Weekend Open Forum: Do you still use a printer at home?

[Shawn Knight]

I’ll go out on a limb by saying that most probably weren’t surprised when printing icon Lexmark announced plans to exit the inkjet printer business a few weeks ago. It’s a sign of the times really as the convenience of printing documents and photos has largely been replaced by digital transfers, online storage lockers and connected mobile devices.

When my inkjet printer kicked the bucket a few years ago, I purchased a cheap laser printer to replace it. Aside from printing shipping labels or the occasional document for a friend, it largely goes unused.

Printers and ancient fax machines are still somewhat common in the office but with this week’s open forum, we want to know if you still have or use a printer at home.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/50082-weekend-open-forum-do-you-still-use-a-printer-at-home.html

 

[Vrmithrax]

I picked up a cheap Canon Pixma series "All in one" printer when I needed ink for my old HP inkjet, and dumped the HP in the garbage. The Canon is WiFi enabled, so I can print from pretty much any device I want to in my house, and it does decent photo printing when I need it. Scans and copies too, and ink seems to last longer than the HPs I've had in the past.

All that said, I only use it occasionally. The wife uses it more, printing out recipes and photos. But hey, considering it was only $20 more than buying just the ink for my old HP, it was definitely money well spent.

 

[Julio Franco]

I have a home office, so most of the time I'm using my laser all-in-one to scan, copy and print documents. Rarely for traditional "home" purposes like printing photos and those kind of things. I've found that tablets actually fit that use quite well, when you want to carry around and show something, the touch screen does it quite better.

I should also add, the upgrade from inkjet to laser was the best ever. I don't print often and I still had to renew the inkjet cartridges a couple of times a year. But with the laser printer (which are relatively cheap these days), I bought it a 2-3 years ago and I have yet to buy anything for it.

 

[Scott Johnson]

I haven't had a printer at home since grad school ended in 2001...can't think of a single use for one.

On the flip side, my printer at work went out a few days ago and I can't get my work done without it. I've ordered a replacement, but in the meantime I find that at least once an hour I have to switch computers to print things out.

I work in a hospital and it's just not possible to be paperless. Not only is not possible, it's not even encouraged. Survey teams and auditors require paper reports...they're not going to look at anything online. If you don't have a file or report in a paper file, then it doesn't exist. So much for being green.

 

[TS-56336]

My Epson Stylus T13 just sit here up at my table. It's been two months since the ink ran out, but I still use it nevertheless.

 

[inventix1136]

I actually have two printers, a 4 yr old Okidata 5200 color laser that prints at 16 ppm color and 24 ppm black with ethernet port and VERY cheap consumables -- $105 for ALL 4 toner cartridges with 5K page yield, and a brother AIO inkjet MFC-J430W when I need to scan something

 

[veLa]

I live in an expensive college-style apartment so I just use the one they have in the computer lab. In my real 2 story house in Austin I have my own printer but I don't go to that home as often.

 

[Tekkaraiden]

Well until all tickets I purchase can be scanned using my smart phone I'll still use a printer.

 

[EEatGDL]

Unfortunately yes, a Photosmart C7280, and is a headache now. We're thinking seriously that next time instead of buying cartridges, we're buying a new one.

 

[Arston]

If you're a student, often you do need to print stuff. Unfortunately if you're a student often you haven't got the money for one...

 

[soldier1969]

Still need to print pictures, a resume or 2, use a Epson all in on the last few years hasnt let me down. But agree the days are numbered for a stand alone printer.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I may not be printing from home for much longer. If they keep programing printers to stop printing when the printer thinks it's out of ink or toner, I may not have a choice.

I'm currently using Brother MFC-9460CDN and purchased a replacement cartridge that posted an error "low toner" from day one. At first I thought it was simply because I had not reset the printer . After a few weeks posted another error "replace toner". Once the printer post a error to replace toner, it stops printing. I can see toner through a clear eye in both sides of the cartridge, I know the toner cartridge is still good for printing. I would modify the sensors to bypass a toner check if I knew how.

