ChrisH Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 I would like to hear what type of printers people have mostly running at their places and how they handle consumables ie are you big on compatibles or do you use refills etc? Also how they find the printers to run cost wise. We have two Xerox Phaser 8400DP Solid Ink printers in the main ICT rooms. The print quality is excellent with that nice shiny finish but I am finding they are expensive to run. Other older rooms which I havevent managed to replace equipment in have Cheap Epson lasers lasers in typically 5800-6100 models and a C42/44/46 for colour 8O which is abolutely comical watcing them fall over every time a few people try to print at once. The lasers are quite cheap to run but are unreliable and are pretty much non servicable. The inkjets were bought just of the cheap Epson compatibles but that it just a complete false economy and I have tried from day 1 to get rid of them all. We are slowly replacing all these with HP 1100/1200/2800 business inkjets which are far more reliable and come in at a cost that slips in under the radar unlike a colour Laser. We use compatible cartridges and toners mainly from the like of Inkjet and toners. I would eventually like to replace all the Epsons with some second user HP 4100 lasers or similar which I know I can lay my hands on for a little over £100 I think. I will be going this route as money for new ones wont come as fast as needed really. Chris
Dos_Box Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 I highly recommend the HP Business Inkjet range for colour printing. Very econonical.
Geoff Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 For black lasers I recommend the Kyocera Mita's. I think the 1100D is regularly used in Admin offices around here and behaves flawlessly. Its rediciously cheap to run (I don't think I ever changed toner in any of them after 18months working in the schools) and doesn't seem to break either.
RobC Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 Because all of our lasers are dealt with by the managed service, we're predominantly Lexmark here - mainly Optra S1855's & T610's with a couple of T520's for good measure. A lot of departments have decided to get their own colour inkjets though as school won't stump for a colour laser, so we've a mix of Lexmark Z53/55, Epson C46/CX3600 & HP 1220c's. As for carts, we use compatibles for all our inks & toners, all from local suppliers.
MkII Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 HP's for bigger lasers, some Samsung small lasers + I got a deal on the bigger 2151N Samsungs - I bought 12 @ 4 for the price of 3. Some brother lasers that aren't bad. Cheap colour laser: Epson C900N - stupid errors all the time - falls over if it doesn't like the job HP 2300N - prints one page at a time in Excel - known prob with HP - no fix Damn expensive to run - £300 a set iof ink - 1st year I spent £2000 - now departments pay!!! haha! Will consider that Kyocera Geoff. Small inkjets: Canons and Epsons - PITA! - any probs - chuck 'em and buy new - they're just not worth looking at. & HP. Teachers demand colour on thier individual PC's so we have to get inkjets for them.
Geoff Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 Cheap colour laser: Epson C900N - stupid errors all the time - falls over if it doesn't like the job the C900 is truely terrible. The C1900 is a vast improvement though. I have the C1900 in several schools working without issue. The next model up after the C1900 (2300?) also sucks donkey extremities.
ChrisH Posted June 24, 2005 Author Posted June 24, 2005 A few of our Kyoceras have started eating paper on longer runs. An initial inspection has found nothing wrong with them and the rollers look in decent nick so maybe a closer inspection is needed. I have been replacing them with HP 4250 and the like.
ninjabeaver Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 A few of our Kyoceras have started eating paper on longer runs. An initial inspection has found nothing wrong with them and the rollers look in decent nick so maybe a closer inspection is needed. I have been replacing them with HP 4250 and the like. You may find that all the rubber is going smooth and not gripping the paper one sheet at a time anymore. This is caused by paper dust getting into the rubber. You just need a can of RRR (Rubber Roller Restorer) and an old rag. Spray on the rollers and wipe roughly with a cloth. This then re-gripifies (new word © 2005 ninjabeaver inc.) the rubber and is almost good as new. I got the last can three years ago and its still half full. It's about £4 from CPC. It's a good one for the tool box, and could save a few quid replacing your printers.
Ric_ Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 There's bloody Kyocera printers all over the place here! I don't like them! I love the proper HP printers since they are so easy to manage and rarely go wrong - make sure that you use HP print servers though. HP WebJet Admin is a must have util too. I shall ferret out the link Geoff! (don't tell me off again) I am slowly replacing the Kyoceras with HP 4000n/4050n/4100n as they pop their clogs enough for me to warrant their replacement. Luckily, the guy I get the 2nd-user HPs from will take these off my hands FOC and will even exchange the working ones for any gubbins that I am after I will warn you all, though, for the sake of your sanity, do not buy the HP 4600dn! They eat ink like there is no tomorrow and it costs approx. £400 to replace all 4 toners! I only use HP toner and ink - too many problems in the past with compatables. It just isn't worth the effort for what you save.
