Kyocera printers

[gshaw]

Our HP fleet are getting on a bit now (P3005s and 2420s mainly) so before we continue the status quo I'm checking out the other options to see what's available. Had a look at some Kyoceras the other day, FS-3920DN model. Just wondering what they're like on...

 

• reliability
  
• drivers
  
• noise
  
• energy efficiency
  

If you believe the blurb they're faster, more energy efficient and less bits to service \ go wrong than the equivalent HP but I'd rather hear some real life experiences than something from the sales sheet

Edited July 5, 2012 by gshaw

[Davit2005]

Drivers can be a bit interesting, had some real strange problems like PowerPoint printing in Black and White instead of colour from the same machine to an identical make/model.

[jamesfed]

We have some networked at our site and have only ever had troubles with them, the driver is mahoosive at about 50MB and is a right pain to deploy.

I find the GUI/buttons on the photocopier its self to be quite unintuative as well.

 

But on noise/reliability all fine with no real issues other than the usal jams you get

 

IMO we have Ricoh at a Primary School we do work for and I can't wait for the lease on ours to be up so I can get them at our site as well.

[korova_blue]

We have a couple of Kyocera FS-C5150DN on site. They are OK, but there is no way (that I've found) to get them to default to black and white printing for each user profile, which is what the IT department here prefer to save toner. With the HPs you could at least use their driver config tools to reset the defaults to the desired settings for all users.

[brownbread]

Alternative is Utax. Simular pricing but cheaper cost per click.

 

Utax dealer that can prob give you a like 4 like quote try googling utax photocopiers company called esol

[jmak]

We have 2 fairly new Kyoceras in our infant school which replaced earlier models from the same manufacturer. The multifunction printer which serves as the main printer for all teachers and pupils had run up 1,000,000 pages in two and a half years and was really struggling - we had engineer visits most weeks. Our (very helpful supplier) replaced it early - for their benefit and ours. WRT day to day use, they do seem to be very sensitive to driver issues. We had problems last week, which I think were down to having a different driver on one PC. This solved the problem, but still not 100% sure what the actual problem was. Everything's OK now, but our County patch engineer reports anecdotal evidence of unspecified problems at other schools in the region. We used to deploy the printers by log in script, but now do it through group policy (Server 2k8 and win7 clients).

 

WRT B&W default for printing, we create "virtual" printers and redirect. Users see 2 printers in their list - one is listed as B&W, the other Colour. We then set the defaults in the driver - users just have to select the appropriate printer (B&W default for all) and don't have to worry about settings.

[SHimmer45]

we have FS3920's and had them from when they were pretty much released. in terms of specification cost of toner TCO etc they come out alot better than HP or Epson.

HOWEVER some of the early ones we have had issues where the network print servers stop responding and need the printer needs to be restarted (we contact kyocera about this but said it was a network issue) the newer ones which we brought dont appear to exhibit the problem however we are relying on people reporting issues.

(i believe newer firmwares have resolved the problem)

Kyocera support it pretty decent as you can actually speak to the chaps in the technical side and they are happy to talk via email without support calls.

however things like firmware upgrades and the like are supposed to be done by engineers (as they recommend) flashing the firmware is pretty straight forward if you can get the upgrade.

 

IMO they are not a patch on the older FS1800/1900/1920 in terms setting it up and leaving it, i have had to replace main charger units on a couple of FS3920's @around 30,000 where as the older FS1800's etc regularly doing 100,000+ without needing any attention. In this respect the newer models are a step backward as they dont seem to be as bullet proof.

 

The newer KMNet tools etc are straight forward as well if you need to do any management which you dont want to do over the web interface (on thing imo has improved)

Driver is a little larger than some but has support for 2k8 even for the old printers which i think is great. (i think the KDPL drivers are smaller but generally just use the default KX driver)

[MatthewL]

Personally I think they are awful machines and would stick the HP route. I also think the quality the devices produce is poor and would not recommend but that is my view.

[john]

Must admit not been impressed by Kyo kit when I have looked at it (or its re-badged siblings). I'm sticking with my HP LaserJets from the ark (feel like @SimpleSi saying that!) but they do just work and are usually fairly bullet proof. Drivers a bit qwerky at times but meh I've had worse!

