Printers: Troubleshooting and Shopping
If you're ready to buy, don't miss the section below, "What type of printer is best for my needs?"Troubleshooting
If your printer acts like it's printing but fails to put ink onto the page, you have an ink problem. You may need to run the printer's built-in cleaning procedure, maybe 7 or 8 times. You can usually find it in the printer's menu.If some of the colors don't work but black does, you can ask the computer to print B+W only, which will replace the missing colors with shades of black.
The problem with ink
Ink is sprayed out of microscopic holes. If you don't print for some time, the ink will congeal and clog the holes.
You will use ink whether you print regularly or not, because either:
- You print
- You don't print, but then must clean the cartridges (which sprays out lots of ink to unclog the holes)
- You don't print, but printer is designed to automatically spray ink out periodically to keep the holes clear
Shopping for a new printer: What to avoid
- My recommendation is to avoid a $50 special. Spend between $100 and $250.
- Signs of lower-end printers:
No screen on printer (just lights)
No ethernet port (Wi-Fi only) - Avoid HP ENVY printers; most are low-end, and not enviable.
Some recommendations
- Any manufacturer is fine. Epson, Canon, Brother, HP...
- Black and white laser printers are more cost-effective in the long run, provided that color is not important to you. I do not recommend color laser printers because of the high cost of replacing 4 toner cartridges.
Features to be aware of
- ADF, Automatic Document Feeder, to pull multiple pages through for scanning & copying.
- Duplex printing (double-sided).
- HP Instant Ink subscription service. If you sign up for it, you would be charged a small monthly fee, and then HP would send you cartridges at no further cost when your printer tells them it's low on ink.
- Some printers have large ink tanks to alleviate frequent cartridge replacement. Ink comes in bottles to fill the tanks. Great for high volume color printing, but bad if you seldom print; if it gets too dry, the ink may never get all the way to the paper, even after cleaning.
Types of printers and their attributes
| InkJet Printers | Laser Printers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery Method | Liquid Ink (See "The problem with ink" above) |
Dry powder Toner (like photocopier) |
||
| Color | 4 or more cartridges (B+W is very rare) |
B+W only
• Only 1 toner cartridge • Most economical way to print |
4 Color
• 1 toner cartridge per color • Expensive to replace |
|
| Refill type | Ink cartridges | Large bottles to fill tanks | Toner cartridges | |
| Off-brand refills | Most printers today actively prevent off-brand ink | Many will accept off-brand toner cartridges | ||
| Longevity | 1-5 years (disposable in the event of equipment failure) |
4-15 years (often worth paying for repairs in the event of failure) |
||
What type of printer is best for my needs?
I recommend laser printers if your needs match their capabilities.Also avoid ink tank printers if you print only occasionally.
- Is color printing important to you?
If not: B&W Laser printer
If so: Regular liquid ink printer - Do you plan to scan or copy with this printer?
If not: Any printer will do, including a plain vanilla laser printer that does nothing but print
If so: All-In-One or Multifunction printer (include scanner) - Do you print a lot?
If not: Avoid an ink tank printer (they dry up if not printing regularly)
If so: Ink tank style is good for high capacity color printing. Laser is good for for high capacity B&W printing. - Do you want to be frustrated by your printer?
If not: Avoid a cheap printer of any kind. Consider a laser printer.