The popularity of All-in-One printers is rapidly growing amongst home printer users. As more households are buying printers, or replacing old printers, printer users are more often than not turning to All-in-One, or multifunction printers. Why?

Put simply, because of their versatility and space saving features. All-in-One printers allow you to print, copy, scan, and fax all from the same machine. Way back when (a few years ago), if you wanted to do all of these things you needed 4 different machines - now you only need one!

According to Consumer Reports, All-in-One printers are actually getting more affordable, more versatile, and being given more features with each new release. Examples include network capabilities, memory card readers, and LCD screens. Many of the features being added actually allow the All-in-One to be used as a photo printer.

A group of 28 All-in-One printers was tested by Consumer Reports. They found that all 28 cost less than All-in-Ones manufactured two years ago. Six of the 28 cost $100 or less. The Canon PIXMA C5180 (cost $140) was deemed a Consumer Reports Best Buy.

When tested against traditional inkjet printers, Consumer Reports found that the All-in-One inkjets printed with the same quality, cost about the same, and printed with the same speed.

Based on their research, Consumer Reports suggests the following All-in-One printers:

Best Print Speed: Canon Pixma MP610 ($170)
Best for Printing Photos: HP PhotoSmart C7280 ($250)
Best for Home Network: HP PhotoSmart C8180 ($350), HP PhotoSmart D7460 ($140)

Consumer Reports recommended the following questions if you are considering purchasing an All-in-One printer:

1. Will it be used only for printing photos? If so, consider a photo printer. Most print directly from memory cards or the camera.

2. Can you get by just printing in black and white? If so, get a laser printer. For text, they have the lowest cost per copy (which reflects long-term printing costs) and the fastest speed. But unlike inkjets, they don’t print in color.

3. What other features are important? Some printers include an extra paper tray for 4-by-6 prints. Others print directly from Bluetooth devices, such as cellphones. If faxing is important, Consumer Reports recommends getting an all-in-one with that capability.

4. What will printer ink and paper cost? Over a printer’s life, ink costs can exceed the printer’s purchase price.

If you have an All-in-One printer, take a minute and let Pacific Ink know what you think about it.

Reviewers and customers all give high reviews for one of HP’s newest photo printers. All say it makes photo printing easier than ever (even easier than the Epson PictureMate). The HP Photosmart A826 is a photo inkjet printer that features a 7 inch LCD touchscreen. Various menus can be displayed on the screen, and with a few simple touches you can have your pictures printed in a few seconds.

To print your photos all you have to do is insert your digital camera’s memory card, select your photos (with a few touches of the screen), and print! You don’t even need a PC.
The A826 comes with a loaded software package so you can customize your photos with borders, graphics, and text. Pictures can be printed in 4×6, 5×7, wallet, and panorama sizes.

The biggest complaint we have heard . . . the cost! This unit costs $250.00. Most would say a bit much for something that only print photos. But, if your focus is on photo printing and you are somewhat of the “scrap booking” type, it just might be worth it. The photo quality and the additional features would easily fulfill your needs.

What about the ink? This printer uses the HP 110 tri-color inkjet cartridge. The 110 is part of the Vivera line of

inkjet cartridges, so it contains a higher grade of ink those outside the Vivera line. HP A826 owners also have the option of purchasing the HP 110 Photo Pack. This pack contains an inkjet cartridge and 120 sheets of 4×6, 10.5mil photo paper.

The editors at CNET gave this unit an excellent 8.1 our of 10 rating. Users rate it a 7.1 out of 10. Take a minute to read over their review. And, if you own this printer, let us know what you think of it.

Troubleshooting your printer. We take a lot of these calls every day. Search around this blog for a while and you can read about all the various troubles people are having. You can also read about the various horror stories of those that have called HP, Epson, Lexmark, Dell, Canon, etc for support. Some of these calls were quite expensive.

So, anyway before you make that call take a look at these troubleshooting tips. They may save you a lot of time and a few dollars! These are pretty simple steps, but the often do the trick.

