I started a
printshop over a year ago, and my first printer was the Brother DCP-T420W.
It’s a wireless printer with A4 scanner and can handle Letter, Legal (8”x13”)
and A4 size papers. Ink usage is very efficient. Quality of print is better
than my next printer, Epson L5290.
However,
this printer has difficulty printing 3R, 4R and 5R size photo paper since it’s
using the paper feeder at the back. It’s a hit and miss process. Once, there
were ants that setup a colony inside the printer, and you could see it
underneath the glass scanner bed. It also vanished after a few days. Since
then, scanning / photocopy seems a bit hard because after a few documents,
there would be a error that says “Can’t scan AF”
Brother
DCP-T420W also prints slower than the Epson L5290.
The Epson
L5290 was purchased a few months after the Brother. There’s no issue
printing 3R, 4R and 5R on this. I usually use this for the rush ID
requirements. It has an ADF for Long 8”x13” documents that needs to be scan or
photocopy but it’s a hit and miss process. The Epson L5290 is also wireless
capable.
It’s also
susceptible for paper jam and I once bought it to the service center for this
issue. After a year, it started having issues grabbing the paper (I always use
80 gsm paper) so I have to return it to the service center a 2nd
time. The repairman said the rollers needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, it
might take a month for it to be replaced since the parts needs to be ordered.
So I bought
a 3rd printer – a Canon G2010. The design is similar to the
Brother – it’s sturdy. No issues printing 4R and 5R. There was a known issue
though – there’s no option for Folio or 8”x13” paper size in the dropdown menu
if you right-click a file (JPG or PNG) and select Print. Already talked to a
Canon technical support guy as well as install the latest driver, but the issue
remains.
The solution
I found is to convert the JPG and PNG file into a PDF. Then I customized an
8”x13” size in the Print Server Properties in Printers & Scanners. Then the
Long size now appears on Word and whenever the PDF file is printed. Still, it’s
a hassle and I hope Canon would find a driver to fix this.
The Canon
G2010 also prints as fast as the Epson L5290. The price of Canon’s dye ink (I
always use Original) is higher than that of Brother and Epson. The Canon G2010
however is not wireless capable. The one that is wireless capable is the higher
model, G3010 but that would cost an additional P1,000. Since I already have 2
wireless capable printers, it won’t hurt if this 3rd printer is USB
connection.
What are
your current models of printer and what is your favorite?