New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

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  • New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

    Hey all:

    I recently bought an Apple iMac desktop and now my Cannon Pixima MP600 inkjet printer (multi use) is not compatible. The reason I've always resisted changing is because this printer prints 30 pages per minute and can hold 120 sheets in its feeder.

    I need/want an inkjet for the graphic/image color print quality as I do have a 12 year old in school that is required to print in color for her school projects.

    I also need to be able to print wirelessly from all Apple products: iPhone, iPad, Macbook Pro, and iMac. I also need it to print on various kinds of paper including photo and possibly specialty papers -- like screen printing for t-shirts and address labels.

    Cannon's replacement model only prints 12.2 ipm (not sure if 'image' makes a difference compared to text only) which is insanely slow. I just don't have the patience to print a screenplay in 10 minutes, though I'm willing to consider alternatives.

    I also want it to hold individual color cartridges and for the black to be 'pigment' not 'dye.'

    If you could make recommendations on products you use that have served you well, I would be grateful. I've always been loyal to brands that have served me well, so I have no other experience except with Cannon printers.

    Best, and thank you.
    FA4
    "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

  • #2
    Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

    30 pages/minute with an inkjet? I didn't know those existed for home use.

    Do you have the room for a new inkjet and a new B&W laser?

    As for wirelessly, as you may know, there are three ways this can happen: The printer can have its own wifi capability; or the printer is plugged directly into your router (if it has the capability and is physically convenient) and so your computer goes wifi to the router and then hardwired to the printer; or you get a wireless print server and plug your non wifi printers into that.

    I've had Epson inkjets, but it got to the point that I used it too infrequently and the head would dry out, so now I have a color laser for when I need color - though, as you may know, the results for anything photo-like is generally not as good as inkjet.

    Also, with your Canon, have you always used Canon cartridges, or compatible ones? IOW, if you like to keep costs down for cartridges, some printers are easier to get good compatibles for than are others.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

      Originally posted by Manchester View Post
      30 pages/minute with an inkjet? I didn't know those existed for home use.

      Do you have the room for a new inkjet and a new B&W laser?

      As for wirelessly, as you may know, there are three ways this can happen: The printer can have its own wifi capability; or the printer is plugged directly into your router (if it has the capability and is physically convenient) and so your computer goes wifi to the router and then hardwired to the printer; or you get a wireless print server and plug your non wifi printers into that.

      I've had Epson inkjets, but it got to the point that I used it too infrequently and the head would dry out, so now I have a color laser for when I need color - though, as you may know, the results for anything photo-like is generally not as good as inkjet.

      Also, with your Canon, have you always used Canon cartridges, or compatible ones? IOW, if you like to keep costs down for cartridges, some printers are easier to get good compatibles for than are others.
      Well, I guess I could be misunderstanding the specs... here's the linkhttp://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/suppor...Specifications maybe it's not an inkjet? Doesn't say anywhere (that I could see immediately). The Cannon rep said it was an inkjet. FWIW, I haven't actually timed it while it's printing. Just an innate fear of it taking forever, you know?

      Incidentally, the model that came after this one was like 21 ppm, which I declined to upgrade, because to me it was more like going backward. Now it's considerably less.

      I do have room for two, but isn't the print quality, even in b&w, better on an inkjet? The print quality in both color and b&w is important to me (though not sure why with the b&w), that's why I was thinking to stay with an inkjet would serve my needs better, but I don't know if I'd be able to notice. I'm kind a picky that way, though.

      I didn't know that about the various ways to print wirelessly, so thanks for the 411. I guess from a convenience point of view I'd like to have a wireless wi-fi capable printer. I don't want to have to plug it into a router or get another device-- isn't that what a printer server is? Had one before and would like to avoid that if possible. All my devices are wireless wi-fi, I like that.

      Yes, with this model, I've always used the Cannon cartridges. The previous model I was able to refill the ink myself saving a ton, couldn't do that with this model.

      I guess speed isn't as important to other people?

      Thanks for the help, Manchester.
      FA4

      PE: Looks like Brother has some fast inkjet printers, but it lists two speeds and I don't understand the difference... do you know what "ISO" stands for?

