Inkjet printer recommendations

[messier44000]

I am currently using a HP printer with HP 305 genuine or 3rd party cartridges.

Just use it for invoices and labels

Issue with these is you can use a refill to top up. But despite having plenty of ink in them, 

when the micro chip says its time to get another one, there is no override. Another example 

of a wasteful throw away and replace world we live in.

Plus over the next year, as with many HP printers, it will say its time is up and stop working.

Even if there is nothing wrong with it.

So for when this printer has printed its allocated number of sheets and dies, what printer brands 

are out there that allow you to keep refilling the ink cartridges over a longer period with no shelf life.

Thinking Epsom, as they actively promote refills alongside their products. 

[banditfrenzy]

I'm running an Epson EcoTank ET-2810 which I bought 2nd hand off fb marketplace. Filling it with genuine ink & it is MUCH more economical than my old cartridge printer even on aftermarket ink.

For postage labels I use a GX420D thermal printer, again 2nd hand. I stopped printing post labels on inkjet after going to the PO in the rain & noticing that all the labels ink had dissolved !

[jlovie]

Does it have to be an inkjet?

I replaced my inkjet with a laser and wished I'd done it earlier.

A £60 Samsung. Use about one toner cartridge a year, about £10 for generic.

Unless you need colour, laser seems far better.

[messier44000]

Always open to suggestions.

Mainly B&W, but use colour for my posters 

[cbennissupplies]

B&W invoices laser hands down best way to go, dont get HP a lot are chipped toners aftermarket not as many available.  basic samsung or if you want something more substantial Brother and AM toners and drums cheap as chips.

if you need colour prints as well and without getting into serious colour laser just get a run of the mill epson and if wanting quite a few colour one of the new eco tank models

with printing the thing to evaluate is cost per page check out printerland they give an estimated cost per page based on genuine consumables !

for colour some inkjet printers cost more per page than a base level laser 

[darth_baggins]

I got a Brother HL-L2400DWE (laser) in March, was around £89, seems to have gone up a bit but I've been very happy with it. I've not yet had to change the toner.

[ojewellery]

I've got a couple of ecotanks the 2810 and 4850 (I use for higher quality stuff like cards) plus a thermal label printer.

The ecotanks have been great - massive saving over using cartridges and less general faff as you don't top up as often as you change cartridges. 

I like the ease of a thermal printer and even with charging for labels from Jan (under 1p each) the thermal printer has been a work horse lasting years no ink, no parts and no tape/ bags to fix labels onto parcels, they don't run if they get slightly damp like paper and so very rare to have a scan issue.

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

HP are notorious for this approach.

They tried to ban 3rd party cartridges from their printers but failed due to poor sales afterwards.

My Epson works fine with 3rd party cartridges and has done for years.

Just dont buy HP.

[insidethe93]

The EcoTank system's easy to refill. Ink bottles use 'key lock' to guarantee the right ink goes into the right tank. Takes ages before needing to refill.

1. Epson EcoTank ET-2711 A4 Print/Scan/Copy Wi-Fi Printer. Just the thing for admin e.g. printing eBay invoices. It's a colour printer but not a 'photo-quality' one. It's a 4-ink model.

2. Epson EcoTank ET-8500 A4 Wi-Fi Ink Tank Photo Printer, bought June 2025. 6-ink model, 'photo-quality'. It is indeed photo-quality, bought it to do "digital painting". Front-loading which is handy as I have 9 different paper/card types that I swap a lot. It takes heavy 300gsm printer card no probs. Only downside is that the paper tray capacity feels inadequate as it doesn't take much.

I avoid HP for the HP microchip reasons in your post. Bought another EcoTank model as I liked the system after using it.

Model 1 is quite noisy. Model 2 also but less than Model 1. Both make noises at odd times and quite often; perhaps they're making coffee. I left/leave my printer on all the time, no probs.

Model 1's ink windows soon became inaccurate because when you top up to nearly full some ink remains on the window, so you don't know if the ink level drops below that apparent mark. Might happen with model 2. But you get used to how often you need to refill or, rather, how rarely.

I'm trying to give printer 1 away free to a family member or a friend as I upgraded to printer 2, but it seems no one wants a "basic" 4-ink model when you can buy "photo-quality" for a bit more even though it'd be free complete with a set of unopened inks.

Hope you find what you want.

[padanpcparts]

I have a Canon Pixma G3501. It has refillable ink reservoirs and honestly it lasts FOREVER. The first black ink lasted maybe 18 months printing something like 10-15 pages a day. Excellent compared to my old HP which used to eat ink cartridges every other month. 

Maintenance seems good, print quality is fine for work purposes. I also have a thermal label printer which is just a no-brainer if your doing full time online selling. 

[kyanyama]

I have a Canon Pixma All-in-One printer.  Scans, photocopies and prints.  You can also buy the black cartridge in XL.  I only use draft quality black and white and it's perfect for every day use and printing eBay invoices and labels.  You can use it wifi but I just connect the cable that was supplied with it.

After I've printed my labels I cover them with clear packing tape so they don't get damaged by rain.  I don't know if I they do but not risking it with our weather.  After I've packaged up each item I take a photo of the parcel and keep it for a year.