Reccomended printer/plotter?

[Sandiapaul]

I'd like to get a printer/plotter. What a huge array of different options out there! I bought a Epson one a few years back, it could do photo quality as well as feed on a roll. This was a great printer...for the maybe 10 times it worked without a problem. When someone asked on Amazon what I thought about it my answer was that "it is the ideal printer to put on a tree stump and hit with a sledgehammer"

I don't want bells and whistles(except on my models) just a basic printer, if it could do a roll feed that would be ideal. I could live with 11x17.

Any suggestions?, especially ones that wont break the bank!

Thanks!

[rrnut-2]

I have had good luck with the Brother printers, but like any inkjet printer, if you don't use it for a couple of years the printhead dries up. Just had to replace one and as I type this, I am waiting on FedEx to deliver the new/used one. The new one is an all in one and will do 11x17" paper, and for $160. I found a used one with a warranty from on online store, B&H Photo, used tab. I have an HP 24" roll printer that does 11x17 as well, but HP decided to change the ink cartridges and now it won't work unless I buy a new printhead for $226.00. This one is a T120. They do have a newer one that is a replacement for around $600.

Jim B

[Greg_Lewis]

Try to avoid those with ink cartridges if you can. I finally bought a tank-type, albeit just the standard 8 1/2 x 11 size, and no longer have to fiddle with cartridges. Also, I run the nozzle check routine once a week to help keep the ink from drying in the print heads. So far I've run 2600 pages through it and haven't used up all the original ink in the tanks.

[Steggy]

I've got an H-P DesignJet T120 that has served me well so far. It will do architectural D-size drawings (24 × 36) from roll-fed paper, as well as ANSI B (aka tabloid or 11 × 17) from cut sheets (see below—ANSI B is loaded in the sheet feeder)—ANSI A aka 8.5 × 11 is also possible.

I also have some custom page sizes configured. One of these custom sizes is 24 × 72, sufficient to make a full-sized print of one of Carl B's “shorty” combo cars—“full-sized” meaning the model, not the prototype.

H-P DesignJet T120

The one reservation I have about the unit is loading roll-fed paper can sometimes be a trial of patience—occasionally the printer will insist there's no paper present, although there is. Ink for it isn't particularly cheap and it wouldn't have hurt for the color cartridges to have been larger, but I get pretty good mileage from them by not getting carried away with the color.

[rrnut-2]

The one reservation I have about the unit is loading roll-fed paper can sometimes be a trial of patience—occasionally the printer will insist there's no paper present, although there is. Ink for it isn't particularly cheap and it wouldn't have hurt for the color cartridges to have been larger, but I get pretty good mileage from them by not getting carried away with the color.

I have the same problem with the roll paper on my HP T120. It also won't recognize the 11x17 feed all of the time when I'm using it.
It gets me that I only print in black yet I still had to put in color cartridges.

Jim B

[Rich_Carlstedt]

What perfect timing !
I spent a hour earlier this afternoon looking at/for Wide Format Printers. ( I do 13 x 19 mostly)
My faithful HP 1220C Inkjet is now 20 1/2 years old and ink cartridges are no longer made ( only refills and the quality stinks)
You didn't mention color, but I want color .

Anyone out their experienced in "tank" refills ?
I looked at a HP wide format and the ink refills were $130 +
So I looked at Epsons w/refill tanks , but heard horror stories about connectivity and quality

What say you ?

Rich

PS. My 1220 C is a beast..never,never stops working and never any issues--they don't make them like that anymore I am told.

[Sandiapaul]

Thanks guys, this gives me something to go on...Rich, my Epson's biggest problem is connectivity, its wifi and is TERRIBLE. That said when it did print the color quality was more than adequate. But after so much trouble with it I will never buy another Epson.

[LVRR2095]

Thanks guys, this gives me something to go on...Rich, my Epson's biggest problem is connectivity, its wifi and is TERRIBLE. That said when it did print the color quality was more than adequate. But after so much trouble with it I will never buy another Epson.

I have a Epson and I’ve had zero trouble with connectivity over wifi. But even so…it also has the ability to connect via cables.
I had an HP that I hated. The ink cartridges held about three drops of ink, they were expensive and after a short period of time I would, get an error message saying the cartridge was old and if I continued to use it that would lid my warranty.
I guess we’ve gad opposite experiences! I would never buy another HP and I would buy the Epson tank printer again.

Keit

[rrnut-2]

I had an Epson wide format printer that I had paid a lot of $ for. When I went from Windows XP to 7, Epson would not supply updated drivers, so now it was a boat anchor. I don't have room or time for boat anchors!
Just got the new Brother printer and setting it up now. We will see.

Jim B