Color (non-inkjet) Printers - Xerox, or Others?

SCCutler

SCCutler

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Spike Cutler
Need to buy a color printer, non-inkjet.

I am amazed at the expense of toner cartridges for color lasers, but it used to be tolerable, like when I bought my HP Color LaserJet 3600N, which came with a complete set of full cartridges; the laser printer with cartridges cost considerably less than the cost for a set of cartridges itself (which handily explains why you see so many color LaserJet printers on eBay, brand-new but without cartridges).


Now, all the HP printers sell with "starter" cartridges, meaning you're in the short list to buy $600.00 worth of cartridges as soon as you plug in your $500.00 printer.

I have often read marketing materials which claim that the Xerox (Tektronix) color printers, which use "solid ink" (whatever that is) are supposed to be more efficient and less costly to operate, but it is hard to evaluate that from published data. So, I am looking for real-world suggestions and experience, with that printer and/or with other, competitive printers.

I want reasonable speed (15-20 PPM), and (at least) network connection built-in. Bonus for things like multiple paper trays, duplex, etc.

Ideas, suggestions?
 
The Department of Interior went with Lexmark. I like the features, jury's still out on reliability (too soon to tell.) As you say the toner cartridge prices are killer$.
 
Toners are the killer.

Work is mostly on HP, but they recently installed a Xerox copier/printer.

If you need a color copier (too), it's worth considering.

I have a Samsung color laser at home.

Some Tek stuff uses the dye sticks. The early versions were not great, no experience with the current stuff. However, for most stuff I do, the laser has a real edge on most other stuff in terms of quality.
 
Bill, it's the "dye sticks" (they call it solid ink, IIRC) about which I ask.
 
SCCutler said:
Bill, it's the "dye sticks" (they call it solid ink, IIRC) about which I ask.
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Early versions: not great.

Later versions: I wasn't willing to spend the money to try.

What's the cost-per-page compared to a laser? If it's within 20 percent or so, I'd go with the laser - especially since the supplies are typically easier to get (saying that after finding that my favorite online supplier was out of a critical toner cartridge, Staples didn't stock it, but Microcenter had it in-stock for immediate pickup). There aren't nearly as many dye/solid ink stick based printers out there, and in a day where stores are cutting back stock on less popular products - even truck tires, grrrrr - I'd be thinking about how much I want to stock in the office and the availability.
 
I never heard of solid ink printers, so I checked wiki. Pretty cool technology, but it seems the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. Of course, wiki data isn't always accurate. This is what concerned me most:

"A page printed on the highest quality print setting can have the ink scraped off rather easily with a fingernail. Lower quality print settings do not pile up as much ink and are more durable but the ink can still scrape off. "

And it seems they're power hogs:

"The ink must be heated and a large portion of the printing mechanism must be kept at or near the ink's melting point during use. When the printer is in "sleep mode", most units keep a small pool of each color wax within the printhead heated to temperature just above the ink's "gel point." According to the Xerox service manual, this consumes about 50 watt"

It's also hard to say how old this data is. Could be 20 year old technology they are talking about.

Learned something new for today: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_ink Oh wait, I also learned today there's a jet powered motor glider out there ... I didn't know that either ;-)
 
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I've used the Phaser (solid ink) printers for years. Brilliant color, but essentially it's crayon. Which means that the ink can flake off, or melt, or have other bad stuff happen to it. It's not for documents you have to keep around for years.
 
TMetzinger said:
I've used the Phaser (solid ink) printers for years. Brilliant color, but essentially it's crayon. Which means that the ink can flake off, or melt, or have other bad stuff happen to it. It's not for documents you have to keep around for years.
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Thanks. That's the definitive answer I was looking for.
 
I have a tetronix (Xerox) printer in the lab with the dye blocks. One of the colors weren't printing- a service person came in. He had an attitude but got it working.....for a month. I can't say these are reliable.
 
I have an HP LaserJet 1320 Printer, the toner is cheap as hell (as low as $40), and its fast. That's my suggestion for you.
 
SkyHog said:
I have an HP LaserJet 1320 Printer, the toner is cheap as hell (as low as $40), and its fast. That's my suggestion for you.
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Nick, the 1320 is not a black and white printer. He's looking for color....

But I have to agree with you. I have a 1320 and love it!

-Skip
 
Still, when it comes down to it, when you're buying printers, HP is usually a good choice.
 
SCCutler said:
Still, when it comes down to it, when you're buying printers, HP is usually a good choice.
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Get a color laser for color copies and a good old networkable HP LaserJet or HP network adapter for B&W copies and use the color printer only for color. Your cost per copy for B&W will be near the cost of paper.

I have 10 year old HP LJ6M and LJ6MP printers that still have the original toner cartridges - for personal use one can be used for nearly a lifetime. There are issues with that because they do alledgedly need to be replaced after a year. I get some light but clean images so I may spring for a new cart anon.
 
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