marknorton Posted January 27, 2009 Share #1 Posted January 27, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Any thoughts here on printer build-quality? I've had an Epson 3800 for about a year and have been pretty happy with it but yesterday, I pressed one of the output trays at the end instead of in the middle; it popped out at an angle and would no longer latch closed. I took a look inside the hole - a piece of broken plastic, impossible to fix without parts and major surgery. Turns out Epson can send a man - at about 20% of the cost of a new printer - but when I look closely at the thing, the build quality is nothing to get excited about; far too much use of flimsy plastic parts with easy to break latches holding them in position. I don't know why Epson build this printer so cheaply, don't they expect it to have a reasonable working life? Wondering whether HP and Canon printers of similar spec are better. Give how much we're prepared to pay out for a lens, it does make me think there would be a market for a much more robustly made printer at a rather higher price than this thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 Hi marknorton, Take a look here Printer Build Quality. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
JHAG Posted January 27, 2009 Share #2 Posted January 27, 2009 I print on HP Z3100, which is sturdily built. I'm rather unimpressed with HP support, which are particularly [censored] around here (but HP UK has a far better support though). For everyday paper print, I used now a Samsung laser. Never a single glitch, a real swiss watch, while I had 2 HP inkjets prone to every stupid bug or mechanical hiccups one could imagine, and HP service absolutely subpar, with people never listening to your question and reciting the answer some chipmaker planted in their monocell brain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted January 28, 2009 Share #3 Posted January 28, 2009 Printer build quality is an oxymoron. You can buy a new budget model for less than the cost of inks (which are actually pricier than fine champagne). But some of the pricier ones seem flimsy, too. My first Epson (2000) was much sturdier than my latest Canons. I found HP cumbersome. But I'd be keen to hear recommendations for one that IS well built. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent10D Posted January 28, 2009 Share #4 Posted January 28, 2009 What are the options here? It's either Epson, HP, or Canon, right? I've had an HP B9180 for over two years that has been pretty good, but I can't claim it has been absolutely trouble free. A friend who has the same printer had to have it replaced once and has had all kinds of trouble with it. Horror stories about the B9180 abound. I'm pretty sure that my next printer purchase will be Epson, because the quality and reliability seems to be better overall, and they have a good lineup and seem to have decent service. Anyone have any experience with Canon? They don't have a very wide-ranging lineup, and I've heard the UI is crap, but I have no personal experience at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHAG Posted January 28, 2009 Share #5 Posted January 28, 2009 I cannot complain about the Z3100 so far. As long as I don't have to call and lose time with HP so-called "support". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted January 28, 2009 Share #6 Posted January 28, 2009 I have just bought an Epson Pro3800 (last week). I think it is about my 10th printer. They are all crap. I have had a mix of Canon and Epson, mainly Epson. I am extremely impressed with the output quality of the 3800, but the build quality as Mark observed is poor. Flimsy plastic, sloppy tray activations etc. The worst aspect is the higway robbery for ink purchase. I have been using Continuous Ink Systems in the past but the 3800 is not compatable with these systems. We are being held to ransom to gratify the greed of the manufacturers. I have no compunction in cheating them a la CIS's where I can. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipotto Posted January 28, 2009 Share #7 Posted January 28, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have a Xerox 8560N. Yes, it's a network office printer, but I use it for printing M8 files as well. The print quality is decent, its very economical, and the build quality seems good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted January 29, 2009 Share #8 Posted January 29, 2009 Mark, your tale reminds me of an interview with Harrison Ford. He was being asked about his love of flying, and especially his new interest in helicopters. "Don't you have your own Robinson R-22, now?" asked the interviewer. "I HAD a Robinson" said Ford. "Oh," said the reporter, "What happened to it?" "It broke," said Ford. - Long pause - "I broke it!" That being said, the Luminous-Landscape review did mention cheap build quality - and the front cover specifically. I haven't broken mine yet (knock wood) after 1 year. You want build quality - you pay the $800 extra for a 4800 (same 17" platen, same inks) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted January 29, 2009 Share #9 Posted January 29, 2009 Just to put the other side of the coin, I've got an Epson EPL5500 laser printer that is about 13 years old (I think) and which is ruggedly built and still going strong. Mind you, it did cost a bit at the time. But now it has to be pensioned off - it's only got a Centronics parallel port, and our new computer hasn't got one - apart from the fact that getting a Windows Vista 64 bit driver seems remote to say the least. Apparently you can buy a Centronics to USB adapter, but their operation is reputed to be a bit flaky. Shame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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