I am looking to replace my ageing Epson and am baffled as to which to look at. I don't really want a multifunction as I have a very good scanner less than a year old. I need a printer for a mixture of text and graphics with the possibility of occasional good quality photos. What advice can you give me?

I think most users tend to have a favourite brand, whether it be Epson, Canon, HP etc. If you've been happy with Epson then there's no reason not to stay with that make. If photo quality is important, then you'll want a photoprinter, but I use a very basic HP colour inkjet which produces adequate quality photos for my needs - my framed photos were even printed on plain paper!

It's "horses for courses" and, I think, very difficult to recommend a particular printer for someone else, but see what others come up with.

I agree with what Mike has said. Personally I have always preferred HP, but when you are choosing, look at what you want from your printer, plus price range.

Then choose potential models and look at reviews for them. Amazon customer reviews can be helpful.

> I agree with what Mike has said. Personally I have always preferred

Epson for me.

Does everything I want it to do, including printing directly onto CD/DVD's.
Ultra cheap compatible cartridges at less than ".74 each" (yes less than seventy four pence each) and the quantity of prints per cartridge is quite good. (actually I think they were .64 pence)

Don't make the mistake of going for a cheap printer, because the cartridges can be anything up-to £20 each and also quite small. (been there did that).

Thanks folks for your input. It certainly is a minefield out there and often reviews I have read sometimes contradict each other. I have a shortlist and I now have to do the sums in respect of ink costs but I suspect it will be either Epson or HP as both have served me well in the past. My only gripe with HP was front-loading the paper would sometimes cause it to curl whereas the Epson paper input at the back kept the paper flat. Is this something anyone else has experienced?

Usually curly paper occurs for 2 reasons.

1. The paper has too much moisture in it (damp) and when the hot printer-head passed, it dries and shrinks the paper too quickly.

2. As with photo copiers, the paper is actually being fed into the machine the wrong way up!
Although this is more prevalent with photo copiers it still can still happen with printers because the head of the printer gets very hot and is close to the paper as it passed beneath it.
Because, paper has a natural grain.

When you look at the end of a ream of paper there is a arrow on the label which is also facing the seam (joint) of the ream wrapping , the paper should be fed into the printer or copier so that it is printed on this upper-side, if there is no arrow (which can happen) then use the seam of the wrapping as the guide.

I've always preferred Epson printers because I never have any problems with them.

I'm currently using the Stylus DX8400 (printer/copier/scanner) and it gives me excellent document & very good photo prints, considering it's not a dedicated photo printer.
It's always handy to have a backup scanner.

I don't like front loaders, as I often print on card, and find they are not usually happy with card.

As this printer is still under guarantee, I use Epson originals (4 colours), and these are reasonably cheap.
The only compatibles that I use (or would recommend) are Inkrite. I've used them for years and find they give consistently good quality photo prints.

I get my cartridges from w2w. The website is http://www.w2w.com/

I get them delivered by phoning free on 0800 279 5940 and pay with Maestro.
I've never had problems using w2w.

Spit

Make sure that when you buy one that the replacement cartridges will be available - I know that sounds as if it would be a done and dusted thing but - and here I state that I should have known better - I bought a Brother DCP 585 CW all in one before Christmas.

No problems with the machine but! this week I went to buy new cartridge and nowhere in my town could I get them, even from the place I bought it from. They said that the company had not sent them any yet! I know Tasmania is on the bottom of the world but really! and I don't think it would be the companys fault - if the retailers had asked for them I'm sure they would get them.

I went online last night and an Australian Co, that distributes cartridges had them - I bouht them - cheaper than they would have been in the shops and I get them in a couple of days.

Usually I buy printers that I can refill the cartridges myself (and often they will tell you you can't but usually if you lift up a bit of sticker or something you can!) becaue i don't do fine photo printing or anything like that, mostly text. My first little Canon I refilled the same cartride for three years!

Zante