Best Budget Printer?

Deathknight · 03-31-03, 08:42 AM

I am helping my parents pick out a new printer. I would say that are on a modest budget so I would prefer to stay under $125 if its possible to get a good quality for that little $$$.

Mainly I think they will be printing documents and stuff like that. Its possible they would occasionaly print pictures. My main concern is that the printer is reliable and easy to use and does not cost a ton of cash in ink.

RoadWarrior · 03-31-03, 12:06 PM

Try and find one where the print engine is actually built into the printer instead of requiring a lot of software. Epsons are baaaad. They're trading on a rep they got in the 80s and haven't produced a decent product since. Try and find a used HP if you can. Solid, reliable, ink isn't too bad and they cope well with refills. Used to like Canon's but they're getting too much like Epsons lately.

Road Warrior

skab · 03-31-03, 04:23 PM

I got a Lexmark X75 thats a 3in1, scanner/copier, printer, and fax for 125$ at Walmart. My ten year old daughter can run it and my eight year old son is learning it. Inks about 35$ a cartridge but refill kit was 19$ and is good for three refills so far. Print quality and speed are better than my HP-672, cartridges cost about 10$ more for color.

I.M.O.G. · 03-31-03, 04:27 PM

I have had very good personal experiences with Lexmark printers and very bad experiences with epson's. My experience with HP's has been acceptable; I would say Lexmark is better through my experience.

Penguin4x4 · 03-31-03, 05:50 PM

The best route would be to get the cheapest Epson/Lexmark/HP that you can find. When the ink runs dry, eBay it and go buy another one. It's win, win!

RoadWarrior · 03-31-03, 06:07 PM

Apart from some are just supplied with "test" cartridges these days, only good for a dozen pages or so.

AaronP · 03-31-03, 07:24 PM

i hear lexmark z25 ius very good bang for the buck, for another $15 you get their z45

Deathknight · 04-01-03, 10:56 PM

Thanks for the replies guys. I will check out the printers you suggested

Hurk · 04-02-03, 12:14 AM

If you want to do Pictures, the best would be the HP 7150. Or even if you don't need the USB Camera port, you can get the HP 5550. Amazing photo's.

PS: Lexmark is the wrong choice.

Same print quality, different featuires.

CPFitz14 · 04-02-03, 02:58 PM

My HP 3820 is great. Got it for $89 at Sam's Club. You can find it at most BestBuy's though for $100. As far as ink goes.... my cartridge is about half empty after 3 months. I've printed everything on "best" though, so that uses a little more ink. Every time you print it shows how full both cartridges are....... pretty cool.

I'd definitely recommend HP, they make some quality printers.

-CPFitz-

Ben721 · 04-02-03, 03:06 PM

Costco has some great deals on HP printers.

03-31-03, 08:42 AM	Thread Starter #1
Deathknight Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Chicago	Best Budget Printer? I am helping my parents pick out a new printer. I would say that are on a modest budget so I would prefer to stay under $125 if its possible to get a good quality for that little $$$. Mainly I think they will be printing documents and stuff like that. Its possible they would occasionaly print pictures. My main concern is that the printer is reliable and easy to use and does not cost a ton of cash in ink.
	QUOTE Thanks

