Oct
23
Written by:
admin
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Issues to consider in order of importance.
- Reliability.
- Speed.
- Dual (or better) paper trays
- Running Cost.
- Ease of replacing ink/cartridge.
- Purchase Cost.
Lasers cost more to purchase but theoretically are faster and cheaper to run.
My experience with lasers (4 different models ) has been disappointing. Speed is often much less than the manufacturers specs due to slow startup/load times. Cartridges are expensive and need replacing with new cartridges that take a few days to order in. Laser cartridges cant be topped up or supplanted by continuous feed systems. Parts are expensive (Confession - spent nearly $800 on replacement parts for on one samsung laser that had a purchase price of $500 has soured my experience).
So what do I use now?
Inkjets.
Why?
Fast business quality inkjet printers combined with continuous feed ink systems provide benefits on all of the above points. The HP Officejet Pro K550dt Color Printer is my current printer. It has Dual trays, Duplex printing, Extremely fast draft mode(I only print in draft), Cheap, easily kitted with continuous ink feed system and therefore V cheap to run (Top up ink every 4-6 months) and colour.
One drawback of the K550dt , it is awkward to load single pages (eg different pathology forms) and I currently use a separate printer that has an easy to access top loading paper feed for printing pathology and readiology.
All things considered the K550dt is the best printer I have ever owned, the cheapest to run , the most reliable, rarely misfeeds , the fastest, and the CIS reduces the cost and the frequency of ink topups . I have not had to replace a printhead as yet.
MD3 allows setting up four different printers (For scripts, letters, path requests and radiology). You can setup different trays on the same printer also.
Two Officejet Pro K550dt Color Printers Plus a small inkjet for envelopes which I print from the DCP would be ideal .
See a review of the K550( dt has dual tray)
Picture of a CIS
3 comment(s) so far...
Re: Ultimate Printer - Laser or Inkjet
I have changed to HP injkets in the practice and at home, using different models of the 7300 series - an Officejet Pro L7380 at home and an Officejet Pro L7590 in he surgery - the latter has a duplexer for two sided printing, while both do excellent multipage two sided scanning.
Like Anton, I have installed the Rihac external ink tank system (they call it CISS - Continuous Ink Supply System - they are really refillable large tanks) and these are great - refilling with cheap bulk ink is a rare event.
By Oliver Frank on
Thursday, November 27, 2008
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Re: Ultimate Printer - Laser or Inkjet
I will make the arguement for switching all the office printers to inkjets at my practice.
$350 for each new printer. CISS ~$120.
The cost of one laser cartrige $120.
Savings on cartridges will pay for the new printers and CISS within 12-18 months given that the cost of ink on the inkjets is negligible (plus the advantage of speed and colour and less hassle).
By admin on
Monday, December 01, 2008
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UPDATE 2010
The k550 was retired.
I have now changed all printers over to HP 5400 dt models at the surgery. All have CISS. No problems with any of them.I was able to hunt around and find the superceded K5400 models at a rediculously CHEAP price $70-$100 at officeworks (scrounged all the stores in Victoria). I would have bought 10 at that price. Even with $130 for each CISS it is cheap.Total running cost for surgery is about $100 per year. Down from $1000+. Plus no inconvenience of replacing cartridges. I have two in my office plus a small epson for envelopes.
By admin on
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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