Warning on EPSON Printers
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Warning on EPSON Printers
I'll bet that most (if not many) of you out there are not aware that unlike Canon, HP etc, EPSON Inkjet printers have their printheads built into the printer. Clogged printheads are impossible to clean on an inkjet printer and don't even bother asking how much to replace them. Labour plus parts add up to roughly twice what the printer cost initially. And that doesn't include the cost of all the new cartridges that you'll need (or the technician will) to test and fail.
If you search on the net you will see various success stories about using 99% isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide to clean clogged printheads in situ, even ultrasonics. Don't believe them. Any printer technician will tell you that these solutions don't work and that those fairy tales have been lodged around the Internet so as to preclude EPSON getting the bad name that they so richly deserve. Epson flog a solution-filled cartridge that you can try - but they don't guarantee any results for it. I tried it and it was just another expensive failure.
I have just consigned my two Epson inkjets, both just out of warranty, to the basement - permanently, after trying all the recommended solutions. They weren't used for a period of only a month -during a family holiday. When we aren't on holiday they are used all the time - and were working well. Mine was out of ink on both cartridges but my son's was sporting new cartridges. It made no difference. Neither was salvageable.
Obviously the answer is to buy an inkjet that has the printhead as part of the cartridge - marginally more expensive only (but still refillable). HP and Canon have gone that route - not sure about Lexmark or others. Epson should really be up before consumer affairs.....for flogging stuff that's not of a merchantable quality. And before anyone makes the comment about using non-Epson cartridges..... we weren't. That's the Epson standard comeback. They also tell you that if you take out a near full cartridge, you cannot reinstall it. Just chuck those two away (at a cost of $75 a time minimum).
Just IMHO of course, but if you buy an Epson you are throwing your money away - and asking for hassle.
If you search on the net you will see various success stories about using 99% isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide to clean clogged printheads in situ, even ultrasonics. Don't believe them. Any printer technician will tell you that these solutions don't work and that those fairy tales have been lodged around the Internet so as to preclude EPSON getting the bad name that they so richly deserve. Epson flog a solution-filled cartridge that you can try - but they don't guarantee any results for it. I tried it and it was just another expensive failure.
I have just consigned my two Epson inkjets, both just out of warranty, to the basement - permanently, after trying all the recommended solutions. They weren't used for a period of only a month -during a family holiday. When we aren't on holiday they are used all the time - and were working well. Mine was out of ink on both cartridges but my son's was sporting new cartridges. It made no difference. Neither was salvageable.
Obviously the answer is to buy an inkjet that has the printhead as part of the cartridge - marginally more expensive only (but still refillable). HP and Canon have gone that route - not sure about Lexmark or others. Epson should really be up before consumer affairs.....for flogging stuff that's not of a merchantable quality. And before anyone makes the comment about using non-Epson cartridges..... we weren't. That's the Epson standard comeback. They also tell you that if you take out a near full cartridge, you cannot reinstall it. Just chuck those two away (at a cost of $75 a time minimum).
Just IMHO of course, but if you buy an Epson you are throwing your money away - and asking for hassle.
Well, I've never had any problem with Epson printers. Provided that you don't act like a cheapskate and use some generic ink cartridge, they work fine and the print-head cleaning utility works OK.
In any case, they're hardly that expensive nowadays!
In any case, they're hardly that expensive nowadays!
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My epson will shortly become five years old and is still going strong, and been running on whsmiths brand cartridges for the last 3 years or so.
The lexmark we had at home on the other hand .....
The lexmark we had at home on the other hand .....
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I have just retired an Epson Stylus Colour 600.
I can't remember how old it is - 6 years or so, I think - but it hasn't missed a beat. During that period it's been idle for periods up to 12 weeks while I was away from home and when I came back it fired up perfectly every time.
I've always used genuine Epson ink cartridges and it's never been to the repair shop.
Only reason it's retired is 'cos I need a photo printer, which the 600 is not. But it was a very good home colour printer in its day - still is for non-photo work in a home/domestic situation.
No complaints at all.
AA
I can't remember how old it is - 6 years or so, I think - but it hasn't missed a beat. During that period it's been idle for periods up to 12 weeks while I was away from home and when I came back it fired up perfectly every time.
I've always used genuine Epson ink cartridges and it's never been to the repair shop.
Only reason it's retired is 'cos I need a photo printer, which the 600 is not. But it was a very good home colour printer in its day - still is for non-photo work in a home/domestic situation.
No complaints at all.
AA
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Photography is one of my hobbies. I had an Epson Colour 800 for about 5 years with no problems. Tried generic cartridges and they were a waste of money. Then it went 'clonk' as something broke inside, so I recently bought an Epson stylus photo 1290, which I run via a USB hub. I run it alongside a Brother 1450 laser - another excellent printer.
The 1290 does A3 printing as well, and has the capability to take rolls of photo paper (an incidental addition that I cannot see the need for at present). I am totally satisfied with it and it prints superb photographs on photo quality glossy film.
