Best Colour Inkjet sub EUR 160?

MadKevo

Can people please give me their opinions on the best colour inkjet at around 160 Euro?
My requirements are:
Parallel (+ maybe USB) for Windows 98,
Good print speed & quality for text,
Good colour photograph printing,
Low running costs (i.e. cheap consumables, either from manufacturer or third party sellers),

I'm currently looking at a HP 3820 or 3822, but are there Lexmark, Canon, Epson or other printers I should be looking at instead.

Your opinions would be very much appreciated!

MK

Quigs Snr

Always liked Epson myself, even though I worked for them for a while.

I use espons all the time as the compatible cartidges are easy to get on mx2.org. Quality is generally the best, but their loading trays are always crap, however, personal preference, Epson. Used em for 10 years, haven't left me down yet and have always been ahead of the game in terms of print quality, although the others are catching up now or have caught up.

sceptre

Epson Stylus Photo 810

12ppm mono, 11ppm color, USB/parallel

Nice - the one thing Epsons are *very* good at in general is photo printing

159.99 at Argos in the new catalogue (and oddly enough all their printer prices are cheaper than the ones at peats that I could compare)

Top / Back loading tray (unlike the HPs but like the Lexmarks and Canons)

Small additional charge - it doesn't come with a USB cable (you'd have to get one for about 10 or 12 euro somewhere (not at Argos - they're relatively pricy there)

byte

Hmm, I have an Epson Stylus 460 and can't say anything great about it. It now can't be used as Win2000 drivers dont seem to work. I found that it wasted a lot of ink cleaning its heads which it did everytime the PC started or the printer powered up. Also find that it won't work with black ink alone which is a shame.

Can any inkjets work with just black ink (for printing docs)? I was told in local computer shop that Canon were best coz the ink was cheapest. Dunno though.

Dingatron

Personally I'd go Epson. I got a photo 875 dc for around £200 IR although I see on peats.ie for €305.79 (updated model). Never had any problems with it, photo quality excellent etc. and has a smart card reader. I'd shop around for abetter price.

Quigs Snr

Irish Byte, I also have a 460 (and the 810). I found the 460 to be an outstanding little printer, nothing could touch it for quality at that price when it came out, and it's still up there.

Epson should have some windows 2k drivers for it as well.

The one good thing is that the ink is cheap if you get it from MX2.org. For a 460, you get 3 color and 3 black cartidges including delivery for 20 sterling. They last as long as the official epson cartridges, and are as good quality, I should know I worked for Epson part time for nearly 2 years when I was in college.

MadKevo

Thanks to all who took the trouble to respond. Think I'll go Epson 810 - seems like it's a good machine.
MK

elexes

the 810 tis class ive used it for photos ( use the correct paper ) it is very good

byte

Originally posted by Quigs Snr
Irish Byte, I also have a 460 (and the 810). I found the 460 to be an outstanding little printer, nothing could touch it for quality at that price when it came out, and it's still up there.

Epson should have some windows 2k drivers for it as well.

The one good thing is that the ink is cheap if you get it from MX2.org. For a 460, you get 3 color and 3 black cartidges including delivery for 20 sterling. They last as long as the official epson cartridges, and are as good quality, I should know I worked for Epson part time for nearly 2 years when I was in college.

Well, it would be nice to get it to do anything now. I got it with my Gateway pooter which used Win98SE. I now use Win 2000 SP2 and downloaded the W2K drivers from Epson's site. But they didn't work. All I got was errors and stuff.