Colour inkjet recommendations please

[mikeymike]

I'm doing research to try and find a colour inkjet printer that is reliable in all respects.  Anyone's experiences along these lines would be appreciated.

One of my customers is having ongoing issues with his HP 5150 inkjet printer.  I've fixed the problem twice or three times now, but seemingly the driver has a tendency to just crap out and need reinstalling, and my customer isn't the computer-technical type.  The printer has also been doing some slightly odd things that HP suggest should only happen when either the printer is dying or the cable is faulty (it's not the cable), and it's only 6 months old and doesn't get misused.  I think it's the driver telling the printer to go out and kill kittens rather than print, and the printer is getting confused :-)

The customer and I have agreed that if it happens again, he takes the printer back.  Currently he's inclined to go with Epson as that was the previous brand he had which lasted him 3 years before dying.

Personally I always recommend mono laser printers because they just work and rarely ever not 'just work', but my customer apparently needs a colour printer.  I'm also going to be doing research into the cheaper colour-laser printers that have popped up in the last couple of years.

[Vincent]

I've got an old Epson Stylus Color 680 here that works perfectly well, and has done for a good few years.

It was my mum's before I was given it (when she got a new PC) and it was occasionally shipped about to my house to use on our PC and there's never been a problem.

MikeyMike,

I have an Canon i860 that I HIGHLY recommend, as long as you don't need more than letter sized (or legal, or 8.5" wide) prints.

All my friends helped my wife pick it out for my birthday and so far, I can say that it's phenomenal.  The ink cartridges are very inexpensive as well, as low as $4 each if you shop around, or $12 for original Canon cartridges ($50 to replace all five).

I've had mine for 23 days now, printed out full color images on everything from photo paper to legal sized paper at the rate of roughly 2-3 prints per day and so far (where is wood in cyberspace to knock on?) it's been a great printer.

Me personally?  I will probably stick with OEM cartridges because I don't want to take the chance on screwing up a great printer, even if it was a relatively low-cost item.

If your customer's printer is USB, you MIGHT consider checking to make sure that the different USB devices aren't conflicting.  It's not supposed to happen, but every time my wife goes to scan something, her wireless USB network card dies.

[Paul_Gadd]

I recommend a Canon i350 (purchased August last year). fast,reliable,good quality borderless prints and the ink is very cheap if you know where to go (12 carts, 6 black and 6 colour for £20). bundles with a good no fuss driver and surprisingly good software. also you can use most ink out of the carts as there is no restrictions unlike the latest Epsons.

I would have recommended a Epson aswell, but after they decided to put chips on carts and on the new printers the head cleaning just drains too much ink for what is does, not worth the hassle. if you can get a older Epson, i would recommend that.

[mikeymike]

It is USB, but no other USB devices are connected.  A piece of advice:  USB network *anything* is the spawn of the devil, avoid like the plague :-)

[blobrana]

I've a Epson stylus C20UX , which no doubt has been superseded by now - but it's a cheep low budget printer - ok for the occasional once a month print...

Ink is reasonable but the printer is very thirsty, as i suspect all the Epson range is...

Probably not for you, me thinks.

But i saw this page with a few nice reviews of the Epson Stylus Photo RX500