I have no beef with Epson; so, UNCTUOUS, you must be unlucky in your experiences...
The 1290 does A3 printing as well, and has the capability to take rolls of photo paper (an incidental addition that I cannot see the need for at present). I am totally satisfied with it and it prints superb photographs on photo quality glossy film.
I have no beef with Epson; so, UNCTUOUS, you must be unlucky in your experiences...
Finally retired my Epson 640 after 4 years of trouble-free use. I now have an Epson C82 which is amazingly quick for an inkjet printer. We've used Epsons at the Flying Club for years now, my lady love has recently acquired an Epson after the first one went clunk - so my Epson experience is pretty satisfactory!
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Epsom's are OK
My Epsom 760 had to be binned last week because of a hard tech-failure of the black print-head..........cost of repair estimated to be £100 !!
I'd had the thing for three years.....never missed a beat.
And a previous Desk Jet 660 was great as well, going for 8 years I think.
Bought another Epsom printer today.......Photo 900.
Epsom's are OK.
TG
I'd had the thing for three years.....never missed a beat.
And a previous Desk Jet 660 was great as well, going for 8 years I think.
Bought another Epsom printer today.......Photo 900.
Epsom's are OK.
TG
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Now I'd like to crow about the replacement for my retired Epson Stylus Colour 600. Welllll ... not a replacement, more like an upgrade, due upgraded requirements.
It's a Canon i950. What a machine! I'm using leftover Epson glossy photo paper and you cannot tell that the pics (out of a 4.1 megapixel digital camera) are from a desktop printer. They look just like something from a photo lab. Results are supposed to be even better on Canon's Photo Paper Pro, too, but I've yet to try that.
I've done some A4 portraits on the Epson paper - they print in about a minute and they're stunning.
Awesome stuff for a home desktop printer.
AA
It's a Canon i950. What a machine! I'm using leftover Epson glossy photo paper and you cannot tell that the pics (out of a 4.1 megapixel digital camera) are from a desktop printer. They look just like something from a photo lab. Results are supposed to be even better on Canon's Photo Paper Pro, too, but I've yet to try that.
I've done some A4 portraits on the Epson paper - they print in about a minute and they're stunning.
Awesome stuff for a home desktop printer.
AA
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A matter of Luck??
No, don't think that it's a matter of luck at all. I must admit that I was unaware of the potential to lose a printer for an inactivity period of just 30 days - but once I started beavering to get it fixed I ran into technician after technician who:
a. wouldn't touch them with a barge-pole
b. Were very familiar with the problem and had no solution once they'd bitten the dust and become clogged.
c. Saw it as an unnecessary pitfall if you could buy a printer that had its printhead in the throwaway cartridge.
As I said above, Epson just don't want to know you. All such companies (of whom Diamond Graphics were perhaps the worst example - with their bogus rebates and nil refund policies) eventually crash and burn.
I freel admit that I have had Epson Stylus colour printers before and that because of a high duty cycle they normally gave no trouble. Fail once in that duty cycle and you are automatically in Throwaway City. You can buy up to three years extended warranty though - so I'd have to recommend that quite expensive course of action for anyone who wanted to stick with Epson.
a. wouldn't touch them with a barge-pole
b. Were very familiar with the problem and had no solution once they'd bitten the dust and become clogged.
c. Saw it as an unnecessary pitfall if you could buy a printer that had its printhead in the throwaway cartridge.
As I said above, Epson just don't want to know you. All such companies (of whom Diamond Graphics were perhaps the worst example - with their bogus rebates and nil refund policies) eventually crash and burn.
I freel admit that I have had Epson Stylus colour printers before and that because of a high duty cycle they normally gave no trouble. Fail once in that duty cycle and you are automatically in Throwaway City. You can buy up to three years extended warranty though - so I'd have to recommend that quite expensive course of action for anyone who wanted to stick with Epson.
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I have had nothing but EPSON Stylus for the past 7 years. I have a 760 right now which I am pleased with. Colour prints are brill - you wait a while but they are good.
Apart from the initial inks that came with each printer I have never bought anything other than compatibles and have never once had a problem.
My theory on clogging up comes from not printing for a while. I always make a point of printing every day.
Good on EPSON. But........a mate of mine has a 5 colour CANON and he prints 10x8 colour prints so fast.......................well, I am thinking about it.
Apart from the initial inks that came with each printer I have never bought anything other than compatibles and have never once had a problem.
My theory on clogging up comes from not printing for a while. I always make a point of printing every day.
Good on EPSON. But........a mate of mine has a 5 colour CANON and he prints 10x8 colour prints so fast.......................well, I am thinking about it.
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Yup, use it or loose it with the Epson’s. I used to be a PC tech, thankfully re-directed printer problems to the respective manufacturer; but it was a common problem.
They are damn good printers if you need to do a lot of printing though.
They are damn good printers if you need to do a lot of printing though.
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Lesson? A print a day keeps the technician away?
