Class #9 Thinking about a new printer?

Take The Printer Quiz

1. Why are new printers so cheap?

This is a trick question. New printers are a real bargain until you turn it on. Your first expense will be buying a printer cable since that no longer comes free. It's also been stated that some of the well known printer companies only fill the cartridges 100% that come with the new printer. That's like getting half a tank of free gasoline with your new $30,000 car. Remember how inexpensive the old Polaroid cameras were and how expensive the self developing film was? Hit the fast forward button - same idea only now it's expensive ink and paper you buy to print on.

2. What should you look for in a new printer?

I'd suggest you look below or near the printer on the display shelf containing the printer. Check to see how much the replacement cartridges / drums will cost. You may have to get down on your knees and really close to the floor to see the prices since this is not exactly a selling point the store wants you to see up front during the purchase decision. Hang on for sticker shock! That new laser printer may need a new replacement drum real soon and it may cost as much as the price of the laser printer. Could that be why new laser printers are so cheap? So take a close look at what it's going to cost you to print and not how much the printer will cost.

3. What's the best way to save money on cartridges, toner and ink?

Keep the printer turned off and out of paper! First let's get the cost into prospective. I'd suggest you weigh the cartridge and then divide the weight by the cost. Hang on! Stay with me - take some deep breaths. No this isn't fresh salmon flown in from Alaska or caviar but it costs a lot more. Don't forget to figure in the waste per pound since the plastic and print heads also add to the weight. You might be wondering if the yellow ink is really made form 24K gold extract that plates the printing page and the black ink is really solid silver oxidizing in the cartridge.

Another good reality check is to go buy two cartridges at Wal-Mart and fill the car with gas. So what's wrong with a $100 to print and drive the car for the weekend? - the ATM is close by.

On a serious note. I've used refilled inkjet and toner cartridges for years. They work great and the cost is much less. Most of the local shops that refill also offer good guarantees and support if you just ask.They want you to come back! You can also buy remanufactured cartridges at many outlets. However, a trusted local refiller will usually still have the best price.

Thinking about refilling your own cartridges? Yes you can save even more money. However, just be sure to add in the cost of a new shirt, pants, rubber gloves and a powerful carpet spot remover or maybe just plan to get new carpet in the near future. Be ready for your hands to look like you moonlight at the local tattoo parlor. If you are still dating - wear gloves or just tell your friends the hand disease is not communicable and it doesn't hurt. It's not as easy as it looks to refill inkjet cartridges and you will learn that getting an air bubble in a cartridge is almost as bad as having an air bubble in your flu shot.

4. How much does it cost to print?

Very difficult to answer. The cost of ink and toner are calculated by the percent of coverage on a page. Be careful here. Text coverage has a lot of white space. Photo printing is very different since most of the page may be covered. The type of paper is super critical and as expensive. To get good results you need to use coated paper (correct side up when printing) or special glossy photo paper. The best price I've found on premium photo paper is Costco.

The only true answer is for you to keep track of the cost of your paper and cartridges. When you put in new cartridges, monitor how many sheets of paper you have used until you replace the next cartridge. You may have to do this for a few months since some printers allow you to replace specific inkjet colors.

5. What's the biggest problem with inkjet cartridges?

Oddly it's caused by not printing enough! The heads on the cartridge, or tubes leading to the nozzles can dry up easily in the summer if you don't print at least once a week. Otherwise you will be using the cleaning cycle on the printer which just pumps a lot of ink through the printer and into the waste sponge until the nozzles are unplugged. It's about like giving your teenage son or daughter the keys to the car with a full tank of gas so they can do you the favor of cleaning out the engine over the weekend so the car will run better. Don't worry. When they return the car, it will probably have just enough gas to get to the filling station.

6. Can you make a toner cartridge last longer?

YES. It is very simple. Occasionally take the cartridge out of the printer and gently shake it from side to side. You will be surprised how many more copies you can get. Caution. Shake the cartridge over the garbage can since toner is like fine dust and some may get on the carpet if you are not careful and it's hard to get out.

7. What causes printing to look bad?

Several simple things can mess up inkjet printers. Quality or correct type of paper and ink, or plugged nozzles and heads. Do the printer diagnostics before you give up and buy a new printer. Print a test page first. Then do a nozzle or alignment test. You will find these tests by going to Start / Printers / Select Printer / Properties. You will then probably have to click some options or tabs to get to the diagnostic tests.

Shaking the toner cartridge on a laser printer can even out the printing and eliminate the white trails going down the page. Toner can get little "clods" in it causing it to not print evenly. Gentle shaking may help. Call the local refiller and ask for suggestions or take the cartridge back for them to examine. On rare occasions it may be a bad cartridge. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CLEAN THE DRUM or touch it. This will ruin it and you will be buying a new cartridge / drum.

Yes, opening your printer manual for the first time could be a life changing experience for you and the printer. However, some printer manuals have MM ratings (More Money) and have tragic plastic endings like call support and have your credit card handy.

Note: The typical slapping, banging and lid slamming or otherwise hitting your printer may make you feel better but seldom makes the printer work better. If you talk to your printer you must use the right language since printers are not bilingual, just their manuals. So forget using loud or bad language to insult your printer. Besides, if your printer did respond appropriately to your verbal pleading and rantings, that would mean it had a brain and it would just go off line or say "Operator Error - check manual."

I'd never get a printer serviced unless it's an expensive or unique printer. I'd just buy a new one - it comes with "free" ink.

8. How can you save the most money printing?

Simple - Use Costco, Wal-Mart or some other fast printer. They will be cheaper and use higher quality paper that will last a lot longer. We only use our inkjet printer in times of urgency - oops - I meant emergency. It's too bad printers don't have friends and a family plan.