I hate my Epson! Recommend an easy to use photo printer?

sk66

sk66

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I have an Artisan 730 6-color printer... I can get good prints out of it but it's just too much work. The printer doesn't have many options for setting it up or using profiles. It doesn't seem to work well with LR/PS managing the colors and there is no enable/disable color management option. My monitor is calibrated, but I haven't calibrated it to the printer... it seems too inconsistent and too far off. I always get good results from the lab I use so I always use the lab for anything I really care about.

I suppose there is some chance that the issues are largely due to not using Epson ink, but the cost of Epson cartridges is excessive for everyday printing. I had a Canon before which worked much better/easier, but it was a huge PITA with the heads drying out/maintenance requirements because I don't print that often.
Is there a quality photo printer that isn't way overkill for everyday use? And if not, is there one that isn't a PITA to maintain with sporadic/infrequent use? Or, am I better off just using the lab? It would be nice to print a decent photo every once in a while, but it's just not worth the effort with this thing.
 
I use Canon printers and always use Canon genuine inks. Yes, they're expensive but the colours are consistent and don't fade (neither of which could be applied to my one experience with cheap inks...) Never had an issue with the heads drying out but I do run at least one A4 photo through the printer per week to keep things flowing! For ME, the ease and convenience of being able to run prints off when I want them and to see the result immediately outweighs any potential savings that online print services offer.
 
Yes. I use a Samsung laser printer for normal letters etc. and another Canon printer (all in one thing) for less critical colour stuff for Mrs Nod's business. I always use genuine inks/toners though - reduces problems to almost zero.
 
As per Nod, I've a Canon printer and no issues with it - one of the iP range. Works very well for me.

I used to have an Epson and struggled with it - struggled to get images I liked and had issues with it drying ...
 
I've got an older pixapro, and it's been great. Only issues were trying to use cheap ink.
 
In use an Epson and can concur its a PITA, but does do good quality prints

Worth it I think, but love to hate it...............
 
sk66 said:
I have an Artisan 730 6-color printer... I can get good prints out of it but it's just too much work. The printer doesn't have many options for setting it up or using profiles. It doesn't seem to work well with LR/PS managing the colors and there is no enable/disable color management option. My monitor is calibrated, but I haven't calibrated it to the printer... it seems too inconsistent and too far off. I always get good results from the lab I use so I always use the lab for anything I really care about.

I suppose there is some chance that the issues are largely due to not using Epson ink, but the cost of Epson cartridges is excessive for everyday printing. I had a Canon before which worked much better/easier, but it was a huge PITA with the heads drying out/maintenance requirements because I don't print that often.
Is there a quality photo printer that isn't way overkill for everyday use? And if not, is there one that isn't a PITA to maintain with sporadic/infrequent use? Or, am I better off just using the lab? It would be nice to print a decent photo every once in a while, but it's just not worth the effort with this thing.
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Hey sk66, I feel for you. It appears that Epson is rather like Marmite - you either love it or loathe it. Me - I'm in the love camp but that's because I understand the foibles and how to get around them ... most Epson printers have the same issues no matter what name they put on the front.

Clogged print heads happen (as I'm sure you already know) when the printer doesn't get used much or if the roomk its in is rather warm. They can be cleaned with some isopropyl alcahol but it's a messy process and you don't want to be doing it every time you need to use the printer. There are some good less-clogging inks on the market and I use the ones from Fotospeed in their refillable cartridges, which also gives good colour rendition. Give them a call and see if they have a system that fits your printer.

I am a little surprised that the printer dialogue doesn't give you the option to turn off colour management. I thought all of the 6-colour printers use Epson Monitor v3 in which case you can switch off colour management in the "Advanced" tab - select ICM and then turn off colour management. If you don't have that version it is downloadable from the Epson UK web site.

The only advantage I see you get by changing to a different manufacturer is that when your heads clog up you overcome that by putting a new cartidge in ... but that's an expensive cure :)
 
I've had a number of all in one photo printers and whilst they can produce decent enough prints, they are never quite "right" and they get expensive very quickly for normal text type printing. I now use a laser printer for day to day stuff, any current model will do as they are cheap as chips. For photo printing I use a dedicated photo printer, an Epson R2000 (A3+ and pigment ink), which has given sterling service so far and not proven too expensive either. No issues with heads clogging either anbd it takes roll media too, which many canon printers don't. They don't make this model anymore but the replacements are imo just as good. The Canon pro 100 is good (dye based iirc) and the pro 10 & pro 1 better (pigment based) imho, but they cost more too.

Only thing that I don't like on the Epson is the wifi, it's pants ;) so I use ethernet.
 
Had an Epson C64 that lasted for years, my daughter printed (albeit very slowly) reams off it during her three years at university, just wore out in the end

Next I got a Canon Pixma 4600, lovely colours and fast too, after a few years it just packed up, it was the power module that failed and replacement was not cost effective

Then bought a cheapie Canon ip7250 as a stop gap, came with a goodly amount of ink, still here eighteen months later and very noisily prints a lovely photo

All the above have been used with compatible inks from Prink, fraction of the price of originals, never had a problem with blockages and still got photos ten years old that haven't faded

My recommendation for a simple A4 printer would be the last one in my list, still available https://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-iP7250-Colour-Inkjet-Printer/dp/B009D07OVQ and a bargain for a penny under fifty quid.
 
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tijuana taxi said:
Had an Epson C64 that lasted for years, my daughter printed (albeit very slowly) reams off it during her three years at university, just wore out in the end

Next I got a Canon Pixma 4600, lovely colours and fast too, after a few years it just packed up, it was the power module that failed and replacement was not cost effective

Then bought a cheapie Canon ip7250 as a stop gap, came with a goodly amount of ink, still here eighteen months later and very noisily prints a lovely photo

All the above have been used with compatible inks from Prink, fraction of the price of originals, never had a problem with blockages and still got photos ten years old that haven't faded

My recommendation for a simple A4 printer would be the last one in my list, still available https://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-iP7250-Colour-Inkjet-Printer/dp/B009D07OVQ and a bargain for a penny under fifty quid.
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Thanks for the heads up on Prink inks Rich, I have just ordered one of their multi packs. They are so much cheaper than Cartridge World.
 
andy700 said:
Thanks for the heads up on Prink inks Rich, I have just ordered one of their multi packs. They are so much cheaper than Cartridge World.
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My pleasure Andy, Prink were recommended to me ten or more years ago and I have always been happy with their inks.

If you do end up using them again check the web for discount codes, latest one was for five percent off and a free black cartridge, it all helps.
 
Have you looked at the Epson et2500 it's cheap to run . Or it big brothers et1800 which is a3 or the et800 which ichor is the a4 version.

The et1800 and et800 are 6 colour and the et2500 is 4 colour .

The all use the eco tank system which costs £9 per bottle for 70 ml .
 
steve_lyt said:
Have you looked at the Epson et2500 it's cheap to run . Or it big brothers et1800 which is a3 or the et800 which ichor is the a4 version.

The et1800 and et800 are 6 colour and the et2500 is 4 colour .

The all use the eco tank system which costs £9 per bottle for 70 ml .
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Could only find reference online to the ET2500, are they perhaps known as something else in the UK?
 
Thanks it was the et prefix that threw me, they certainly sound pretty geood
 
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