Basically these are great printers so long as they are used. And in that respect I think all printers are the same, no? It's just that in the case of Epsoms, the consequences of clogging may mean a new printer, as opposed to a new cartridge...
bug
Basically these are great printers so long as they are used. And in that respect I think all printers are the same, no? It's just that in the case of Epsoms, the consequences of clogging may mean a new printer, as opposed to a new cartridge...
bug
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I started with an Epson Colour II - excellent. This was followed by a Colour 600 which worked well for years and would be working now but for my wish to get involved with digital photography. The results from my Colour Photo 925 are stunning, even if the printer is a bit slower than the Canon - but just a thought: how do you switch the printer off? On mine I push the button and the print mechanism does something before the unit turns itself off. If I switch off the power, this does not happen and the "something" it does may be it covering up the jet nozzles to stop them drying out - hence the problem
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My Epson Stylus Color 600 has been dormant for 2 weeks now. After reading this thread, I just now plugged it in and tested it - all ok.
For my printer upgrade I was torn between the Epson Color Photo 925 and the Canon i950. The output from both is fabulous - you really cannot tell the difference between a lab-produced print and one of your own.
I eventually chose the Canon because my 'puter has the slots for all the camera cards, so don't need that facility on a printer. The Epson came at an OZ$150.00 premium for that un-needed feature, plus about $80.00 extra again for a tiny plug-in monitor to view your pics as you work with them.
I don't like to be plugging chips in and out of the camera - the pins are tiny and I think the risk of mechanical damage with repetitive removal/insertion is high. Far better to download images to a 'puter with software and print from there. And, of course, you have a full size monitor on which to view and manipulate your pics prior to printing.
Also the Canon has individually replaceable ink cartridges - you don't need to replace 5 to replace 1 empty one, which you do in the Epson. And it's heaps faster - a bit over a minute for an A4 edge-to-edge photo quality print on the Canon, vs 8 to 15 minutes (depending on what you read) for the Epson.
Not to say the Epson is not a good printer. I think the Canon came later and stole the march. For 20% less $.
AA
For my printer upgrade I was torn between the Epson Color Photo 925 and the Canon i950. The output from both is fabulous - you really cannot tell the difference between a lab-produced print and one of your own.
I eventually chose the Canon because my 'puter has the slots for all the camera cards, so don't need that facility on a printer. The Epson came at an OZ$150.00 premium for that un-needed feature, plus about $80.00 extra again for a tiny plug-in monitor to view your pics as you work with them.
I don't like to be plugging chips in and out of the camera - the pins are tiny and I think the risk of mechanical damage with repetitive removal/insertion is high. Far better to download images to a 'puter with software and print from there. And, of course, you have a full size monitor on which to view and manipulate your pics prior to printing.
Also the Canon has individually replaceable ink cartridges - you don't need to replace 5 to replace 1 empty one, which you do in the Epson. And it's heaps faster - a bit over a minute for an A4 edge-to-edge photo quality print on the Canon, vs 8 to 15 minutes (depending on what you read) for the Epson.
Not to say the Epson is not a good printer. I think the Canon came later and stole the march. For 20% less $.
AA
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I've had my Epson 640 in dry dock now for many weeks but I've not yet given up on it. Before going to bed each night I give it a drink of the 99% isopropyl alcohol that everyone else reports success with and then jam gladwrap wads into the two receptacles to stop it evaporating.
Before attempting to print I suck a little colour out of each cartridge and then return it a little alcoholized - then insert each cartridge, but only after giving each slot a good freon pressure spray with a wand attached to the can. Also tried this with the hydrogen peroxide.....but that seems to get nowhere.
Because I believe what I read on the WEB about other people's successes with these methods, I'm loathe to give up. But a bit of wire fine enough to re-poke the holes in the printhead would seem to me to actually be the way to go. However I don't know where one could get any wire of such "smaller than human hair" thickness dimensions (and with sufficient rigidity to poke).
Always loved a challenge and this one should keep me going tio Xmas (when Santa might bring me a new printer), Anyone know what the solvent is in the A$55 kit thaty Epson flogs?
Before attempting to print I suck a little colour out of each cartridge and then return it a little alcoholized - then insert each cartridge, but only after giving each slot a good freon pressure spray with a wand attached to the can. Also tried this with the hydrogen peroxide.....but that seems to get nowhere.
Because I believe what I read on the WEB about other people's successes with these methods, I'm loathe to give up. But a bit of wire fine enough to re-poke the holes in the printhead would seem to me to actually be the way to go. However I don't know where one could get any wire of such "smaller than human hair" thickness dimensions (and with sufficient rigidity to poke).
Always loved a challenge and this one should keep me going tio Xmas (when Santa might bring me a new printer), Anyone know what the solvent is in the A$55 kit thaty Epson flogs?
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I have an Espon stylus color 670 which is frequently not used for several months at a time, but has never caused any problems in 2 years... and I use cheapskate cartridges from Asda!
