I know there are a lot of printer threads and I have read through many of them however, I still have some questions.

I am currently majoring in graphic design and prop design and need a good, accurate, and (hopefully) lowcost printer. My budget for a printer is maybe $100 top. I do not need a scanner but if it has one then its a bonus.

I have looked at the Brother 4040(CN?) and if I can save up enough I may get it, though right now its $180. With the local Circut City going out they are also selling an Epson 400 (not sure about exact number or letters) for around $80 that is supposed to print "ultra-HD" photos.

Any thoughts?

I model on a shoe string budget. I use a Brothers MFC 3360c & 240c. At least once a month one or the other can be found on sale for $60. Additionally online stores sell packs of generic ink for them, they both use the same cartridges. A package deal of 4 black, 2 red, 2 yellow, 2 blue costs $40. The ink isn't colorfast, not even if you use Brothers brand. Its also not laser quality, or even HP quality, but I think the printer does a good job considering the drastic difference in prices.

My gallery should give you a good idea of the print quality.
http://wormholegamer.com/photos/thumbna ... 107&page=2
http://wormholegamer.com/photos/thumbna ... ?album=110
http://wormholegamer.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=91

Save your money even longer and buy either a 6000 or 7000 series HP that uses the 02 cartridge system.
With individual cartridges for each ink and the Vivera photo inks, it is well worth the money.
Plus, check with HP and various chain office supply stores on factory refurbished deals.
Every HP I have own other than one were factory refurbished, and I have had no complaints once I learned how to use them.

I can second LD's recommendation for the Brother MFC240c. I bought one on his recommendation a few months ago and have been very pleased. I got a refurbished one from Staples Online for $29, less than the cost of one of my HP or Lexmark printer cartridges. It's an older all in one printer and a little slow, but it does a good job. The ink is dead cheap. You can get 10 cartridges for $40. That's less for 10 cartridges than I was paying for 2 cartridges on my old HP. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Luckyjoe

yeah, the 240 is a bit slower than the 3360. But the 3360 usually costs more. Odd since the 240 has the flatbed scanner. All the 3360 has is a phone, the speed must be why its usually like $30 more.

I'm supprised there's no 'definitive printer' sticky thread =/

Is there a good thread we could refer to that compares printers, with regards to our use, in an indepth way? I mean not just initial cost but ink cost and cost of a 'maintainance kit' whcih is just as big a deal as the cost of ink.

maintainance kit? I don't follow what you mean.

It's a kit with things like a fuser, imaging unit, rollers, drums, etc. The stuff that wears out after a thousands of prints. This is another way printers are measured (especially laser printers); how many thousand prints they are rated to do before requiring a maintanace kit.

Last time I spec'd out printers I had to compare things like initial cost, cost of normal capacity ink/toner carts, cost of high capacity ink/toner carts, pages per minute, how many prints you get on an imaging unit (laser printer), how many prints you get on a drum (laser printer), how many prints you should get before a full maintanace kit.

I just did a search for all posts by Gamesmith Denny and the keywoard printer. That did yield some good info.

Hmm, I've never owned a laser so I don't know about that. But none of the printers I've ever owned have had maintenance or repairs done on them. But who repairs a $60 printer? By the time it needs repairs $60 gets you a better printer.

The Brothers 3360 I've used for the around 2 years now. Every thing in my gallery except part of my original CWU build, has been printed on it. I've never done any maintenance, and I've had no problems. Even something like a paper jam only happens once every couple months.

Using the generic ink set, 4 black-2 red- 2 yellow- 2blue, for $40. That set will last more than 2 WW sets printings. Although depending on the colors you might run out of say yellow, and have 3 full blacks left. The generic single cartridges go for $4-$5 each. So printing off a whole set costs less than $30 in ink usually.

I'm just wondering if it wouldn't be best to just let the print shop down the street handle all the model prints and be done with it. The only other things I print are B/W and a simple laser printer would suffice.

Sorry ... I'm just tired of the whole mess of cartriges, continuous ink systems, cardstock...coverstock ... et all.

Yep, its been a bad day ... I can't seem to find what I want printer wise.