🚀 go-pugleaf

On 27/02/2025 19:50, David wrote:
> Does anyone have this print plan?
> If so, is it good value?

I can't comment on the Canon plan, specifically. A family member has a
similar subscription plan for an HP printer (and, I think, third-party
inks) and says that it is very convenient. I looked into it when she
first took it up it appeared to be possible to save a little money if
one printed quite a lot and was careful about which plan one chose.

It's certainly possible to pay quite a lot *more* if one chooses a plan
that allows much more printing than one actually does.

General comments: When a plan like this is offered by a printer maker it
is, at least in part, an means of locking the user into a contract using
the manufacturer's own inks rather than cheaper third-party inks. You
lose the flexibility to choose cheaper ink if/when it suits.

If the printer is capable of calling home to order more inks it probably
has to be capable of reading the ink levels from genuine cartridges, and
may refuse to work at all with third-party or refilled cartridges. I say
"probably" because it may be guessing the amount of ink left based
purely on the number of pages printed, but in that case it may make bad
guesses about when more ink is needed.

I wouldn't suggest that refilling cartridges or using third-party inks
are necessarily worth the saving, but the the freedom to do so is
important and shouldn't be surrendered without consideration.

There is a general tendency among manufacturers to offer things "as a
service" that one used to buy outright. This is generally poor value for
the consumer, especially the occasional consumer. The big problem,
though, is not cost - it's availability. If you rely on a service you
are dependent on that service continuing to be available but if you buy
something outright it's yours. This can have down-sides, of course. I
have a spare toner cartridge for my HP LaserJet. It's so old that when I
find I need it I'll probably find it no longer works. I don't print
much. Half a dozen pages a month would be unusual.

--
Cheers,
  Daniel.

Daniel James <daniel@me.invalid> wrote:
> There is a general tendency among manufacturers to offer things "as a
> service" that one used to buy outright. This is generally poor value for
> the consumer, especially the occasional consumer. The big problem,
> though, is not cost - it's availability. If you rely on a service you
> are dependent on that service continuing to be available but if you buy
> something outright it's yours. This can have down-sides, of course. I
> have a spare toner cartridge for my HP LaserJet. It's so old that when I
> find I need it I'll probably find it no longer works. I don't print
> much. Half a dozen pages a month would be unusual.

The other problem is they could double the price of the service overnight,
or change the terms, so something that was initially a good deal now turns
into a very bad one.  Then you are stuck.  The way companies like Netflix
raise their subscription prices, then make a cheaper tier with ads, then
raise the price of that to be more than the original price without ads, etc
etc, suggests such games are going to come sooner or later.

I would not buy any printer that doesn't have third party inks available.  I
would also not connect any printer to the internet (block it at the
firewall, or use it via USB) because manufacturers have a habit of
retroactively blocking the ability to print with third party inks.

Lasers are better than inkjets, and Brother is better than other brands, in
terms of ink/toner cartridge shenanigans.

Theo

On 28 Feb 2025 at 11:46:39 GMT, "Daniel James" <daniel@me.invalid>
wrote:

>  I
> have a spare toner cartridge for my HP LaserJet. It's so old that when I
> find I need it I'll probably find it no longer works.

This definitely happens. The rubbery lip that cleans the toner transfer
roller ages and becomes stiff and fails to clean the roller, I've had
that not only with an old stored one of mine but subsequently with a
new-old-stock HP replacement that had been in someone else's cupboard
since 2008 :D

I had to spend another £15 on a new remake one to get the poor HPLJ5
back in service.

    Cheers - Jaimie
--
Every time we start thinking we're the center of the universe,
the universe turns around and says with a slightly distracted
air, 'I'm sorry. What'd you say your name was again?'
 -- Margaret Maron

On 27/02/2025 19:50, David wrote:
> Helping a friend look for a new All-in-one printer.
>
> Which? recommends the Canon Pixma TS7650i as good value.
>
> It is available direct from Canon with free delivery, but only seems to be
> available bundled with the print plan, which seems to be a monthly
> subscription with replacement cartridges when the printer call home base
> to say it needs one.
>
> Does anyone have this print plan?
> If so, is it good value?
>
> Will be checking with Currys tomorrow to see if it is available without
> the print plan.
>
> Cheers
>
>
> Dave R
>
A recommendation from Which? magazine is normally a hint to me to steer
very well clear...

On 27/02/2025 19:50, David wrote:
> Helping a friend look for a new All-in-one printer.
>
> Which? recommends the Canon Pixma TS7650i as good value.
>
> It is available direct from Canon with free delivery, but only seems to be
> available bundled with the print plan, which seems to be a monthly
> subscription with replacement cartridges when the printer call home base
> to say it needs one.
>

Hello, previous Canon inkjet owner here.

I've just bought an Epson ET-2861 EcoTank inkjet with 3 years worth of
4-colour tanked inks and controllable from a mobile phone, including
printing from such.

No cartridges or need for a "print plan".

£145 including cashback (£40).

I can't really fault it.

--
Adrian C

On 01/03/2025 23:52, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
> Hello, previous Canon inkjet owner here.
>
> I've just bought an Epson ET-2861 EcoTank inkjet with 3 years worth of
> 4-colour tanked inks and controllable from a mobile phone, including
> printing from such.
>
> No cartridges or need for a "print plan".
>
> £145 including cashback (£40).
>
> I can't really fault it.

There're comments around (youtube) that the 'tank' printers still have a
non-replaceable waste ink absorption sponge. When that's full, EOL
printer. I don't know how long they last though.

--
Mike Scott
Harlow, England

On 02/03/2025 13:09, Mike Scott wrote:
> On 01/03/2025 23:52, Adrian Caspersz wrote:

>> I can't really fault it.
>
> There're comments around (youtube) that the 'tank' printers still have a
> non-replaceable waste ink absorption sponge. When that's full, EOL
> printer. I don't know how long they last though.
>

Yea, Epson have had these sponges in their printers, going back for
years, and for some recent tank printers offered a rip-off chargeable
service for soiled sponge replacement. They have changed their mind on that!

For mine, the replacement sponge from Epson is £10, and much cheaper
compatibles exist from eBay, and guides exist on YouTube on their
replacement.

Back in the early days I owned an Epson Stylus Photo 750, and on
scrapping it, was amazed on how much felt sponge was installed in the
base of the machine, much of it untouched by ink - though probably I'm
not a heavy user.

BTW, the vast majority of my printing is B/W laser, this is just for the
odd (Christmas) thing that needs colour, and I didn't feel like
upgrading the laser that way.

The previous ink printer was a Canon Pixma IP4300. I retired it after 17
years, the head blocked and drowning that with corrosive ammonia didn't
look a good fix for the electronics within.

Besides printing things directly from an iPhone/iPad has now become more
convenient!


--
Adrian C