BARGAIN BIN PRINTER
Written: Jul 01 '01
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Pros: Cheap, colorful prints.
Cons: Discontinued model / better technologies have already come.
The Bottom Line: If you can pick it up for dirt cheap (less than $40). It is still a serviceable printer for students on a tight budget.
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| dexterlab1's Full Review: Epson Stylus Color 400 InkJet Printer |
I got my Epson Stylus 400 around 3 1/2 years ago for the princely sum of $200. At that time, it was the next best model available after the Stylus 600. This baby boast of 360dpi printing (normal) with up to 720dpi for specially coated Epson papers.
Recently, I became enamored with writing a short piece on the long-term reliability of this unit. As most ink-jet printers can be had for dirt cheap today ($60-$100), I'm pretty sure there are a lot of these Stylus 400's that will be available in bargain bins and flea markets for much less than that ($40 or less).
This printer is a fairly capable model for the features that it claimed. It has a paper tray to handle bond papers or envelopes. It has dual ink system (1 black ink cartridge and 1 color ink cartridge) so you dont have to interchange between the two. The color is pretty vibrant and the speed quite okay. The only gripe I have is the noise. It is pretty loud especially when compared with my CANON BJ-100 monochrome inkjet printer.
The EPSON software that goes with this printer is helpful in adjusting the quality and speed modes of this printer.
The paper feeds pretty well and jams are only occasional at worst. The nozzle is quite dependable and easy to clean with its self-cleaning mode.
A week ago, my printer's power relay broke down. The Service Center estimates the repair cost to be not less than $30. That's a clear call to junk this baby and pick up a new printer. Thus, this printer's effective lifespan in my experience is a little more than 3 years. Pretty worth it but cheaper and better alternatives have come along. The individual ink cartridges by CANON THINK TANKS are pretty much better because this STYLUS color cartridge needs to be replaced even if just one color runs out.
If you can get this model dirt cheap (less than $40, or perhaps ask it from a relative who wants to dispose of his Stylus400), this will still be a serviceable model. There are many replacement inks, most notably from CALIDAD (an australian firm), black inks are about $5 while color ink cartridge (s/n 960-col) will set u back $10. For those of you who want original EPSON supplies, the black ink (SO20093) is about $11, while the color cartridge (SO20089) is about $15.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 200
Operating System: Windows
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Epinions.com ID:
dexterlab1
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Member: James Young
Location: Philippines
Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 0 members
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