www.printersforschools.org

[buzzard]

Has anyone had any experiance of these? I have an IT Teacher causing me issues wanting to use these..... I've flagged up a few issue sin there sample T&C (the main being i can't touch them - a good thing )

 

Any views in general on this would be good!

 

Thanks

[PEO]

looks intresting... Have you given them a call?

[nadeem]

There's other places that do this, on easier terms.

 

I spoke to one yesterday which will give you "free" HP Colour Laserjet 2600N if you buy two sets of toners - doesn't seem to be any other conditions

 

You could try speaking to them

 

Nick Ridewood

[email protected]

01458 271364

 

(and just in case it makes any difference you could say that you got the number from Nadeem @ Heythrop College) I have no connection to them apart from I'm about to become a customer.

[dhicks]

I've flagged up a few issue sin there sample T&C (the main being i can't touch them - a good thing )

 

A very good thing :-) I think I've heard of this company, or ones very like it, before. Seems reasonably fair - you understand you're obviously not getting something for nothing, naturally, you have a contract with them to buy toner. If I read their website correctly, support is via telephone - if your printer conks out you might be a little while until anyone can get to you to fix it, and that might cost you extra. In my experience, telephone support for printers isn't going to be much help - you need someone with the appropriate replacement part to get to you as soon as possible, that's all. The printers offered all look like mid-range lasers.

 

Personally, I'd go for a proper grown-up maintenance contract with a printer / copier hire company that provides full support. No messing around, everyone knows what they're getting for their money, no pretending you're getting a "free" printer.

 

--

David Hicks

[Michael]

To be honest, from a consumer perspective it looks great. A free printer, but just how much are the toner? Are you required to buy a minimum quantity per year? And are you tied into a minimum number of years?

 

The answer to all these are probably yes, so I suggest you make some calls and do some maths

[MrEprise]

If those printers as shown on their website are the ones they're offering, i'd be very cautious about signing up for their printers.

 

We bought 6 of these (konica minolta magicolor 2430dl) back in mid 2005 for our admin staff when we decided to switch to printing letters with colour letterheads and we had no end of various problems with them, with us even resorting to contacting konica minolta - while quite helpful - kept sending out engineers to repair parts of the printers which then kept breaking again.

 

A year later we just decided to bin all 6 of them and buy replacement HP Color Laserjet 2600n printers. Since putting them in - apart from replacing toners - we haven't heard so much of a peep from admin staff regarding printer breakdowns.

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention, toners are at least £80 for each colour, £50 for the black.

Edited June 27, 2008 by MrEprise
Adding more info.

[buzzard]

thanks for the replies, the things I have picked up initially from there T&C are as follows

 

"6(d) Ensure that adequate insurance cover is provided for the equipment during

the period of this agreement for the value stated on the schedule. This insurance must cover any loss or damage to the equipment howsoever incurred.

Proof of this insurance to be supplied to the Owner upon request"

 

6(g) Only use parts or consumables supplied by the owner of the equipment.

 

12. The Hirer shall be responsible for the Owners reasonable charges for any

repairs as a result of improper use or other damage other that fair wear & tear.

 

7. During the continuance of the hiring the Hirer shall also purchase consumable

items set out in the schedule to this Agreement in accordance with the

following:-

(a) The Hirer will be responsible for the purchase of the number and type of

consumables set out in the Schedule.

(d) The purchase of these consumables will be within the time periods stated in

the schedule.

 

From my figures the school doesn't print a great deal and if they have to buy a set of toners every X then they will have a stack of toners doing nothing.

 

We support several units across the county and hav a generally common set of printers, It would be a better idea if I just bought in bulk and then recharged the units then subcontracting it out....... but I like some of the suggestions made in here

 

Thanks

[dgsmith]

As a school on a similar scheme, I think i'm in a good position to give my view. We have 2 contract printers with LnL (LNL Printers and Consumables), namely, a KM 5430DL and a KM 5450DL. In terms of support, we have ever only needed someone to come on site once to replace the LCD screen (didn't cost us anything), and they came within 2-3 days.

 

We regard the latter printer one of (if not, the) best printers in the school, in terms of financial economy (we're only buying the toners afterall, which last ages and are excellent value per page), reliaibility (only 1 callout - for something minor), and speed/quality (which, we can't fault).

 

Contracts change all the time, and I am unaware of what the current contract states, however when we got our printers (2 years apart), we were fine with it, and are fine now. Although you must under the contract buy from them, they endeavour to beat any price, and contrary to what I have read here, you aren't required to buy X amount every month; we have bought 1 set for this year for our 5450DL and no problems have arisen from this.

 

Bear in mind this is our experiebce with this particular company, and contracts/printers/support etc could be completely different with another company offering this.

[contink]

Given that you don't print that much you'd probably not benefit from this sort of arrangement..

 

I'm not 100% convinced that you would even if you were a school that did, because if you used too much you'd have to buy from them too and there's no guarantee you'd get that at market prices.

 

Add to that there's a big question as to the reliability of the toner they're using... Probably one of those where it's better to wait for others of repute to try it and find out for you

[ninjabeaver]

There's other places that do this, on easier terms.

 

I spoke to one yesterday which will give you "free" HP Colour Laserjet 2600N if you buy two sets of toners - doesn't seem to be any other conditions

 

You could try speaking to them

 

Nick Ridewood

[email protected]

01458 271364

 

(and just in case it makes any difference you could say that you got the number from Nadeem @ Heythrop College) I have no connection to them apart from I'm about to become a customer.

 

Do a forum search on here for InkJets and Toners (IJT). They are one and the same company. I only buy OEM colour toners now. Mono are OK, but got a duff one from the latest batch to send back to them here.

[nadeem]

Do a forum search on here for InkJets and Toners (IJT). They are one and the same company. I only buy OEM colour toners now. Mono are OK, but got a duff one from the latest batch to send back to them here.

 

Hmm, maybe I'll reconsider

 

The free HP2600N requires buying two sets of toners which is around £280 and buying a HP2600N with the HP toner in it to start is only £140 anyway. So actually I could get 2 printers for the same money anyway!!!

 

I can see myself ending up with lots of printers and still needing toner!!!