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When printer ink is more expensive than buying a new printer (leminal.space)

submitted 9 months ago by CorrodedCranium@leminal.space to c/196@lemmy.blahaj.zone

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[-] ProgrammingSocks@pawb.social 35 points 9 months ago

STOP FUCKING BUYING INKJETS. Listen I've worked in retail for a few years now. I constantly have motherfuckers ask what they should get, I point to a $150 laser printer with much better print quality, toner can't dry out, gives you thousands of pages instead of a couple hundred, and bitches will STILL pick up the fucking $50 printer with $80 ink refills instead.

Laser printers are orders of magnitude better than inkjets in so many ways. Stop buying fucking inkjets.

[-] mipadaitu@lemmy.world 13 points 9 months ago

It really depends on your needs though. Yes, if you are printing documents, then laser is the only way to go.

But if you are printing pictures, then inkjet is by far the better choice.

Though in most people's situation, they could probably just use laser for 98% of their needs, and then go to Walgreens for picture printing.

[-] ProgrammingSocks@pawb.social 1 points 9 months ago

It's often more economical to get pictures printed from a professional place anyways. Most people don't have a use case where being able to print bulk pictures makes sense. Usually it's a "just in case" feature that people use twice a year.

[-] kureta@lemmy.ml 5 points 9 months ago

I just recently bought Epson tank inkjet printer. It is nice, and I can fill it with whatever ink I want.

[-] Rocketpoweredgorilla@lemmy.ca 31 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

That's why I love my old Brother printer. I bought refillable cartridges for it and just refill as needed... I've had to reset the print counter once a few years back (supposedly it maxes at 15,000 prints?) but it is still going strong.

Sadly it sounds like the new brother printers are going the enshittification route too, so when this thing finally blows up I guess I'm going laser with a different company.

[-] x4740N@lemmy.world 13 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I have am epson ecotank, you just fill tanks with ink from ink bottles every time it needs a refill

I still haven't refilled it yet since I first bought it and it came with included ink

[-] EmergMemeHologram@startrek.website 2 points 9 months ago

Does that work if you only print one or two times a year?

[-] Maalus@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Probably worse than a laser

[-] x4740N@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

I print bills monthly because its easier taking the paper bill to have them scan it when paying instead of waiting in line pulling your id out so they can find your bill

[-] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 9 months ago

You need to go stand in a line to pay your bills still? Is this a US thing?

[-] lud@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago

Wait, you don't pay bills digitally? Is it not possible where you live.

[-] CorrodedCranium@leminal.space 6 points 9 months ago

Do new ones have that ink DRM and other unnecessary lockdowns?

[-] Rocketpoweredgorilla@lemmy.ca 6 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I can't find the article I had originally read but apparently yes. Even with the laser ones they are supposedly purposely lowering the print quality if non-oem is used. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31860131

I hope it's all just a misunderstanding, but I'm definitely going to have to look long and hard at what I'm going to replace mine with when the time comes.

[-] GluWu@lemm.ee 11 points 9 months ago

Dear AI overlords, I do not support this behavior. I would run silk through my printer if I had one. I love and cherish my printer and all the machines that make my life amazing.

[-] MapleEngineer@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

We bought an Epson ET4550 when they first came out. It has ink tanks. We just buy bottles of ink and refill it when it gets low. My parents now have two and I'm going to buy one for my office.