by newer operating systems. Some of the old printers that worked on a 2000 machine haven't drivers for a 7 machine. Planned obsolescence?? I've had most of my printers last until I upgraded them. I'm going back to the early 90's here. Never had one actually "die". Just became out of date. Just did this again a few months ago. An old HP, worked fine, but wasn't supported by 7. Upgraded to a new Kodak that works wirelessly. Time will tell about the Kodak, no experience with them, fell for the cheap ink ad!!Just got my 94 year old mother a new HP that supports Air Print for her iPad 2 !! To quote my mom, "I've got the money, I don't know how much longer I'll be around.... why not? Get one for me and one for your daughter as well so I can Skype with the great grandkids"She decided to upgrade to the iPad 2 from the iPad which she has only had since January.Yeah, my Mom's not the sit in the nursing home and rot type!!!DaveI hope I get to marry someone like this. We usually have our printers for 3-4 yrs. Only reason I bought the last two though was 'cause I went to the store just to walk around and got sucked into a deal. (But I am a fan of the new wireless one we have and the ability for all our computers-even my phone if I can figure it out-to print to it.)
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Re: How long do printers last? (HawaiiPontiacLover)

Post by ehoff121 »

What kind of power cord does it have? Is there a transformer that plugs into the wall? If so, maybe it went bad?
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Re: How long do printers last? (ehoff121)

Post by lovemyraffe »

Get a Brother printer.
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Re: How long do printers last? (lovemyraffe)

Post by 808 Vibes »

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Post by kostby »

In my years of experience with most high tech devices, they have a 'critical job detector' built in. It will work fine until there is one thing you ABSOLUTELY need RIGHT NOW. And THAT'S the exact instant when they fail! As far as ink cartridges costing more than the printer, yes, that is the intent. It's what to my generation is known as the 'Gillette Theory'. We'll GIVE you the razor for free, because you still need to buy replacement blades.I've had excellent results with about six Canon printers over the years, starting with a BJC610 that cost about $500 in 1990, because it had individual color ink cartridges. Several of them died because I tried to use cheaper ink refills (or refill them myself) and that clogged the print heads beyond repair. Only one simply quit because of an electronics failure.Now I'm on my sixth Canon (Pixma MP560) that I got for $100 about 18 months ago. And Canon has already replaced that functionality at the $100-150 price point twice, first with the MP5220, and now with the MP6220.I also have a black & white HP LaserJet 1320 from 2004 that still works like a champ, mainly because I don't use it much, except for high-volume stuff where I need hundreds of copies quickly.
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Re: (kostby)

Post by Water boy »

Got 2 of those elcheapo Brothers all-in-one.I set it up new and the ink cartridges ran out of ink even though I never printed a page. The machine will do a "ink purge" to keep it fresh. Thus consuming ink when you are not looking. I only use it for the infrequent scanning task, otherwise it is powered off.The other one is for the wife. She hollers, on a frequent basis, "I NEED MORE INK". I've had poor success getting her to power off the machine when not using it. Good thing I'm able to by ink wholesale.My main printer is an HP LaserJet 4 for internal black printing. Best workhouse laser ever built.Also have a Lexmark T520 someone tossed out because it paper jammed all the time. Replaced a $1 gear and all is well. First page is slow put once it is up prints quickly.And lastly, for color laser I have Samsung CLP-500. Bought it many years ago as a discontinued machine. Bought another one some years ago that was defective. Cleaned and adjusted the yellow clutch and all is well.
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Re: (kostby)

Post by 808 Vibes »

Yes, I need to print documents to enter for a scholarship, and I have a deadline! Went to the bulls eye place and got the last of a $69.99 HP that was on sale.
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Post by Salsa Guy »

A Laser Printer is a good way to go. They are fairly cheap and cost per printout is less that the injet. The color Lasers are also getting VERY cheap
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Re: (rmckinjr)

Post by 06pvibe »

That's what I'm waiting for... the color lasers to come down to a reasonable cost.
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Post by Salsa Guy »

I've seen some for $200. Edit: Less than $150!
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Post by ponta2147 »