1. Read your printer’s manual. Not profound advice, but the information in your manual could be very useful. Often that is what you pay a repair person to do, or for that matter the folks at the support hot line.

2. Check your printer manufacturer’s web site. Manufacturers keep their web sites up to date with problems folks have encountered with their printers. A quick search of their site could just reveal the exact problem you are having and an effective solution.

3. Is your printer receiving power? In other words . . . Is it plugged in? Is it turned on? Is your power strip turned on? Is the outlet your printer (or power strip) is plugged in to receiving power? The most common problem being that the printer is not turned on. Check the printers power before doing anything. Also make sure none of the LED lights on the printer are flashing. If they are refer to #2 and you will receive direction on how to solve.

4. Check your cables. If you can’t print it may be because the cables that connect your printer to your computer are not connected. Make sure your cables are securely connected to both your computer and printer.

5. Is your printer beeping? Some of the new printers actually beep when there is an issue. Most beeps occur when the printer is out of ink or paper.

6. Can you test print? Most printers are built with an automatic test print feature. This means that you don’t have to use your computer to initiate a test print page. You will need to consult your user manual for the button, or sequence of buttons, to push, but if you can print a test page from your printer it tells you that there is not a problem with your printer. The trouble then lies in the connection to your computer (See #4) or the software on your computer that communicates with the printer.

7. Make sure your ink cartridges have enough ink in them and that they are installed correctly. If using a toner cartridge, do the same - make sure there is enough toner in the cartridge and that it is installed correctly.

8. Run the print head cleaning utility. Most printers do this by themselves (clean the print head), but in some cases an additional cleaning is necessary to improve performance. You will need ton consult your user manual for direction on how to do this.

9. Do you have a paper jam? Paper jams happen quite often, and are a big pain! When you have a paper jam you must be sure not to use the “brute force” tactic to remove the paper. This tactic often results in major damage to the printer. Our friends at DUXCW have the best tips for fixing a paper jam:

Always read the manual on how to clear a jam. Don’t be a “gorilla” with your printer! You can easily damage a printer (strip gear threads, etc.), or even get hurt, if you do not follow instructions and are not careful. Turn the power off–unplug it. You have 110 volts running around the inside many printers. And print heads, gears, etc. like to nip fingers.

Laser printers have some very fine wires to remove static charges from the paper near the fuser mechanism which will break if you aren’t very careful. Also, the fuser itself can be very hot (it fuses/melts toner to the paper).

Don’t move a print head unless the instructions direct it. You can damage the belt, etc.

Address labels cause many paper jams and cannot always be seen. The old shirt cardboard trick can be used to dislodge them from many printers. Just feed a shirt cardboard (or cut a piece of like-sized cardboard form a file folder) through like a sheet of paper and wiggle the label loose and out.

Staples, paper clips, dog hair, and cookie crumbs are among the many things we have coaxed out of printers. A staple will raise havoc with the drum in laser printers. If you see vertical lines on pages printed by a laser printer (or copy machine), the drum is probably scratched. Replacing it can be a very expensive repair, indeed.

If jams persist, or the printer won’t feed paper, there is a good chance that gears are stripped or rollers are worn-down or have flat spots. Fixing this sort of problem may require specialized tools and elaborate alignment procedures and is often best done at a printer repair depot. It is not usually economically feasible to send low-end ink jet and dot matrix printers, etc. to a repair depot. Sometimes roller problems can be fixed by cleaning the rollers.

Changing to a different kind of paper may help. Refer to your user manual for guidance.

On humid days, slightly damp paper can cause jams by sticking together causing more than one sheet to be fed at a time. Try removing the paper from its tray, etc. and fanning it. Make sure the edges or corners aren’t curled and the tray is either not too empty or too full. Read the book (user manual).

10. Is your printer memory full? Printers have a certain amount of memory, just like your computer, and it possible for the memory to fill up. When it does your printer will just freeze up. The quickest way fix this is to turn the printer off. Wait about 30 seconds before turning your printer back on. The memory should not be empty.

