A couple of years ago, I bought a Canon Pixma IP4500 printer for approx. €80. The reason for buying was that I was able to print documents (concert tickets, etc) and the occasional photo. Generally, I send my photos to a lab, so I don't need an expensive state-of-the-art photo printer.
Recently, I ran out of ink for the printer. The third time in three or four years. The IP4500 holds separate cartridges for each color. This means that I need to invest around €15 for each cartridge. Total costs: >€60.
While I was standing in the store, I saw a new Canon (color) printer for less than €50. This included the ink (for that model). Well, that was an easy decision. Out the 'old' printer and in a new multifunctional printer (Canon MG2250). It prints, scans and copies, while the old printer could only do one thing; print.
There are probably several persons out there that would recommend off-brand inks. Sure, it's possible to buy off-brand, but that introduces the hassle of:
- removing of chips, and taping them to new containers, and/or
- drilling holes to inject new ink into the container.
- Resetting software by pressing 5 buttons with three fingers for 20 seconds to lure the printer into thinking that everything is alright. And this can (and will) re-occur very once in a while.
All that to save a couple of bucks. No thank you.
Anyway, I have a new printer (with ink), and the old one is heading for the garbage dump.
"Why not sell it", you ask? Well, no person will ever want to buy it (with no ink in it), since they can get a new printer WITH ink for less money. How fucked up is that?
I wonder if we will ever throw away a car, just because it ran out of petrol and buying a new car (with petrol) is cheaper.