What are the Best Printers for Cheap Ink Costs?

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These days a full set of printer cartridges can cost you almost as much as a new printer, so it’s always worth considering the running costs of a printer before buying a new one. To help you decide which is the best one for you we’ve put together this useful buyers guide featuring the top three printer/copiers for cheap ink costs.

 

Kodak ESP 5250

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You’ve probably seen Kodak adverts on the TV, boasting about their low running costs, so it should come as no surprise to see one of their machines amongst our recommendations. The ESP 5210 is indeed on of the cheapest photo printers on the market using less than 5 pence worth of ink to print a standard 4×6 photo. The Kodak ESP 5250 is an all-in-one printer, meaning you can not only print but also copy and scan. The ESP 5250 also includes a built-in 2.4 inch, memory card slot and Wi-Fi allowing to print wirelessly from your laptop. Thanks to Kodak’s clever Pic Flick App you can also print straight from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Blackberry smartphone. A full set of replacement cartridges for the ESP 5250 will set you back less than £20.

 

HP Officejet Pro 8500A

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The HP Officejet Pro 8500A e-all-in-One (CM755A), to give it its full name, is a printer aimed squarely at small office, home office market. Functions include printing, scanning, copying and faxing. Other features include a 6cm touch-screen display, memory card slots, wireless connectivity and EPrint technology, which allows you to print from any mobile smart device. Whilst a full set of replacement cartridges will cost you as much as £49, all colour inks are in individual cartridges meaning they can be replaced individually; unlike composite cartridges which need to be replaced even though not all colours have run out. Printing a standard photo on the Officejet Pro 8500A will cost you only slightly more than the Kodak, but duplex printing will save you a few a extra pounds in paper.

 

Epson Stylus NX515

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The Epson StylusNX515 costs just 1 pence more than the Kodak to print a standard 6 x 4 inch photo but does so using Epson’s Durabrite Ultra Ink, a high-quality resin based ink that provides almost lab-quality photos which are also fade, smudge and water resistant. The SX515W also features a 6.3cm LCD screen, scanner, copier and media card reader, including CompactFlash compatibility. Like the HP above the Epson also has individual inks, meaning you only need to replace the colours you have used. Wi-Fi connectivity is a doddle to set up and menus are simple and straightforward, however photo prints lack the quality shown by the other machines.

Whilst these are indeed three of the best printer copiers for cheap ink costs, cheap printing always depends on individual use. The most important thing to remember however is to always shop around for the cheapest replacement cartridges – as this in itself can save you pounds.

About the Author

This buyers guide was written by Neeru Bhangu of PrinterInks.com; leading suppliers of toner and ink cartridges from a range of top brands, including Canon, HP, Epson, Kodak and Samsung.

 

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