03-31-03, 12:06 PM	#2
RoadWarrior Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada	Try and find one where the print engine is actually built into the printer instead of requiring a lot of software. Epsons are baaaad. They're trading on a rep they got in the 80s and haven't produced a decent product since. Try and find a used HP if you can. Solid, reliable, ink isn't too bad and they cope well with refills. Used to like Canon's but they're getting too much like Epsons lately. Road Warrior __________________ Folder in disgrace. Folding rigs may be back online eventually, just as soon as real life gives me enough breaks. Black Belt Ubercloxx0r "Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous Folders have fallen or may fall into the grip of OCAU and all the odious apparatus of [H]ardOCP rule, we shall not flag or fail." "We shall go on to the end, we shall fold on the Newcastles, we shall fold on the Northwoods and Prescotts, we shall fold with growing confidence and growing strength on Venice, we shall defend our Forum, whatever the cost may be, we shall fold on the Winchesters, we shall fold on the Bartons, we shall fold on the Applebreds and Thunderbirds, we shall fold on the Coppermines; we shall never surrender!"
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03-31-03, 04:23 PM	#3
skab Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Montevideo, Minnesota	I got a Lexmark X75 thats a 3in1, scanner/copier, printer, and fax for 125$ at Walmart. My ten year old daughter can run it and my eight year old son is learning it. Inks about 35$ a cartridge but refill kit was 19$ and is good for three refills so far. Print quality and speed are better than my HP-672, cartridges cost about 10$ more for color. __________________ STILL CRUNCHING SETI FOR THE USA SETI, only SETI, always SETI!!!! HEAT
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03-31-03, 04:27 PM	#4
I.M.O.G. Glorious Leader Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Rootstown, OH	I have had very good personal experiences with Lexmark printers and very bad experiences with epson's. My experience with HP's has been acceptable; I would say Lexmark is better through my experience. __________________ The OC Forums Way We are a team. We are a community. We are a fellowship made strong by mutual respect and shared dedication to the task of enriching all who come here. The OC Forums Thank You Thread Put your computer to work for our OC Forum Teams! Try out our POST TEMPLATES, they save you time answering common questions! I spend half my money on CPUs, GPUs, and Liquid Nitrogen. The other half I waste.
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03-31-03, 05:50 PM	#5
Penguin4x4 Are you my Daddy? ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Senior Member ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Join Date: May 2002 Location: Sector 7G	The best route would be to get the cheapest Epson/Lexmark/HP that you can find. When the ink runs dry, eBay it and go buy another one. It's win, win! __________________ ~Yasashiku Onegaishimasu~ OCForums Metal Club member #39 Need To Contact Me? Use E-Mail or Instant Messenger
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03-31-03, 06:07 PM	#6
RoadWarrior Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada	Apart from some are just supplied with "test" cartridges these days, only good for a dozen pages or so. __________________ Folder in disgrace. Folding rigs may be back online eventually, just as soon as real life gives me enough breaks. Black Belt Ubercloxx0r "Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous Folders have fallen or may fall into the grip of OCAU and all the odious apparatus of [H]ardOCP rule, we shall not flag or fail." "We shall go on to the end, we shall fold on the Newcastles, we shall fold on the Northwoods and Prescotts, we shall fold with growing confidence and growing strength on Venice, we shall defend our Forum, whatever the cost may be, we shall fold on the Winchesters, we shall fold on the Bartons, we shall fold on the Applebreds and Thunderbirds, we shall fold on the Coppermines; we shall never surrender!"
	QUOTE Thanks

03-31-03, 07:24 PM	#7
AaronP Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada	i hear lexmark z25 ius very good bang for the buck, for another $15 you get their z45 __________________ My new rig (1st since 2002) Processor \| AMD Phenom II x4-955 black edition[/b] Memory \| 2x2gb g.skill ripjaws pc3-12800 ddr3-1600 Video Card \| XFX ATI Radeon HD 5770 Hard Drive \| WD 640gb 32mb OS \| Win7 Ultimate x64 Heatware: Aaron_P
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04-01-03, 10:56 PM	Thread Starter #8
Deathknight Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Chicago	Thanks for the replies guys. I will check out the printers you suggested
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04-02-03, 12:14 AM	#9
Hurk Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: London, Ont	If you want to do Pictures, the best would be the HP 7150. Or even if you don't need the USB Camera port, you can get the HP 5550. Amazing photo's. PS: Lexmark is the wrong choice. Same print quality, different featuires.
	QUOTE Thanks

04-02-03, 02:58 PM	#10
CPFitz14 Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Michigan	My HP 3820 is great. Got it for $89 at Sam's Club. You can find it at most BestBuy's though for $100. As far as ink goes.... my cartridge is about half empty after 3 months. I've printed everything on "best" though, so that uses a little more ink. Every time you print it shows how full both cartridges are....... pretty cool. I'd definitely recommend HP, they make some quality printers. -CPFitz-
	QUOTE Thanks

04-02-03, 03:06 PM	#11
Ben721 Official X-Hour Man Join Date: Feb 2002	Costco has some great deals on HP printers. __________________ Ben My Heatware
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