Inexpensive, occasional use A4 photo printer suggestions?

[Riley Blue]

Until now I've seldom printed photographs I've taken but O/H says she'd like some framed. Only one snag, I don't have a colour printer. Is a home photo-printer the best answer or are on-line printing services worth investigating?

Edited by Riley Blue on Wednesday 29th May 15:08

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

I am long out of the printer sales game (ex Canon Product Manager at a disty) but I guess some of these rules still apply.

Are ink tanks separate (C/Y/M/B) or 3 colour or all 4 combined. If the latter you'll throw away lots of unused ink.
Are print heads built in, built in to the cartridge or replaceable - it used to be Epson built in (print head failure meant write off) HP replace with cartridge (pricey) Canon replaceable (often not worth cost)
DPI doesn't really mean much nowadays. Past the resolution that the eye can pick up.

Great quality printers are readily available now for well under £50, it's the consumables you need to consider.

[21TonyK]

If its only occasional use and you want consistent good quality for larger prints have you looked at the online printing services?

[The_Jackal]

Cheap printers are disposable these days. Plus they all clog up with only occasional use.
Either buy a cheap one and use no brand inks or just have your prints printed online.
It really isnt worth buying an expensive inkjet printer for occasional use.

[Riley Blue]

My thinking about inkjets confirmed so which on-line printing services are worth considering re. quality, value for money etc.?

[GeneralSinn]

For absolute simplicity for pictures I use a local photo shop (max spielmann)

Quick and easy and while you wait

Plus if the images are not 100% they reprint till they are at my store (not sure if this is company policy but I’d imagine so)

[imck]

I have used Photobox a few times.
Very easy and good quality.

£1.69 for A4 Prints

[Turn7]

Not worth buying a printer for
Occasional use.
As others have said,plenty of online printers these days.

[droopsnoot]

I'd agree, especially if they are for framing where you'll want optimum quality.

I've got an old Epson a mate gave me, for occasional use - I print the odd e-ticket, some addresses to stick on parcels, that kind of thing. Since the last time I used it (about 2 weeks) it's now gone senile as it no longer recognises the (non-genuine) ink cartridges. Not buying genuine for £45+, don't want to drop £20 on a new printer as it'll clog up or do something else annoying.

One of the reasons I miss working in an office, really.

[anonymous-user]

Local library while u wait