      Easy to setup Flexible wireless (802.11b/g/n) networking
      Fast print speeds up to 33ppm black and 27ppm color. ISO print speeds up to 12 ppm black and 10 ppm color (ISO/IEC 24734)‡.
      "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

        As far as printing wirelessly -- be careful -- even if the printer has wifi it may not be compatible w/the iOS -- you wouldn't have any problem from your desktop but printing from the iPad/iPhone is another story.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

          Originally posted by kmcg View Post
          As far as printing wirelessly -- be careful -- even if the printer has wifi it may not be compatible w/the iOS -- you wouldn't have any problem from your desktop but printing from the iPad/iPhone is another story.
          Good tip. On hold with Apple now. Maybe they can make a recommendation.
          Thanks,
          FA4

          Well, Apple isn't a good resource for recommending printers. Looks like Brother is fast and is compatible with Cloud, dropbox, ios devices (ipad, ipod, iphone). I don't know how well they hold up, but they look good so far. Isn't it crazy that Apple didn't even know they're compatible with Brother?
          Last edited by finalact4; 08-22-2014, 08:18 AM.
          "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

            ISO is a standards group. It's a way of saying, "Well, we say our printer is THIS fast, but using an ISO test, here are the print-speed numbers."

            Stores that sell printers often have them set up so you can see them do a test print - to check the quality. I switched to laser as soon as the price came down because they are faster, cheaper, and less hassle. And, I think their print quality for text is sharper than inkjet. But of course that's a personal aesthetic thing.

            Originally posted by kmcg View Post
            As far as printing wirelessly -- be careful -- even if the printer has wifi it may not be compatible w/the iOS -- you wouldn't have any problem from your desktop but printing from the iPad/iPhone is another story.
            While I am not a Mac guy, I know this is a real issue. FA4, whatever you buy and wherever you buy it, I'd urge you to check Amazon's reviews. Some printers that get lots of 4 & 5 reviews get 1s from Mac users, "Won't work with my Mac!!!"

            I like Brother laser printers, though I had to also buy a small HP laser because this one software I use was incompatible. I also have a low-end HP color laser printer for when I need to print out color/non-photo stuff. (FYI: Using a color laser for B&W prints can be expensive because (somehow, on some models) when you print B&W, it nevertheless drains some toner from the color cartridges.)

            If you do get a laser, check in advance if you can get good aftermarket/non-OEM brand toner cartridges if you print a lot and $$ is an issue for you.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

              b&w laser printer. with everything going digital though, i don't even use it that much anymore

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

                Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                Hey all:

                I recently bought an Apple iMac desktop and now my Cannon Pixima MP600 inkjet printer (multi use) is not compatible. The reason I've always resisted changing is because this printer prints 30 pages per minute and can hold 120 sheets in its feeder.

                I need/want an inkjet for the graphic/image color print quality as I do have a 12 year old in school that is required to print in color for her school projects.

                I also need to be able to print wirelessly from all Apple products: iPhone, iPad, Macbook Pro, and iMac. I also need it to print on various kinds of paper including photo and possibly specialty papers -- like screen printing for t-shirts and address labels.

                Cannon's replacement model only prints 12.2 ipm (not sure if 'image' makes a difference compared to text only) which is insanely slow. I just don't have the patience to print a screenplay in 10 minutes, though I'm willing to consider alternatives.

                I also want it to hold individual color cartridges and for the black to be 'pigment' not 'dye.'

                If you could make recommendations on products you use that have served you well, I would be grateful. I've always been loyal to brands that have served me well, so I have no other experience except with Cannon printers.

                Best, and thank you.
                FA4
                Just got an HP 8600 printer with my AmEx points and it set up instantly with my Mac and all my Apple stuff wirelessly. Completely compatible.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

                  I am a big fan of Brother laser printers.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

                    Originally posted by keithcalder View Post
                    I am a big fan of Brother laser printers.
                    I am too. The model I use is the HL-2280dw (scanner, copier, printer). Right now Staples has them on sale for $100.

                    http://www.staples.com/Brother-HL-22...nalize=certona

                    Or, if you just want the printer for $80 ...

                    http://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL-227...ther+hl-2270dw

                    Both of these are wireless and two-sided (duplex) printers. I buy after-market toner cartridges for my printer for $12.07 (which includes s/h). But, for those prefer sticking with the manufacturer supplies, the Brother high yield toner is about $43 on Amazon (about 2,600 sheets) -- so that's not bad either.