Let the consumer decide when they need new ink or toner cartridges. Programing a printer to stop printing before it has used up all available ink or toner is not an efficient use of the printer at all. Some people can hardly afford new cartridges and need them to last as long as possible.

I'm honestly not surprised people have stopped printing at home. Printing at home has gotten to be a fairly big hassle keeping their machine printing. If the printer is not sitting in the corner collecting dust and drying up ink, it's zipping through cartridges that cost a fortune to replace. Lets not forget about the assortment of cartridges, making sure you are getting the correct cartridge can be just as aggravating as swiping the bank card for them.

 

[HaMsTeYr]

Yep, still use it. Even though I have most things digitally done now, and I'm a big adopter on keeping things digital, I still do print out a lot of shipping labels, and important documents that... sometimes can only be done via hand.

Also, I draw a lot, and with that, a scanner is handy. I have an AIO, but I'm thinking of selling my Canon printer and get a Brother one that does wireless

 

[Erik]

I think printers are like health insurance, you have to have one just in case. I work at home and bought an all-in-one HP DeskJet 3050. I bought it approximately a year ago and in that time period I've had to scan my ID once, print an essay for my wife that's finishing school and photocopied a receipt for a delivery boy. In those three occasions if I hadn't had a printer at home my only option would've been to get dressed, hop in to the car, drive around looking for a cybercafe and run back home. Enough to ruin anyone's day.

 

[mailpup]

I still use the first printer that I ever bought back in 1999, an HP inkjet. I only use it occasionally which may explain why it still works fine. Cartridges aren't particularly cheap but as I said it isn't used heavily.

 

[Sarcasm]

Yes, I still print some photos and documents as well as do some scanning.

 

[Route44]

Absolutely. I have had my HP 8250 for 6+ years and it is still working great. I have a lot of papers and documents via MS Office, pictures, scanning, etc.

 

[Wendig0]

I constantly use my Pixma Pro 9000 Mk II for printing out photos. On really large prints, I use Mpix Pro. I have an office printer, but I rarely ever use it anymore.

 

[nismo91]

Yeah I do. after a series of inkjets, now I switch to a cheap mono laser printer, fuji xerox p205b.

 

[madboyv1]

I agree with Erik's sentiments. I keep my printer around "just in case," because having that "ugh" feeling when you need to bring in something to work, to an internet cafe, or the library just to print something, it just sucks.

 

[TomSEA]

Funny you should ask. I actually had to recently replace the ink cartridges in my printer last week as it wouldn't print because the old ink cartridges had dried up.

So I guess in answer to your question, I'd say "no."

 

[wcbert]

I have two printers. HP Printers for printing documents, emails and other things that I need a large letter size paper to read and/or for filing away. For example airlines tickets. I also have a photo printer Epson large format for printing 13x19 photos. I live in New York City and have access to many photo labs, for printing. But I still need a photo printer to insure the quality of prints if I am going to send to the lab and there is also the wow factor.

When you see a 13x19 print of your photograph coming out of the printer you say to yourself "WOW!"

 

[gobbybobby]

Most people just print stuff at work. Its free that way right


Most the time u don't need print stuff, I get very annoyed when organizations ask me to print, sign and send stuff back, why can't I just E-Sign it...

 

[gcarter]

Having a printer at home, although not an every day use kind of item, is still in my mind a useful tool to have. When we book flights online, easyjet require you to print out your boarding pass / check in info.

My daughter uses it once in a while as well, when she wants templates to colour in.

We've just moved house, and needed extra prints of bank statements etc.

 

[rvnwlfdroid]

We did the same thing as a few others here. We bought a new all in one Kodak printer with built in WiFi rather then replacing the print cartridges on our old printer. We only spent 25 more for the entire printer rather then new cartridges. We do still use it for printing a couple of times a week. Although we have been making more use out of the scanning function vs. the printing.