 

Had a misfortune of some Kyocera copiers at one job, all I can say is they need to stick to knives as copiers were no good at all!

[brownbread]

Could always go with Canon Photocopiers, pretty much the top dog

[SYNACK]

I like my HP gear, the drivers are actually the least hassle of any of them for me. Had both good and shocking drivers from Canon and Ricoh, when they are good, they're great but when they go bad eep.

[gshaw]

This is exactly the kind of feedback I was after, thanks all

 

I think we'll be sticking with our HP's in that case. I've got a good compatible toner \ servicing deal that's reduced printing costs and keeps them alive when needing TLC so I think best to stick with what we know...

[PotNoodleTech]

I have stuck with HP over the last 10 years, but that is not because I am a sheep. I have tried out printers/copiers from Brother, Kyocera, Minolta, Lexmark, Dell, Toshiba, Infotec too. None of them can hold a candle to HP in terms of overall reliability and an overall package.

 

I've still got some medium-end HP printers under heavy use that are 7 years old (they are being replaced this summer) but they've been pushing out sheet after sheet day after day in ICT suites for 7 years with no maintenance kit or any kind of maintenance (apart from a new fuser for one of them in year 6). You simply won't get that from the manufacturers listed above. I don't care what they promise, I don't care how cheap the toner is, I don't care how eco friendly they claim to be.

 

Yes, you pay more for consumables with HP - but they keep printing. And when I buy a printer, it's main job in life is to "just keep printing" no matter what.

 

Good luck if you do replace your HP fleet with Kyocera's. I hereby reserve the right to say I told you so in a year or two

[SYNACK]

Eep, don't even get me started on Toshiba printers, I have stories, teeeeerrrrrrrrible stories.

[gshaw]

I have stuck with HP over the last 10 years, but that is not because I am a sheep. I have tried out printers/copiers from Brother, Kyocera, Minolta, Lexmark, Dell, Toshiba, Infotec too. None of them can hold a candle to HP in terms of overall reliability and an overall package.

 

I've still got some medium-end HP printers under heavy use that are 7 years old (they are being replaced this summer) but they've been pushing out sheet after sheet day after day in ICT suites for 7 years with no maintenance kit or any kind of maintenance (apart from a new fuser for one of them in year 6). You simply won't get that from the manufacturers listed above. I don't care what they promise, I don't care how cheap the toner is, I don't care how eco friendly they claim to be.

 

 

Yup most of ours are that kind of age as well, the only thing we go through is pickup rollers but once you get the part number they're easy to self-replace. I'm staying firmly put!

[Bezwick]

We had HP printers around the School for years then these guys offered us a deal on Kyocera FS C5350DN printers. If we agree to buy at least two full toner sets off them a year we can have the printers for free and they will provide us with next day onsite support for them. There is no contract once we have purchased two full sets we can send them back at anytime. We now have 5 of these dotted around the school and they have been working without a hitch for about 18 months now. If your thinking of trying out Kyoceras have a chat to them, if you dont like them you can always just use the two sets and then send them back.

Also we have asked lots of other companies to give us quotes on full toner Sets and Laserlife are selling them the cheapest as well. Not sure how they make their money off the deal must just purely on toner profits.

 

Laserlife - More than, printer repairs

 

Good luck

[brownbread]

we used these guys, http://www.e-sol.co.uk I think they specialise in education.

[MatthewL]

Have a look at the Sharp MFP range, cannot fault them.

[brownbread]

Try UTAX devices, they are becoming increasing popular I've heard.

[john]

Try UTAX devices, they are becoming increasing popular I've heard.

 

They are just Kyocera with another badge unless they have changed partner

[Bananas]

We have a couple of Kyocera FS-C5150DN on site. They are OK, but there is no way (that I've found) to get them to default to black and white printing for each user profile, which is what the IT department here prefer to save toner. With the HPs you could at least use their driver config tools to reset the defaults to the desired settings for all users.

 

It's quite easy you install a second printer called black and white and you set that as default printer instead of the colour one thus they have to change printer driver to print in colour yet all the prints come out in the same place regardless. This is what we've done with our Kyocera beastie which is an excellent printer btw got it below cost price for most sellers.

 

you can also now get 3rd party toners for the Kyocera which work out incredibly cheap!