a quick printer question

[specs]

i am looking for a new multi function printer. our old epson will not let you print if one of your colors is empty. Is this epson only? Or have others taken up this practice? I'm also looking at keeping printing cost low. i was thinking of a kodak, but after reading several reviews, i have serious doubts about the overall quality. Any meanimgful input is welcome.

[xcorvis]

I think that's a pretty common limitation. You might find a model that does B&W even when the color is out, but that seems unlikely.

My advice is not to buy a multifunction printer at all. They're cheap trash. It'll break in a year. Buy a good printer (I prefer laser) and a good scanner. If one goes then you just have to replace it, not everything.

[tokenuser]

I think that's a pretty common limitation. You might find a model that does B&W even when the color is out, but that seems unlikely.

My advice is not to buy a multifunction printer at all. They're cheap trash. It'll break in a year. Buy a good printer (I prefer laser) and a good scanner. If one goes then you just have to replace it, not everything.You buy anything cheap and it'll fail on you.

I have a 5yo HP OfficeJet 6110. Copy/Fax/Scanner (with sheet feeder), and color print capabilities. Still going strong. The HP unit is rock solid. I also have a 7yo HP LaserJet 4050N which I do the bulk of my printing on (double sided, network enabled).

HP defined the office printer - and they are used world wide in high volume environments for a reason ... they are solid, and ink is (relatively) inexpensive.