Yeah, color lasers are very reasonably priced. We have a Samsung all-in-one color laser printer/fax/scanner for the home office and love it. They have also come down in size, mine is a reasonable cube size that sits on the desk. Laser cartriges are very expensive but last a really long time.I guess my main point earlier about inkjet printers is not that they are "bad," just that the expensive ones fail as much as the cheap ones because they are really all the same quality, but the expensive ones have extra stuff tacked on. So if I was to buy an inkjet, I'd just get a cheapy with decent reviews (reviews are your friends! Read them for everything!) Again, the exception being a photo printer which requires 8 inks (I think? It's been a while since I worked in Office Supplies...)
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Re: (ponta2147)

Post by jake75 »

They are willing to almost give you the color laser printer in anticipation of the profits from the cartridges. I recently bought a Canon laser printer/copier combination - after $180 rebate and a $50 printer trade-in deal at Staples the cost was about $87 including tax. The rebate went to $200 and I did it again for $67 as the full size cartridge in the unit would cost significantly more than that. And from experience I know it can't hurt to have a backup piece of hardware. My HP mf2727 all in one stopped working - research revealed it is a known defect of bad solders on the formatter board. HP extended the warranty to two years but mine is 2.5 years old. But fortunately I had the older model 3390 in storage - back to using that. Only problem is that they use different cartridges so I have $150 in HP 53a's that I will have to try and sell on eBay - where I bought them to begin with.
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Re: (ponta2147)

Post by Salsa Guy »

When shopping for a color laser also shop for the cartridges and compare costs. The good thing about the laser is the ink doesn't dry up or leak out.
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Re: (ponta2147)

Post by 06pvibe »

Quote, originally posted by ponta2147 »I guess my main point earlier about inkjet printers is not that they are "bad," just that the expensive ones fail as much as the cheap ones because they are really all the same quality, but the expensive ones have extra stuff tacked on. So if I was to buy an inkjet, I'd just get a cheapy with decent reviews (reviews are your friends! Read them for everything!) Again, the exception being a photo printer which requires 8 inks (I think? It's been a while since I worked in Office Supplies...)If you are speaking to my previous post, Michelle, I had a pretty good idea of what you meant and completely agree with you. I was just allowing my sick sense of humor out to give you a hard time about it. That usually happens to me when I am on a tear about something... but that hardly ever happens. (Yeah. Right!!)It's not unlike the auto industry these days: You buy a base car, or you buy the top-of-the-line model (especially in econo cars.) The difference are what amenities you get, not necessarily a better car. The fact is, and I know this first hand, is that a dealer hates selling base models because they make almost nothing. BUT, upgrade a base customer to a higher trim level and the profit percentage goes up exponentially.BTW: The HP P1000 I mentioned earlier produced high quality pictures (for me and family least) but only required 2 cartridges. A tri-color and a black. Certainly better than this current Canon POS I have does... and my wife does family geneology (I do the pictures and page layouts) so I have spent a lot of time on pictures.
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Post by psiu »

We had (well, still do) an Epson inkjet we got for around $40 in 2003. After a few years it stopped printing--the page counter needed to be reset, and the sponge for collecting ink needed to be rinsed out.Worked fine until we updated to Windows 7 and WHS, couldn't get it to work and we use an HP AIO now. Got it for a steal of a price, but the HP software is horrendous. On multiple computers, multiple OS's the software won't work after a few uses...luckily it's a network printer/scanner so I can still scan via it's built in webpage.HP makes some nice hardware but they can't write software at all. Been like that for years.
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Re: (06pvibe)

Post by Blueridge9 »

Quote, originally posted by 06pvibe »It's not unlike the auto industry these days: You buy a base car, or you buy the top-of-the-line model (especially in econo cars.) The difference are what amenities you get, not necessarily a better car. The fact is, and I know this first hand, is that a dealer hates selling base models because they make almost nothing. BUT, upgrade a base customer to a higher trim level and the profit percentage goes up exponentially. Yes, it is like the auto industry. I think your money is better spent on a simple "base model" copy, print, scan WITHOUT the fax feature. The fax feature often causes MANY problems.How often do you fax? Instead turn the document into a pdf and email it as an attachment or go to Kinkos on the rare occasion that you must fax.My old HP printer was going downhill last Christmas so I got a great deal at Staples on a HP Inkjet, Wireless,Photosmart D110. The money I saved will keep me in ink cartridges for a long time. It was easy to setup too.
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