There are quite a few tricks we’ve used, and heard about over the years, but these are the most “scientific”. We are a little hesitant to post the “off the record” or “experimental” tips we’ve suggested. But, if you would like to share yours, go ahead.

We’ve got something new to add to the “printer ink is more expensive than” list. Now it is more expensive than gasoline.

According to a story in the Lakeland Ledger (Florida) a gallon of manufacturer brand ink is more expensive than a gallon of gasoline. IF you were to buy a gallon of manufacturer brand ink (ink made by HP, Dell, Epson, Lexmark, Canon, etc) it would cost you somewhere between $3,000 and $5,000. What’s a gallon of gas going for today, somewhere between $3.00 and $3.50? Quite a difference. This puts printer ink right up there as one of the most expensive liquids in the world.

Another comparision . . . Imaging driving up to a gas pump and paying $13 for a teaspoon of gas - that’s what you pay for a teaspoon of printer ink.

Let Pacific Ink know what you think about the high cost of printer ink.

With the gift giving season getting close to full swing, let’s take a look at CNET’s Top 5 most popular inkjet printers.

#5 - Canon Pixma MX700
Priced between $144 and $225, the Canon Pixma MX700 offers fast print and copy speeds; great print and scan quality; ADF; two paper sources; a preview LCD screen; memory card slots and a PictBridge port. The bottom line, according to CNET: “The Canon Pixma MX700 is a great choice for small offices with a wide variety of print tasks. This inkjet multifunction beats out the competition with a winning combination of features and performance.” (Find out more)

This printer uses the CLI-8 series of black and color cartridges.

#4 - HP Officejet Pro L7680 All-in-One
Priced between $313 and $405, this HP OfficeJet printer offers digital filing; a built-in ADF, a duplexer, and media card slots; excellent print quality; fast-enough print speeds for small workgroups; low print costs. The bottom line: “With its wealth of office-oriented features, fast prints, and great print quality, the HP Officejet Pro L7680 is a very compelling all-in-one for small businesses or work groups. We wholeheartedly recommend it.” (Find out more)

This printer uses the HP 88 black and color cartridges.

#3 - Canon Pixma MP830
Priced between $170 and $340, the second Canon printer on the list is inexpensive for multifunction printer standards and includes a fax machine, an ADF, a duplexer, and a media card reader. CNET’s bottom line: “The Canon Pixma MP830 is a good option for a single home or office user who doesn’t need high-quality graphics prints. If you need better graphics handling or networking, check out the HP OfficeJet 7410.” (Find out more)

This printer uses the CLI-8 series of black and color cartridges.

#2 - Canon Pixma MP530
Priced between $149 and $218, The MP530 offers excellent print quality and affordable ink cartridges. But, be warned it is not network ready and does not have any media card slots. CNET’s final verdict on this printer: ” The Canon Pixma MP530 is a nearly ideal all-in-one for a small office. It just lacks networking and media card slots.” (Find out more)

This printer uses the CLI-8 series of black and color cartridges.

#1 - HP Photosmart A826
The Photosmart A826 is the “fun printer” of the season. It has a very unique design and is a little more expensive that one might think for a photo printer. It is priced between $186 and $2559. It quickly produces high-quality photos; offers lots of fun (there’s that word again) features such as clip art and captions; per-print costs are in line with other snapshot printers’ costs; touch screen is easy to use and great for displaying slide shows; menus are logically organized. What is CNET’s bottom line on this printer? ” The HP Photosmart A826 snapshot printer offers an attractive design, is easy and fun to use, and works better without a PC than any other snapshot printer we’ve reviewed thanks to its huge touch screen, but we wonder who will spend $250 for a dedicated photo printer.”(Find out more)

This printer uses the HP 110 (Q8700AN) 120 sheet photo value pack. It contains one tri-color (cyan, magenta, yellow) ink cartridge and 120 sheets of 4″x6″ photo paper.

