Re: Cheap to run ink jet?
 

Yes I use a mono laser for nearly all my b&w printing and it is far cheaper than even refilling my ink cartridges. I did consider a colour laser some time back but I don't think the cheaper versions print photos very well and that's what I'd be using a colour inkjet mainly for. I've stayed with my Lexmark until now as I've been able to quickly and easily refill the ink cartridges but it's getting to the point where I want better photo output. Bit of a quandary really....

Re: Cheap to run ink jet?
 

As the above have said, branded inkjet cartridges is the easiest format for the printer ink manufacturing companies to print money in the first place. I like the part they say in the instructions "always use the same branded ink as your printer for best results" In another words pay our rip off prices for your ink, other wise maybe you printer will stop function, most times very false fact! :td:

If you want a long term printer Colour/Mono laser is the cheapest, it has the longer shelf life compared to 'wet liquid inkjet cartridges'.

Life span of laser vs inkjet
# Laser cartridge (powdered ink crystals -heat activated) = 3 years Average print count : @1500 for refill

# Inkjet cartridge (wet liquid ink though a filter mesh) = @3 months max Average print count : @357 (brother inkjet)

I can tell you for a fact if you live in/have (summer) a hot climate or humid part of the world, that pricey 'inkjet cartridge' will be a plastic weight in a few day from the ink drying out in the filter mesh hence unusable- yes person/s have tried to put a few holes on the mesh but all that does is leak all the still 'liquid ink' out of the cartridge = useless & still useless after. Can I say that I go far back using printers since the early days of 12 pin parallel dot-matrix printers with a early windows 3.1 microsoft.

Laser toner is "crystals" after all, so no drying out, no need for water to keep it usable like 'inkjet liquid'. It may be more like wise in once off buy of the machine, first toner & drum but the "laser printer" will pay for it's self over a few years or more using refill kits & re-manufactured drums not using OEM toner & drum. Take my word for it I use a Brother DCP7010 (mono) for over 5 years - 4 1/2 years of using toner refill & remanufatured drums. It normally works as (normal mid level detail use) 2 toner refills to one drum replacement. Did I say using remanufatured parts save you over 50% in prices over OEM parts, there the same but reworked hence you are recycling some of the IT waste /reusing that we use to throw away.

Anyhow look at this thread I posted & added to for the same reason the first poster wanteed to know:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/19...mendation.html + page heavy (4 pages full)

To add I know there other printer methods out there but laser, inkjet are the most popular as to price of usage & replacement items.

I hope my input helps
Toonlight :dunce:

Re: Cheap to run ink jet?
 

Luxury!!! My first business printer was a Brother HR20 daisywheel which cost me IIRC £399 back in 1986 and printed at the astonishing rate of 22cps! In fact it ate daisywheels faster than it printed...... ;)

Thanks for the rest of your post too BTW.. :)