Epson Stylus C42 Plus Review

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Epson Stylus C42 Plus
3.1 stars
Average rating for this product is: 3.1 out of 5

From 3 ratings and 20 reviews

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madra's Review of Epson Stylus C42 Plus Inkjet Printer

3rd Nov 2004

Overall Rating

0 stars
  • Value for money
    0 stars
  • Ink Consumption
    Poor
  • Ease of Set Up
    1.5 stars
  • Time Inkjet Printer Owned
    Over 1 Year
  • Print Quality
    2.5 stars
Good Points

Cheap


Bad Points

Expensive cartridges, wasteful of ink, clogs continually, unreliable, useless software...etc...etc.


General Comments

I'd like to revisit my earlier review of the Epson C42 Plus Inkjet Printer with the benefit of hindsight after using this excuse for a printer for over a year. When I first purchased the printer, I gave it a '7' because of the low purchase price and 'good for the money' print quality. However, this initial enthusiasm didn't take long to wear off. But where to begin?...

I've already mentioned the ridiculous 'intellichip' cartridge system in my earlier review. This effectively 'guesses' when the cartridge is empty, judging by how much you've printed since you installed that cartridge. When the 'intellichip' decides your cartridge must be empty then that's it - no more printing! - even though the cartridge may still have ink left in it and don't expect to be allowed to print in black & white if the C42 decides your colour cartridge is empty. it will refuse to print until both cartridges are filled to it's satisfaction.

It wouldn't be so bad if the cartridges didn't cost £15-18 each... and if they lasted more than about a week or two... and if the printer heads didn't clog continually, so that you had to waste even more ink cleaning them every day or so. In fact sometimes the cartridges will clog in the middle of a print job, so you'll find one or two sheets printed properly and then a huge trayful of junk which hasn't come out at all.

Which brings me onto the software. The software supplied with this printer is of the kind which will ask "are you sure?" continually with reference to the most innocuous task, but allow you to waste your entire stock of paper and/or ink without question. For example to clean the print heads you must OK about 4 different dialogues and even just getting the 'ink remaining' display up requires about 3 clicks on various 'OK' buttons. However if you've set a 20 page document to print and one of your ink colours runs out after the first paragraph on page one, this stupid little POS will blithely continue spewing out the next 19 pages regardless.

I can honestly say this is the worst printer it has ever been my misfortune to work with. I look forward to the day when I get myself a new one [which will definitely not be an epson!] Whereupon I will take this plastic nightmare out the back with a large lump hammer and relieve a small fraction of the stress and annoyance it has caused me over this past year.

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Members' Comments onmadra's Review

  • chicago on 5th May 2005

    Oh wow, and I thought it was just me and my "bad luck" with Epson!
    Having only had the C42UX a year and a half, and with countless clogging etc, I finally got a brilliant injector kit and thought that was it. Now I have a lovely "your Epson needs essential maintenence" message and it refuses to do anything. WHAT a waste of money! I wonder if HP are any better?!?!