Let’s talk about a very popular cartridge here at Pacific Ink today. The HP 57 (C6657AN) tri-color inkjet print cartridge.

The HP 57 a tri-color cartridge, meaning it contains 3 different colors within (cyan, magenta, yellow). It is great for printing photo quality images, whether on glossy photo paper or just plain copier paper. The cartridge will yield approximately 400 color graphic pages, but be warned the actual yield depends on specific use including images printed, printer and print settings. The 400 pages is based on 15% page coverage. The HP 57 ink cartridge contains 17ml of ink and can print photos at up to 2400×1200 dpi.

According to Amazon.com the C6657AN cartridge is the #5 most popular seller in their Electronics/Inkjet Printer category.

When purchasing the HP 57 cartridge, the consumer has a few different choices:

1. The OEM cartridge (cartridge made by HP): When purchasing a HP brand C6657AN cartridge you can typically expect to pay between $34 and $38 dollars. The price varies depending on where you shop.

2. A remanufactured HP 57 cartridge: Many have hear of a remanufactured, or recycled cartridge. This is simply where the empty cartridge was taken fully flushed and cleaned, refilled with OEM grade ink and then print tested (multiple times) to insure a quality of print that is the same as an OEM cartridge. When shopping online you will typically find the cartridge priced between $28-$30. Pacific Ink is offering the cartridge priced at $26.49 when you buy two or more (buy one for your printer and one to keep on the shelf for when you run out - don’t get caught without ink!).

3. A Do-it-Yourself refill kit: A very easy, very popular option. Simply purchase a refill kit, which comes with all the tools you need to refill your cartridge right at home. Each kit comes with all the tools you need (illustrated directions, syringes, ink, etc). You will receive 3, 20ml bottles of ink, which will allow you to refill your cartridge 2-3 times. Refill kits typically cost around $17.

4. A “by mail” cartridge replacement service: Services such as these have become very popular over the last few years. When your HP 57 cartridge runs out ink you simply place it in a mailing box/bag and send it back to the service provider. Once the empty cartridge is received, a remanufactured cartridge is sent back to you. This option is typically less expensive than purchasing a remanufactured cartridge. Prices typically range from $16-$18 per cartridge. Pacific Ink offers Cartridge by Mail.

The HP 57 cartridge is most often purchased with the HP 56 (C6656AN) cartridge. Let us know what you think of this cartridge.

Buy 2 or more Remanufactured HP 57 cartridges for $26.49 each!

Now this is some valuable printer ink! I came across a new story online where a truck carrying $200,000.00 worth of printer ink cartridges was hijacked.

The events took place in Johor Baru, Malaysia (I had to check Wikipedia to find out more about the location of Johor Baru). Where the truck was transporting the ink cartridges to Senai when it was blocked by another truck. The drive was blindfolded and dumped in an oil palm estate before the hijackers drove away with the truck and the cartridges.

We’ve heard people complain about the price of printer ink. I guess it is this price that makes it so valuable. Better take some armed security to your mailbox the next time you receive a package from Pacific Ink!

What do you think of this ink hijacking hi jinx? Let us know.

This week we are taking a look at the Lexmark Z735 inkjet printer. It has been a while since we have reviewed a Lexmark printer, mostly because they have not been flooding the market with an overwhelming number or printers, as the other manufacturers do.At the end of 2006 they decided they were going to cut back on their printer releases. It is definitely showing in terms of the number of new Lexmark printers we can find, as well as the number of customers calling in looking for Lexmark ink cartridges.

The whole cut back points to some financial Lexmark is having, but that is a whole different post. We’re here to talk about the Lexmark Z735 printer.

First and foremost, this is a CHEAP printer. You should expect to pay between $25 and $40 for this printer. Amazon.com currently (as of this post date) the Lexmark Z735 for $28.99, and is offering free shipping. Other sites with lesser prices require you to pay shipping, so this is a great deal.

