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What to look for when buying a used printer?
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Mar 29, 2017 10:03:39   #
philo Loc: philo, ca
 
i guess it depends upon what sized prints he wants to make. 99% of my prints are 8x10 and I use a Canon 8220.

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Mar 29, 2017 12:11:23   #
Ghery Loc: Olympia, WA
 
markngolf wrote:
I agree with Jerry. Printers are not expensive - the ink is. I would never purchase a used one.
Mark


No kidding. I have a professional colleague who works for HP in the printer division. He makes no bones about the fact that they don't make money selling printers. They make money selling ink. And given my experience over the years, he's right.

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Mar 29, 2017 12:59:50   #
RickM1950 Loc: Davenport, IA
 
Buy new! I just bought a brand new Canon Pro-100 from a guy that bought a new camera and got the printer thrown in for free.

Just go to Facebook and do a search for it. I had three available withing 100 miles. Prices ranged from $100 to 200. I got the $100 one. Not bad for a printer that lists for $499 with a street price of $399.

Now to make room for it!

Take care. Spend wisely!

Rick

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Mar 29, 2017 13:02:08   #
Mike1017
 
I have a 3800 and 3880 there a work horse never had a clog problem with any of them sold the 3800 did not need it any more just kept the 3880 great printer. If the price is good jump on it. Mike

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Mar 29, 2017 14:39:26   #
Billy Bob
 
Dried up ink pads. Buy new. If you need used try before you buy.

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Mar 29, 2017 15:24:16   #
Billy Bob
 
I buy printers a lot, its not the printer it the ink cost and the paper. You can get NEW printers for less then $50. but when you buy a printer look up the replacement ink cost. I got a Canon 2922 for $30. with ink. But the replacement ink cost $30. so I got 4 printer for the ink. Sold printers for $20.
Any printer makes great prints if you use the right paper. Your old paper will mess up a great photo. I buy most of my paper from Red River they sell a lot of paper.
I got a Epson WF 7610 all in one large for mat 13 x 19 for $150. Its 40 lbs. of a big bad printer dose every thing you would want. I put a CISS on it so I would not run out of ink it cost $40.
I make over a 1,000 prints a year. I have to have a sellable print to have people to come back. Do it right the first time. www.bbnpb.com

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Mar 29, 2017 16:05:45   #
CatMarley Loc: North Carolina
 
rando wrote:
Tomorrow I am going to look at a "barely used" Epson 3880 I found on craigslist. How can I be sure of getting a printer that is in good condition and will last? What should I look for?


Don't buy a used printer. NEW Printers are fairly cheap - the cartridges are what are costly.

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Mar 29, 2017 16:42:43   #
olsonsview
 
Keep in mind Epson, maybe others, sell their larger printers with Starter cartridges. They are half filled, and a good portion of that is used in the initial startup and charging the dry lines. At least they did when I bought mine, I doubt the printer manufacturers have gotten more generous. So you may buy a new printer but not get as much ink as you expect. I felt the pain early on in using the PRO 4000 printer when I bought an Epson cartridge set for about $80 for each of the eight cartridges! Now I use Cone pigment inks, with user refillable cartridges. I save about half on ink and get very long life of prints on display in harsh light. I am sure there are other good second party inks out there available in bulk, some dye based, others pigment based. Dye tends to fade rather fast when exposed to strong lighting, though dyes clogs less? Some pigment inks are very good, some not so much. A good pigment has lightfast qualities into the +100yr range as determined by accelerated tests. Printing is a whole new tech challenge if you demand precision. Monitor calibration to each batch of paper is not unexpected. But some enthusiasts may look at a print and see a pretty picture no matter what color casts or other flaws exist? A previous comment indicated they must use their printer at least once a week to keep it free from clogs. That is no exaggeration, especially with pigment inks. The pigment particles layers itself like bricks and causes clogs fast! But the vibrant colors and durability are unmatched. Enjoy printing!

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Mar 29, 2017 20:00:58   #
John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN
 
At that price I advise you do lots of e-shopping for prices. Epson usually low-ball price the printer and make up what they really want in the ink cartridge prices. Do you have a Best Buy or Micro Center for the 'go look.'

rando wrote:
Thanks for the good advice. He is asking $450 or best offer.

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Apr 2, 2017 15:58:23   #
cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast
 
The cost is in the ink. DFo some checking on the Net for cost per print analysis. Target the brand and model and look for a best price on a NEW one. The printer itself is the least cost you will have and might as well get one that can be returned if it breaks.

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