Computers & Electronics

should i buy ink for inkjet or buy a laser printer?

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  • Dec 2nd, 2004 1:39 am
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Banned
Jan 11, 2004
19816 posts
572 upvotes

should i buy ink for inkjet or buy a laser printer?

the ink finally ran out on my HP842 (after about 2 years)... replacement cartridges cost 80bux for 2..but i can get a new laser printer for like 150... so what should i do? 2 cartridges will last me a while but they only have shelf life of 2 years so i may not be able to use it up. and i feel ripped off paying 80bux for ink when 150 gets me a laser

i see remanufactured cartridges for cheaper (not much.. 30bux each so 60 for two) but i've read they are generally not good quality and have shorter service life than original.
22 replies
Deal Addict
Sep 8, 2004
2197 posts
Let's talk about cost per page and compare the ink vs laser. Laser wins hands down.

You generally pay more for per laser cartridge, but the cartridge can print substantially more. And prints faster in most cases.

Go laser.
Banned
Dec 13, 2003
951 posts
2 upvotes
Just replace with some aftermarket Ink Cartridges, I bought my Epson 670 stylus back in 2000 and have never bought epson INK for it just the cheaper stuff, wich has given me no problems at all.

gilboman wrote:the ink finally ran out on my HP842 (after about 2 years)... replacement cartridges cost 80bux for 2..but i can get a new laser printer for like 150... so what should i do? 2 cartridges will last me a while but they only have shelf life of 2 years so i may not be able to use it up. and i feel ripped off paying 80bux for ink when 150 gets me a laser

i see remanufactured cartridges for cheaper (not much.. 30bux each so 60 for two) but i've read they are generally not good quality and have shorter service life than original.
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2004
38383 posts
12008 upvotes
East Gwillimbury
If you need colour. The choice is obvious. But I would go for a laser, I have an HP Laserjet 4050 which I purchased 5 years ago. I am a low volume printer. I just changed the cartridge a few days ago.

The cartridge cost me $127 for an original cartridge. Not a remanufactured one.

But I was able to yield just over 10,000 pages from my old cartridge in 5 years.

Toner does not go bad like Ink
Banned
Jan 11, 2004
19816 posts
572 upvotes
i dont print in color anyways since the quality isnt that great and the color ink uses up so quick.

well i'm looking at a futureshop samsung one for 130 after mail in rebate..but the toner it comes with will only last 1000pages...replacement toners will last 3000 pages and is like 70bux so basically its 80 bux for 1,000 ink jet pages or 130 for first 1,000 laser pages
Member
Aug 4, 2003
223 posts
49 upvotes
I was in the same situation you were in and I went with lazer. I have a Samsung 1710 and it was a very good investment. I run off over 50 b/w dvd covers with it as well as stacks of text for school. The first toner thing lasted about a year. Instead of getting a replacement for 100 bucks I went to a little shop and got a refilled one for about 60. I know thats a ripoff for a refill but it was a lot cheaper than buying a new one plus the guy cleaned the drums and everything making perfect prints.
Deal Addict
Sep 8, 2004
2197 posts
gilboman wrote:i dont print in color anyways since the quality isnt that great and the color ink uses up so quick.

well i'm looking at a futureshop samsung one for 130 after mail in rebate..but the toner it comes with will only last 1000pages...replacement toners will last 3000 pages and is like 70bux so basically its 80 bux for 1,000 ink jet pages or 130 for first 1,000 laser pages

The quality of the print should be better on laser, matching that of a professional studio for text. You cannot match that using an inkjet.
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User avatar
Apr 26, 2001
2724 posts
37 upvotes
Eastern and NW Ontar…
Same dilemma for me when daughter left for school and I gave her the home inkjet. I got the HP 1012 with the idea I'd pick up another cheap inkjet for colour later but haven't done it.

We're very happy with the hp lazer.

You should buy/order the no name cartridges for your inkjet if you keep it.

