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Comment by graton | Hacker News Reader

So you can not use the eco tank for 6 months and it will just work when you need to print again? That is why I like laser printers, I don't have to worry about head cleaning or clogged nozzles.

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The clogged print head is overestimated. I recently revived a Brother inkjet printer that was in storage for 4 years and after 3 or 4 head cleanings it was back in business.

Get back to us when the absorbent cleaning sponge in the printer fills up :-)

You can always use some isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs and clean them yourself.

I’ve been using inexpensive laser (monochrome) since 2010 and haven’t had to do any of this nonsense.

Sometimes I don’t even replace the toner when it complains; I just take toner out shake it and it keeps working (a bit lighter than usual)

Laser is great but it doesn’t solve the visiting grandma wanting to print photo album pictures.

That’s not remotely worth the hassle of a colour inkjet. Just decide on the photos together and upload them to a proper photo print service for delivery to her home.

It sure is a hassle, but the grandma loves it so much it feels worth it. I gave up on HP in the past but I’m giving it another go now with an Epson eco tank. So far so good.

I just use an online printing service to mail the prints. At like 50¢/ea mailed if I send a collection it'll take almost a thousand prints just to match the price of a decent photo printer. And even then most 4x6s printed at home still cost like 20¢-40¢/ea each anyways, so even after a thousand prints I'll still probably be ahead in the end. And then I also don't have to store a photo printer and it's supplies in my house.

So yeah, black and white laser multi-function and online printing services for me.

My color LaserJet photos are magazine quality. If I need better, I get them at CVS for something like eight cents

A monochrome home printer isn't worth the space it takes up IMO. I don't print very often, but when I do it's colour as often as not.

Can someone calculate the price of ink consumed for those for cleanings?

But I have to clean the print heads every time I print (about once a month). I use up vast amounts of ink just keeping this thing working.

I wish I'd bought a laser

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