                    That said, I'm not sure if this is what the OP wanted. These are not graphic printers (like the Pixma) and, though they can be set up to work with Apple products, I don't they come with -- something -- that makes the process automatic. (I'm not an Apple user, so I can't remember the term, but I know my nephew ran into this issue when he bought one of these printers for his iPad.) I should mention that Brother makes other printers that do support the -- whatever -- feature for automatic Apple setup.

                    But as a rock-solid printer that almost never jams, you can hardly beat these models.
                    STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

                      Depending on your finances and layout, you can open up to a whole new world of printers with a little bit of tweaking. I have an Epson R300 and an HP 6MP. (I love the HP printers; they are solid workhorses, and ha'pennies per page to print.)

                      I set up my system so that I have a print router (D-Link) wired to my wireless router (provided by the phone company). The print router feeds to both printers, and I could have up to four printers networked, if I wanted. I'm not a networking guru, though I'm more comfortable than most, but it wasn't that hard to set up.

                      It was just a matter of setting up the drivers on the iMacs to be able to send data wirelessly to the print router. The downside is that my printers are in a different room. I'm not printing every five minutes, plus it's good to get up and stretch now an again.

                      I recently browsed for new printers when I thought my HP was failing. What I discovered is that color laser printers have come way down in price. You might find that you can get a color laser that lets you have the output you want for B&W, but still the color you need for the kids. Plus printouts from the color laser shouldn't smear at the slightest drop of moisture.

                      I think the capacity of the laser toners far exceeds the performance of the inkjets as well, but check that to be sure. This was another reason for me to consider the color laser -- the kids sure do love their color printouts, and inkjet cartridges are pricey.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

                        Okay, so this is what I've done so far...

                        I went to Best Buy because I wanted to check out the HP 8600 that Bob had recommended. It was considerably larger and about $30 more. Now, I'm not opposed to spending more money if the quality is better, and it very well could be, but I did notice that the new model HP 8610 didn't have the ability to print on CDs and DVDs. I think this might be a great way to give Christmas and Birthday gifts to loved ones, though I'm not sure, yet.

                        So, I opted for the much smaller Brother MFC-J875DW. It was about $120 which was $169.98 on Amazon-- don't be fooled people with Amazon Prime, they still build freight into the cost of goods.

                        The Pros: Complete set up took under an hour, about 45 min.

                        It's small. Has an easy to use touch screen menu panel, which I'm certain is one of the reasons it costs more. The set up was easy, it basically walks you through what you need to do right on the screen. Tells you where to locate the drivers that can be downloaded from the website, which I did. Easy peasy.

                        All I did was plug it into the wall. Once I downloaded the drivers from the website (the CD provided was not up to date on the latest OS X for apple). And BAM, I could print from both the imac and macbook. I'm sure this is probably similar to what I could expect from the HP as well.

                        Next, I touched the Wi-Fi icon on the touch screen and it found a few SSIDs and I touched mine, and entered the network key, which it promptly told me was incorrect. I tried two times on the imac and macbook. Both returned the same error message, but it didn't seem to matter, because the wireless connection worked immediately-- not sure if that is a good or bad thing.

                        Then, I pulled out my iphone and downloaded the iprint/iscan app from the app store and was able to send print documents from my iphone and ipad immediately a minute later. I even downloaded the app in my bedroom (furthest point from my printer) and then sent an email to print. It was printed by the time I got to the printer.

                        The quality and speed of the black & white printing-- tested email and a script-- seems to be equal to my Pixima.

                        Duplex printing.

                        The control center icon is immediately present on my dock.

                        Test page color printed out vibrant.

                        The Cons: In comparison to what I know-- Pixima MP-600 which I'm keeping for reasons below.

                        It's louder. This might be because it's now closer to me, but it seems a lot louder than my Pixima-- the reviews said it was quiet, so I'm not sure what those customers had before, but know I don't want one of those. =)

                        One of the comments over and over on the reviews was that it uses considerably less ink, which I thought was a plus until I printed in color. And I'm not yet certain if this is a deal breaker or not yet... it's considerably lighter and faded.

                        I did notice it immediately without comparing the print to another one printed with the Pixima, but then I pulled out a jpg image which has the entire page as a light blue background and both the blue and the black are several shades lighter than the Pixima. Even the Pixima was already less vibrant than what you see on the computer screen. Maybe this is a setting specifically for standard printing to save ink? I noticed that almost every email I have now has embedded color images. I don't need them to be vibrant necessarily, but I definitely would like to be able to change it if I want to, right?