The Z735 offers 4800 x 1200 max dpi print resolution in high quality print mode, and can produce photo-quality pictures. It prints 4″ x 6″ borderless photos in as fast as 38 seconds (in the econo-mode). Why anyone would print a photo in econo-mode is beyond me. It seems a little strange that Lexmark would their claim to speed in this way. Thirty-eight seconds is slow as it is! Black text prints come at a rate of 15 pages per minute, color at 5 pages per minute.

This printer is small in size, to go along with its small price tag. So, if in addition to a small price tag you are looking for a space saving printer, this one only takes up 1 square foot of space.

The Z735 uses the Lexmark #1 cartridge. Lexmark advertises this as the ultimate cartridge. One single cartridge that contains all the ink you need. It is basically contains color ink, and when you need black all the colors mix to make the black. Sounds like a good deal, but Epson and Canon would tell you that it is not. When you run out of one of the colors you have to replace the entire cartridge, despite the fact that you may still have plenty of the other colors. Oh, the hazards of the multi color cartridge!

You can expect to pay $23 - $24 for the Lexmark manufactured #1 (also know as 18C0781) cartridge. Pacific Ink.com offers a remanufactured version of this cartridge for only $19.49. You can also purchase an ink cartridge refill kit ($17.49), or take advantage of our cartridge recycling service ($17.49). Fortunately, less expensive and more environmentally friendly alternatives exist.

Bottom line on this printer is you get what you pay for. Folks really like the price, but expected a lot more from the printer. It was made for those who don’t print all that much, and when they do print do a limited amount of printing in color. Take our advice, if you are in to photo printing, or are considering getting in to photo printing, don’t buy this printer. Spend a little more right away. You will be far happier.

If you own this printer, let Pacific Ink know what you think. If you don’t, but still want to voice your opinion, you can do that here too.

The HP DeskJet 460c is a mobile inkjet printer. Over the past few years, the popularity of mobile printers has grown. Originally Canon produced the only mobile inkjet printers (and they only had 1 or 2 models), but as demand by business travelers increased printer manufacturers need to come up with a solution for them. The number of mobile inkjet printers you will find on the market is still quite small, but they can be found, and at pretty good prices. Prices for the DeskJet 460c range from $174.00 to $250.00. Amazon.com currently offers the printer for $199.99 with free shipping.

It seems that HP has hit a home run with this inkjet printer. It’s size and quality are a major reason users are raving. The 460c is a true mobile printer. It only weighs 8 pounds and has dimensions of 6.4 x 13.4 x 3.2 inches. It also features optional Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. Of course you also get high quality printing for your documents and photos.

Here is what HP says about it’s mobility:

PRODUCT FEATURES:Connects to Bluetooth-enabled devices using an HP Bluetooth wireless CompactFlash printer card;Prints remotely from hotspots using an 802.11 WLAN CompactFlash printer card and 3-point wireless-network profile-saving switch on printer;Multiple options let you print from notebook PCs, PDAs and camera phones.rd slot;Multiple options let you print from notebook PCs, PDAs and camera phones;Compatible with multiple operating systems: Windows, Macintosh, Palm OS.

With print speeds up to 17 ppm black and 16 ppm color, and 4800 x 1200 max dpi this printer will be more than enough for those times when you cannot get to your home or office printer. The 460c has a 50 sheet max paper tray and manual 2 sided printing (the fancy way of saying you have to go over to the printer and turn the page over if you want print on both sides).

It is PictBridge enabled for quick photo prints directly from your digital camera. It is also USB enabled and offers memory card slots.

As far as the ink cartridges you will need to use this printer, you have quite a selection. This printer can use up to 6 different cartridges depending on your printing needs. It may be harder to carry all the different cartridges than it is to carry the printer! The DeskJet 460c uses the following HP print cartridges: HP 94 / C8765WN Black Print Cartridge, HP 95 / C8766WN Color Print Cartridge, HP 97 / C9363WN HC Color Print Cartridge, HP 98 / C9364WN Black Print Cartridge, HP 99 / C9369WN Photo Print Cartridge, HP 100 / C9368WN Photo Grey Print Cartridge. The HP 97 and HP 98 cartridges are higher capacity versions of the HP 94 and 95. When printing photos you have the option of replacing the HP 95 or 97 with the HP 99. The inks in the 99 are formulated for photo printing and will give your photos a better look. You can also replace the black ink cartridge with the HP 100 photo grey.

