A couple things to keep in mind about printers ...

The biggest problem you will likely have is the print heads clogging.

HP has designed their printers so that when you replace the ink cartridge, you also replace the print head. It's been that way back to the 712 series (a really great printer - a little slow by today's standards) and back beyond that.

SugarSprinkles: If your 712 is running great, hang onto it

Epson, and most others, have a print head that is independent of the cartridge, and over time (especially with limited use) the print heads on these printers tend to clog. And with the declining cost of printers, if you need to replace the print head, you might as well replace the printer.

One the other hand, if you use your printer constantly, clogged print heads with these printers are rarely a problem.

I work in the graphics and photo industry, and for consistent photo quality, the Epson line of printers, especially the mid and upper priced printers, have always been the standard by which other printers are measured.

For everyday use, almost any printer will do the job. If you're primarily printing 4 X 6 photos, you may want to check out the new dye-sub printers. They don't use "wet" ink, the colors are stable and long lasting, and are not affected by moisture as is ink jet technology.

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