Best Inkjet Printer?

[mavgraph]

A customer of mine has Epson 3000's and they are looking to get a new printer. They need 17" wide and want to run sheets.

I'd like to get user feedback as to your experience with your printer as I want to give him unbiased opinions. Thanks!

[ZooCity]

Only ever used a 3000, 4800 and 1400.  I'd recommend whatever generation epson 17" that he can afford.  He's going to flip for the 48xx over the 3k, much easier to work with and he'll probably switch to roll fed since it cuts it's own seps off the roll.  Our 4800 has been extremely reliable and I hear that moving up to the 24" wide models gets you an even more robust print engine.

I'm assuming all the major inkjets, like the epsons, are designed from the ground up to waste as much of your expensive consumables as possible while slowly, methodically eroding your sanity..... so it probably comes down to price and availability.

[cbjamel]

I personally I have a 4800 and love over the 3000 like Zoocity says. Way better. I use 1 cartridge and 7 cleaning carts with my rip, you can do all 8 ink which I think is over kill. I use ulano film roll, cheaper than precut. Personal experience from 3-3000's that I have had.

Shane

[mavgraph]

Thanks Zoo!

[TCT]

We have had a TON of Epsons 1280, 1440, 3000, 4000, 4880, 4900 and even a 13something from China(don't ask). Have to say I like the 4900 the best.  The only downside really is if you plan on switching it to all black there are a ton of cartridges. It is also the most finicky if you don't replace with original Epson cartridges. Maybe some of that will change once people write programs to override the settings on it.

I would also advised to get one that has a roll Media option, it makes life so much easier than using the legal size films!

[mk162]

i have the 4800...it's a great printer.  I like some things about the 3000 better though.  Overall, the 4800 is a better printer.  The RIP I had on the 3000 though was fantastic. 

a couple notes on the 4800:

go with roll media, it cuts it's own.  much easier.

use black ink only in the black head and put cleaning solution in the other heads

get a chip resetter, it also works for the maint. tank so you can just pull the padding out of there and put new paper towels in to absorb the ink.

get refillable carts(most come with a chip resetter)

[rmonks]

I think the Epson Stylus Color  3000 is the best Epson has ever made they are built like a tank and will last forever (Almost) forever the print heads  will eventually clog or fail. I recently bought a new black print head and was told that the it would not be long that they would not be available as they do not make them anymore. Hope this is not true. I have had Epson R1800, R1900 and the 3000 has outlasted them all. I don't know what would be the latest and greatest now days.

[blue moon]

have the 4800 and would not go back to 3000. Also had a 1400, it produced better films if set at hi res, but it could not touch the 4800 in the end. Also, 1400 is only 13" wide. I am hearing rumbling that the heads on the 4900 are having some issues, so from that aspect, I'd stick to the 48xx series. Also, as far as I know, the Chromaline AccuInk is not available for the 4900 (and I would not use anything else).

pierre 

[mimosatexas]

I love my 1400 and have my buddy output my bigger films on his 64" wide epson god tier machine he uses for canvas printing.  I'd love to output the larger stuff myself, but it's hard to justify spending 3 grand on a wider format printer...my 1400 was $99.

He sells online if anyone is interested http://www.skylinearteditions.com/screen-printers-transparency/ (Frog, if this violates some kind of advertising policy just remove the link)

[TCT]

have the 4800 and would not go back to 3000. Also had a 1400, it produced better films if set at hi res, but it could not touch the 4800 in the end. Also, 1400 is only 13" wide. I am hearing rumbling that the heads on the 4900 are having some issues, so from that aspect, I'd stick to the 48xx series. Also, as far as I know, the Chromaline AccuInk is not available for the 4900 (and I would not use anything else).

pierre

Pierre, what kind of things have you heard about the 4900? I want to know what to watch for!
We got a ridiculous deal($1K) on ours the week they shipped, and have had no issues so far(knock on wood).

[mimosatexas]

A quick google search said resetting the cartridges was trickier and a few other things: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=80527.0

[TCT]

A quick google search said resetting the cartridges was trickier and a few other things: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=80527.0

I think it depends on what type of cartridges you get. The ones we have, you just lay a paper clip or a flat head screw driver across two of the leads on the chip and that resets it. Works out well. But like I said occasionally there is a issue where the printer doesn't like the aftermarket cartridge and gives us a error message. We end up having to remove the cartridge and reinsert it. A pain without a doubt!

[blue moon]

as I said, it's just some background noise, nothing in particular, but the source was reliable.

pierre

[3Deep]

Is epson the only inkjet in the game for seps? mine is pulling the film in sideways really pissing me off now.

Darryl

[TCT]

really pissing me off now.

Darryl

Darryl, Didn't you know? That is a key feature of Epsons, at one point or another you just want to throw the thing out the window! Probably why people always have to upgrade