                        I saw some where on line that the faded could be from the ink freezing? Not sure that's what's going on here-- I suspect it has more to do with inksaving mode.

                        It's supposed to be able to print faster when it's in *fast* mode, but I am unable to find a way to get into the color print settings, if they exist. I also cannot alter the eco mode of printing.

                        When I try to access *device settings* it tells me A file cannot be found please re-install the MFL-Pro Suite. (CC035). I re-installed and the same error message continues to pop up each time I try to configure my device settings. Maybe this has something to do with my recent (day or so) Apple update?

                        When I went to use the CD to load the software (after the error message issue), I notice that there wasn't a printer cable included. What? So I used the one from my Pixima, which did come with the printer. What if it was my first purchase? It doesn't say anywhere on the box that you need something that is *not included.* That just sucks, and is poor planning. It even has it omitted in the components list.

                        Support is only available M-F 9am-8pm eastern time. I mean, aren't they a big corporation? I would think that a good percentage of purchases are made on the weekends, and they don't have anyone you can contact? What about the poor folk in California time zone? 8pm here is 5pm there, still business hours, right?

                        So, I guess I'll shelve this until Monday. I'm so used to all the great online support you get with MacForums that it's disappointing that a company that doesn't offer 24/7 support doesn't have the same. The online troubleshooting information is less than ideal, imo.

                        I want to thank everyone for their comments. There were all very helpful.

                        EdFury, if you check back, can you comment on the color print quality of the HP 8600?

                        I didn't realize there was so much to printers-- not looking forward to trying to print a photo.

                        Until next time...
                        FA4
                        "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: New Printer Purchase -- What Do You Use?

                          Originally posted by EdFury View Post
                          Just got an HP 8600 printer with my AmEx points and it set up instantly with my Mac and all my Apple stuff wirelessly. Completely compatible.
                          Hey, if it works for you, great.

                          But here is why I stay away from most inkjet printers in general; HP inkjets in particular; and why I use my color laser printer only when I am printing a color doc (stick with a B&W laser printer for B&W docs)... Here is a portion of an Amazon review from an ANGRY user of an HP 8600 -

                          >> 1.0 out of 5 stars - - - BUYER BEWARE!!!! DO NOT BUY HP's OFFICEJET 8600 PRINTER!!, July 12, 2013
                          By The Gibster "gibb8924"
                          * * *

                          1. Each time you install a new inkjet cartridge the printer goes through a "printer initializing" process. During this process the program sucks 10% of the remaining ink cartridges installed. So if you replace each of the four cartridges over a one week period without printing a single page each of the remaining cartridges will contain 30% less ink once the last cartridge is installed. This means that you basically have to replace all cartridges at the same time unless you don't mind wasting 30% of your ink.


                          2. The MOST FRUSTRATING PART OF THIS PRINTER is the fact that you CANNOT PRINT unless all cartridges are full.

                          So I am getting ready for a critical meeting in 1 hour, I need to print a multi-million dollar proposal for my top client for this meeting. I know I have plenty of black ink because I installed a new cartridge yesterday. I go to print this important document and the printer WILL NOT PRINT MY BLACK AND WHITE DOCUMENT BECAUSE THE CYAN INK was now out of ink! Now I know for a fact that this Cyan printer cartridge contained at least 10% ink when I installed the new black ink cartridge because a ran the printer report. So now I am panicking and grab another Cyan ink cartridge that I know contained 20% of ink remaining when I replaced it. It once again goes through it "printer initializing" process and now it won't print my BLACK AND WHITE DOCUMENT because the yellow ink is now gone!!! Keep in mind the yellow ink had a little less than a 1/4 of its ink remaining before I replaced the Black ink cartridge. Now after replacing the Cyan cartridge now the yellow ink gone so I again replace it with a used cartridge that had about 1/4 remaining but after this initializing process now all color ink cartridges are completely empty. Keep in mind, during this time I haven't been able to PRINT a single document since replacing the Black cartridge the previous day. So now I am completely out of three ink cartridges all because I changed out three cartridges.


                          [Link to the entire rant/review]
                          I will add, re: my HP Color LaserJet CP1215 - The B&W prints from it are gorgeous. Especially when I print a business letter that includes my letterhead graphic. The whole thing looks like it was printed by a print shop.

                          Also, while you have to dig a bit to find it, in the HP software for this laser printer: There is a way to "let" it print even when it says one of the color cartridges is low. IOW, if RED is low, I can still print a B&W letter.

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