ConTheITGuy Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 It's about £4 from CPC. How do you know about CPC all the way down in Norfolk!! (Just joking). I live about 5 minutes from the warehouse/trade counter - very handy. Andy.
tarquel Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 I am predominately for HP laserjet's - seem to last forever. Only recently binned the very very very old HP Laserjet 4/4M laser printers we had. The roller are dead & the paper got jammed all the time so it just wasn't worth *trying* to use them anymore. But HP's certainly last I will warn you all, though, for the sake of your sanity, do not buy the HP 4600dn! They eat ink like there is no tomorrow and it costs approx. £400 to replace all 4 toners! Too little too late - bough the non-duplex one about 3 years ago. Its really good but indeed a tad expensive to run like you said. I only have the staff and 4-5-6 years able to print on it, with restictions using Print Manager Plus. Management still aint happy but you cant guess at how much ink/toner a print will *actually* eat up before you buy it can you? (or can you? hehe) I only use HP toner and ink - too many problems in the past with compatables. It just isn't worth the effort for what you save. Too true. Think we only use a couple of printers that wouldn't cost much to replace if the compatible ink/toner messed up the printer. Cheap lasers. The HP WebAdmin tool is great installed on a server and viewable via web-browser - tis handy but I just wish I had more networked ones instead of local machine ones Will also consider that Kyocera for a central printing point for office staff Geoff Cheers, Nath
ChrisH Posted June 24, 2005 Author Posted June 24, 2005 You may find that all the rubber is going smooth and not gripping the paper one sheet at a time anymore. This is caused by paper dust getting into the rubber. I meant that looking at the rollers they looked fine and very griperous So i couldnt see an immediate problem.
RobC Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 Only recently binned the very very very old HP Laserjet 4/4M laser printers we had. We've still got two LaserJet 4ML's running fine. They're only used by two people for occasional print jobs for which they're perfect, although one might be needing a replacement fan shortly.
tarquel Posted June 24, 2005 Posted June 24, 2005 That was our plan but alas, they have been here longer than me - and I've been here more than 8 years lol - and they were just too full o' crap & damaged, used, etc to work out how to fix them. They been abused to much methinks, but couldnt believe they were still up there after so many years of use Ta, Nath
ChrisH Posted June 27, 2005 Author Posted June 27, 2005 While on the subject can anyone reccomend suppliers? I usually shop around for the best deals at the time but I am now going to buy more in bulk so looking for a good supplier.
tarquel Posted June 27, 2005 Posted June 27, 2005 I get all my toner from Insight UK, tho you do need to chat to the same person (like with all suppliers) and say you are education, etc so that he gives you the "best price" lol I've been mainly getting everything from them as everytime I check, he always has given me the best price and/or beaten other prices when needed. So no more... Cheers, Nath
MkII Posted June 27, 2005 Posted June 27, 2005 Insight won some alliance with BECTA to be an official supplier - so they're very keen at the moment to give schools really good deals. Very bad experience with them about 6 years ago - customer services was a joke - they seem to have tidied up thier act now.
JaneHyson Posted June 27, 2005 Posted June 27, 2005 If you want new toners the best supplier I have found, and I buy loads, is a company called RDS in Derby, I have been buying from them for years, more or less next day delivery, free of charge. Spectrum are very good as well. On the subject of printing can anyone recommend a good solid mono network laser printer for use in computer rooms(one that is strong enough to withstand kids and not expensive to run) The HP Laser Jet 5s I have been running for several years are finally dying and I want an equivalent replacement.
Ric_ Posted June 27, 2005 Posted June 27, 2005 I tend to use a localish supplier, Thomas Computer Supplies (Preston). They seem as cheap as anyone and the owner is mates with another supplier I use so I occasionally manage to wangle special deals. As for printer, I like the HP 4050n printers. I've recently been buying 2nd user ones for £130 each and they tend not to go wrong. If you think that a new laser will cost you £400-£600 for a reliable one, you can buy a few and have spare cashies for toner and any repairs if they do go wrong.
tarquel Posted June 28, 2005 Posted June 28, 2005 I tend to use a localish supplier, Thomas Computer Supplies (Preston). They seem as cheap as anyone and the owner is mates with another supplier I use so I occasionally manage to wangle special deals. As for printer, I like the HP 4050n printers. I've recently been buying 2nd user ones for £130 each and they tend not to go wrong. If you think that a new laser will cost you £400-£600 for a reliable one, you can buy a few and have spare cashies for toner and any repairs if they do go wrong. Second User ones from...? Your supplier or ebay? Cheers N.
Ric_ Posted June 28, 2005 Posted June 28, 2005 Second User ones from...? Your supplier or ebay? Cheers N. Sorry, was being lazy last night. 1st Technlogoies, Ribchester, Lancashire. Tel. 01254 878800 (say Ric sent you).
Mango_RW Posted July 5, 2005 Posted July 5, 2005 Guys try http://www.bluepoint.net for all supplies! Seriously hard to beat, you will need to setup an account but well worth it. We use lasertech for most printer cartridges.
tarquel Posted July 5, 2005 Posted July 5, 2005 Are they a trade only firm that will set up an account for schools? Jus' wonderin' Cheers, N.
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