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Epson Printer Problems?

yippy

yippy

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 14, 2004
2,087
3
Chicago, IL
Has anyone had any problems with Epson printer heads clogging? I have heard they are pron to do this because you don't get a new print head when you buy a cartridge. Is this true.

Right now I am looking for a good printer/scanner for light home use. It will often go a few weeks without printing anything and then I will need it to print some good quality photos, preferibly without doing a head clean (like I have to with my current Epson C60).

Any recomendations on printers?

Thanks
 
I think you'll find quite a few threads on this topic. :D

I've had 3 HP DeskJet printers, 1 Epson Stylus Color and 2 Epson Stylus CX all-in-one models.

I'm really happy with the all-in-one models from Epson for everyday printing and some light photo printing. They do clog when you don't use them often.

I've heard many good things about Canon's printers and now have an i9900 for large format photos and it seems great. Their booklet warns of clogging. :D

The only thing I can say definitely is to not buy Lexmark. I've got one in the other room. My parents' model went to the trash.
 
I have a Canon S900 which I really like - except that it clogs or dries up or whatever if it hasn't been used in a while. Still, it works well for me, aside from that.

It's one of the 6-cartridge printers. While, in theory, that saves you from wasting ink, in practice, at least for me, the cartridges go at roughly the same pace - 2 years after buying it, I've yet to be even one cartridge "ahead" in any of the colors - I buy all six at once, and they all go within a week of each other.
 
Sounds like I might just have to deal with it clogging. So do any printers have the head replaced with the cartridge?
 
I have a Epson C84 and an Epson COLOR 740 that have never had any problems with clogging. Though I had a Epson C60 that broke because a shard of glass got stuck in the paper feed.(long story that I don't really want to explain....)
 
yippy said:
Sounds like I might just have to deal with it clogging. So do any printers have the head replaced with the cartridge?
Click to expand...

As far as I know, HP is the only company that does that. It's ecologically unsound and it's expensive, but it works.
 
bousozoku said:
As far as I know, HP is the only company that does that. It's ecologically unsound and it's expensive, but it works.
Click to expand...

yes i read somewhere that hp printer heads were part of the ink cartridge. In epsons and canon they were not thus clog up easier. That is why HPs in general cost more than epsons and hps.
 
The only issue I had was when i put in "too" much paper. Lucky for me the store replaced it as a defective unit.

Other wise I am a an Epson man through and through...
 
I have owned a Stylus Photo 700. Had that for a couple years, then upgraded to a Stylus Photo 870. Replaced that with a Stylus Photo 785epx that I won from an Epson reseller program.

I have been impressed with the entire line. As far as clogging goes, it happened ever once in a while on the SP700 (old school), not too often on the SP870, and even less on the sp785epx. Even letting it sit for weeks will seldom clog a nozzle. Its wierd, I used to shut down my SP758EPX thinking that it would further prevent clogs, but have been leaving it on for the last few months and have had ZERO clogs at all. I dont know if it cleans itself when Im not looking or what.

My mother in law just got an Epson Picturemate because she doesnt have a computer set up yet and will be doing mostly snapshot sized photos when she does. It uses the some of the tech from the RXXX series of printers. It is quiet, and the output is incredible. It makes me jelous, and has given me upgrade fever :D
 
Recommend the Epson Stylus 2100

Hi there Yipee....if you're interested in printing high-quality photos then the multifunctionals are probably not going to do it for you. Although you get (usually) the convenience of 3 capabilities rolled into the one unit - the trade of is generally in the quality & resolution of the [photo] prints & also the dpi quality in the scanner.
I've been using the Espon Stylus 2100 now for the past year and have been very happy with the quality, not to mention the flexibility in the size of prints, I am able to print all sizes - anything up to Super A3+.
Also, the 2100 has seven chrome-based ink cartridges which I prefer re; minimises wastage of ink - & the type of ink it uses is guaranteed for 25 years (more in some instances, but worth checking out their website for more info on this).
I have my own (part-time) photography business & have been putting the 2100 thru its paces over the past 12 months.....& have experienced no dramas with the printer - yet (fingers crossed ;) )

Weight up the need for high quality resolution/size you want to print or scan -v- the convenience (& cheaper cost) of a multifunctional.

Hope this helps :)
 
With the new epson photo printers that use 6 individual cartridges, do you notice that photos use more of one or two color faster? Or do all the colors generally run out at the same time?
 
bnemesis said:
With the new epson photo printers that use 6 individual cartridges, do you notice that photos use more of one or two color faster? Or do all the colors generally run out at the same time?
Click to expand...

Well, mine has 7 ink cartridges...and I find that depending on the "style" of photos I'm printing I will use certain colours faster than others (eg; beach photos tend to consume more cyan/magenta compared to the other inks; & I've only had to change the yellow ink cartridge twice since using the printer during the last 12 months; with DVD covers I tend to use up the light & photo black quicker than the rest).

It pays to have a couple of spares for each colour on hand, 'cause the cartridges don't run out of ink at the same time.....& when you run out of ink - Murphy's Law states it'll usually be at 2am in the morning ;)
 
Thats good to know.
I was looking at buying a R200 which has 6 carts. To buy all of them at once would be $70+ (which sucks for a $99 printer).

Its good to know that they tend to run out at differant times.
 
gottalaugh said:
Hi there Yipee....if you're interested in printing high-quality photos then the multifunctionals are probably not going to do it for you. Although you get (usually) the convenience of 3 capabilities rolled into the one unit - the trade of is generally in the quality & resolution of the [photo] prints & also the dpi quality in the scanner.
...
Click to expand...

You might be surprised how well the Epson all-in-one units work. Also, remember that they come in photo versions. Being able to print directly from your camera's flash card is quite helpful for many.
 
The printer is actualy for my family (I am moving out), and the biggest problem that we have with printers is the ink heads clogging because we don't use them often enough, then you have to clean the heads twice, wasting a lot ink.

The reason for the all-in-one is that desk space by the computer is a premium. We don't realy have the room for separate printer scanner.

Thanks
 
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