The HP cartridges range in price from $22.00 to $38.00. There are alternatives though. Remanufactured versions of the HP 94, HP 95, HP 97, HP 98, and HP 99 ink cartridges are available, and range in price from $17.00 to $29.00.

Users of this printer are saying the following:

A great quality printer, but they could have made it smaller for more portability.

Be aware there are three different versions of this printer. The DeskJet 460c, DeskJet 460WF, and the DeskJet 460WBT. The only difference I can see is the different type of card that comes with each for the wireless card slot.

I recommend this printer for travelers and those who have limited space on their desk.

Small, fast, and offers great print quality.

Great portable printer. Fast and easy to set up.

If you install the printer for USB use you then need to reinstall it if you want to use it wirelessy.

If you have this printer Pacific Ink would love to hear what you think of it.

The HP DeskJet 6980 inkjet printer offers up to 4800 dpi and print speeds of 36 pages per minute black, and 27 pages per minute color. It also offers direct photo printing without a PC (with PictBridge enable cameras) and Wi-Fi wireless capability (in addition to wired Ethernet printing and print sharing).

It utilizes HP Vivera Ink to print laser quality black text and deep range of color for your color photos. The DeskJet 6980 uses cartridges from the newer HP 90 series (HP 96, HP 97, HP 98, HP 99, HP 100). The HP brand cartridges range in price from $21.99 to $36.99. For those that want to save a few dollars, Pacific Ink also offers remanufactured (recycled) versions of the 96, 97, 98, and 99 cartridges. these cartridges that range in price from $16.99 to $28.99. We also offer the Cartridge by Mail™ cartridge recycling service.

The 6980 is an affordable printer, priced from $90-$145, that is great for your home or your office. For the photo buffs, it can create borderless prints up to 8.5 x 24 inches.

Here is what HP says about the printer:

Fast, affordable, efficient. With laser-quality black and white, direct photo printing, and networkability, the HP Deskjet 6980 Color Inkjet Printer has all office bases covered. Built-in wireless options and fast, high resolution printing make the DJ6980 a versatile option for all your varied printing tasks. Automatically detect the paper type and adjust the print quality for optimal results Do things fast with the handy print cancel, network configuration and quiet mode controls Work at peak efficiency with the two-sided printing accessory and extra 250-sheet paper tray (sold separately) Easy print sharing - Make you printer available on a small home or office wireless or wired Ethernet network that mixes PCs and notebooks Set up fast - there’s no need for additional hardware or software with the built-in Ethernet Print from your camera phone or PDA with a Bluetooth wireless print adapter (sold separately) Water and smudge-resistant prints with HP Vivera Inks and HP advanced paper Maximize your ink efficiency - get fast results and superior fade resistance while using less ink with HP’s Vivera inks Supported Operating Systems - Windows 98 SE, 2000 Professional, Me, XP Home, XP Professional; Mac OS X v 10.2.3, 10.3, 10.4 Package Contents - HP Deskjet 6980 Printer / HP 96 Black Inkjet Print Cartridge (21 ml) / HP 97 Tri-color Inkjet Print Cartridge (14 ml) / HP Photosmart Premier software / Printer drivers / User’s guide on CD-ROM / Setup poster / Reference guide / Ethernet cable / Power supply / Power cord Unit Dimensions - (W x D x H) 17.7 x 14.5 x 5.7 inches / Weight 14.04 lb Manufacturer’s One-year limited warranty.

And, what are the users of this printer telling us:

If you own this printer, let us know what you think.

Buy the HP DeskJet 6980

Buy Cartridges for the HP DeskJet 6980