I had a problem with my new epson cartridge and found out there's NO warranty on their own cartridges so thats the last 50 buck ink cartridge I'll ever buy or an Epson. The noname ones mostly carry a 30 day warranty.
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Deal Guru
Mar 30, 2002
12415 posts
10 upvotes
Laser....about 1.5 toners got me through 4 years of university and that included lots of printing for my roomies. You also don't have to worry about how long the ink has been in there and if it's drying up.
:hay:

[You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.]
Deal Expert
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Sep 19, 2004
26761 posts
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where I belong
<a href=../AffiliateAdmin/redirectpage.php?linkid=78 target=_blank><a href=../AffiliateAdmin/redirectpage.php?linkid=78 target=_blank>eBay</a></a> always have cheap inks, if you want to check it out first

I have 2 Brother HL-1030 laser printers at home......... so Laser all the way for me. If I need colour, just find a cheap one off newsgroup fast
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Deal Guru
User avatar
Dec 3, 2003
14494 posts
252 upvotes
Mississauga
The other issue thats overlooked on inkjet is, if u only porint a bit of colour, the colour ink may dry up. Most printers won't let u print black, if the colour dries up. Its another scam from the printer co's. THey make $0 on the hardware, they make it all back on teh consumables.

Incidentally, the same holds true for Xbox.
MS makes nothing on the box, they make all their money on the games/accessories
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Newbie
User avatar
Nov 13, 2003
89 posts
Calgary
If it took you 2 years to go through an HP #15 black ink cart (one of the smallest there is) your money is far better spent on Laser. You must go weeks at a time without printing; as has been mentioned, toner won't dry up and clog on you...the choice is clear.
Deal Guru
Mar 30, 2002
12415 posts
10 upvotes
BTW, there's a Samsung laser printer posted in hot deals for $85 after PM, not sure how valid it is.
:hay:

[You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.]
Deal Addict
User avatar
Oct 12, 2001
3625 posts
97 upvotes
But the HP cartridges don't seem to dry up as some other makes.
What the H E double hockey sticks have I done now?
Sr. Member
User avatar
Nov 15, 2004
778 posts
3 upvotes
mlc2000 wrote:The other issue thats overlooked on inkjet is, if u only porint a bit of colour, the colour ink may dry up. Most printers won't let u print black, if the colour dries up. Its another scam from the printer co's. THey make $0 on the hardware, they make it all back on teh consumables.

Incidentally, the same holds true for Xbox.
MS makes nothing on the box, they make all their money on the games/accessories
Yeah, if u notice some of the new printer coming out, their toners are only halve. Our office got a samsung 1740 and the toner last for about two weeks. I bet they do that b/c the pritners are so cheap, ppl might get the idea of just buy the printer whenever they ran out of ink :) .
Member
User avatar
Jul 15, 2003
246 posts
BC
I personnaly prefer inket b/c it has the option of color printing
My costs for the Canon s750 (older version of the i550)

Black approx 330 pages $5 from <a href=autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=78 target=_blank>eBay</a>(incl shipping) or ~ $8 generic from local
Color x 3 = same as black

So the black works out to roughly $0.015 - $0.024 per page
That is what I print the majority of the time

Only use for color is the occasional picture, logo, greeting card, but it is nice to have the option. The only time I've wanted to go laser is so the text won't smudge when you highlight it and it is waterproof.
Banned
Dec 13, 2003
951 posts
2 upvotes
Yeah I am going to stick with my 5yr old Epson 670, still works great. I also use Inksaver 2.0 and that works amazing and saves you money!!!!
Newbie
User avatar
Nov 13, 2003
89 posts
Calgary
jed wrote:But the HP cartridges don't seem to dry up as some other makes.
I think you're right, they do seem to be better, certainly better than any Epson I have left without printing for weeks at a time; and when they do clog the printer can easiily be returned to operation by replacing the printhead that comes with a new cartridge. I still wouldn't recommend inkjet unless a person expects to print regularly...
Sr. Member
Apr 26, 2004
611 posts
I went with Laser because I don't print that often.

Inkjet dry out too fast for my need. Plus I don't really need colour...

Just my two cents
Member
Jan 7, 2004
487 posts
1 upvote
jed wrote:But the HP cartridges don't seem to dry up as some other makes.
Thats right they dont, they are seal units, unlike canon/epson. + HP cartridges have a 6 months warrenty.

Jus buy the new toner for ur printer man. DONT buy the cheap samsung.....HPs are far more reliable, it lasted u long already, what more can u ask, replace the cartridge and be happy.

The samsung will break on u

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