Lexmark printer - have I made a mistake?

[Stu]

I'm looking for a little reassurance here, though I'm afraid that I might not like the response I get!

My Canon Pixma IP5000 printer was brilliant for the first 2 years, then I got major banding issues and blue streaks across photos... I think the print head is dead. After putting up with it for a couple of years and instead relying on getting photos done by, e.g., Snapfish, I've decided it's time to get a new one.

My scanner doesn't play with Win 7, so I decided to get a all-in-one. Uses will be printing an even mix of b&w prints, colour prints, photos up to A4 and scanning documents like statements, etc (i.e. archiving those documents that end up in a filing cabinet).

My initial target if interest was the Canon MP560... unfortunately I missed the boat when they were selling <£100 a few months back. So I'm looking at the £90-125 price range.

While browsing for options I picked on the half-price deal Lexmark have this month on the Interact S605 and Prestige Pro805, which both use the new touchscreen interfaces. Traditionally I wouldn't touch Lexmark with a bargepole, but the reviews are fairly good (though mixed), and DigitalVersus currently rate the S605 as their top all-in-one. Subsequently, I've bought a Prestige over the Interact... decision influenced by: supplied with XL tanks, can take the XL105 black ink tank (<£5), document feeder and 5 year warranty (which includes the print heads... won' get burnt like with my Canon).

However, I still have a funny feeling about getting a Lexmark. What do you lot think? Anyone have experience of the new Lexmark range?

 

[sirmonkey1985]

i cant say much.. havent used a lexmark in a long time.. i went with brother laser printers and havent looked back since.. but since it does come with a 5 year warranty id say take the chance.. if it dies then take advantage of the warranty.. just make sure they actually cover europe with the 5 year warranty first so you dont get screwed like most american based companies screw europe on warranties..

 

[almalino]

I use 6 years old Lexmark laser bw printer. It was used befor in a big organisation and is in quite used condition. Still, it works fine though some time it jams paper. So, Lexmark looks like a good printer.

The one disadvantage is a cartrige cost - 350 Euro in Finland (20 000 pages to print)

 

[bastage]

/me wont use lexmark.

I am biased & use straight HP. Still have one printer in the family bought in 2000 or 2001 printing better pictures then most other printers after 9 years. The downside is that HP ink isnt cheap. But you get what you pay for

 

[Stu]

Anyone with experience of the Lexmark inkjet printers? Reviews around the web say that text and graphics print well, but opinions on photo printing is mixed.

I've had Epson and Canon before... Epson was OK, but preferred Canon... but not convinced by the last one playing up. I've used a lot of HP machines a work, and the impression I get is solid but not spectacular.

 

[zoobaby]

From some testing I participated in:
Lexmark pretty much blows in photo printing. Cannon or HP for printing pictures, hands down the best. The difference between Cannon and HP is the coloring/color scale. IIRC, the the pictures were rated close together regardless but there was a consistent trend in the ratings. The trend was, if you take the take the picture you will prefer the HP print. If someone else took the picture, you will prefer the Cannon print.

 

[Stu]

From some testing I participated in:
Lexmark pretty much blows in photo printing. Cannon or HP for printing pictures, hands down the best. The difference between Cannon and HP is the coloring/color scale. IIRC, the the pictures were rated close together regardless but there was a consistent trend in the ratings. The trend was, if you take the take the picture you will prefer the HP print. If someone else took the picture, you will prefer the Cannon print.

Was this with the latest Lexmark range that use 4 separate ink carts?

 

[zoobaby]

Was this with the latest Lexmark range that use 4 separate ink carts?

This would have been from 2 years ago. If you care about your photo print quality, I wouldn't touch Lexmark. If it is just for a one off print to stick on the fridge, well, it probably would be fine.