Choosing a printer

So I am looking out for an inkjet printer that can print in A3 size. The Epson ecotanks seem like they best fit my requirements, just wondering if it is actually refillable, and does not lock me out of actually using it after a certain amount of prints, no chips BS and all that. I have seen some stuff about the ink pad filling and then not being able to use it anymore ? Does anyone have experience with this printer and can vouch that it is not a gimmick and will actually work as a printer for a long time. Also how is Linux support for it. Thank you

DJArbz,

Why not a laser?

I’ll never buy another inkjet in my life!

hoxbug,

I sort of felt like that, currently have a brother laser printer I bought second hand. Prints very nicely and quickly but the tonner cannot be replaced easily, and seems to be a lot of work, need to buy another cartridge with a reset wheel, blow it out with a compressor. I can wear a mask and do all that but I have seen some information about needing to replace the chip on the cart as well. Also the current one only prints in A4. Just really wanting a printer that prints and that I can have replacement consumables on hand and not need to buy a tonner that costs half as much as the printer.

DJArbz,

Hmm, I’ve had great luck with my brother MFC, but I bought it new. The sample toner that came with it lasted 3 years and changing it out is super easy…

brandon,

The ecotanks have a waste ink box that needs to be replaced periodically (roughly $10 for 3rd party replacements) and will prevent printing until you do. How often it needs to be replaced will vary but it’ll fill up faster if you do a lot of full bleed prints.

The cost of actual ink is pretty cheap, I’ve found the big bottles to be roughly the same or even cheaper than standard ink cartridges for a lot more ink.

The biggest issue is that they are designed for frequent printing. If you are not printing many times of week, ideally daily, the internals can get gunked up with dry ink, significantly degrading print quality.

hoxbug,

Thank you for all that information, I plan on using it weekly but don’t know if I would really end up using it daily. Might have to consider the laser route for now and get my A3 printing done somewhere else for the time being. It really does look like a more consumer friendly printer than the majority I have been looking into.

bdonvr,

Mine works just fine on Linux, and you can actually replace the ink pads. I haven’t had it long enough to comment on actual longevity. But no chips or anything it’s just a bottle with some liquid that empties into a tank.

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