Lifespans of HP Deskjet printers

jhay — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:33:57 +0000

Things have not been good for me since the blogparteeh07, first is the still crappy Globelines broadband connection, now it’s my HP Deskjet 3745 ink-jet printer. What happened to it?

Well, it’s broken. For reasons still unknown, the printer just refused to put on its led light indicating its readiness to put into paper the digital incarnations of papers I need to pass school, get Sining Bayan moving along and other personal effects, not to mention my siblings’ schoolworks, and my father’s office work.

Power surge? Overheating? Broken wires inside? Fake inks? Hell no, I’m just clueless.

This has happened before, also with an HP deskjet printer, in particular the Deskjet 3325 which I bought last 2003, it was my very first HP printer. It was a good printer, I loved its simplicity, usability, the print quality, it’s relatively low price, okay not the expensive ink cartridges but hey, I loved that HP printer. Sadly we had to say goodbye to it last 2006 after a year and three months of service. I could say the same good points about the HP 3745, until it broke down of course.

Rummaging inside my room for the receipt for the Deskjet 3745, hoping the warranty is still in effect but unfortunately it expired last year, the printer was with me for 1 year and 2 months, just a month-short of my earlier Deskjet 3325. Hmmm….wait a minute. Don’t I see a pattern here?

Let’s check.

HP Deskjet 3325
Date of purchase: January 18, 2003 Price: Php2,650.00
Expiry: March 2005
Length of service: 1 yr + 3 mos.
Cause of death..err.. expiry:

According to the technicians at TCA SM-DasmariÃ±as, an IC chip inside was fried and there’s no way it could be repaired.

What happened when or before it broke down:

I was in the middle of a printing job then suddenly it stopped printing. The LED light switched off and the print heads stuck in the middle of the page. No smell of something burnt, not even a spark, nothing; it just died.

HP Deskjet 3745
Date of purchase: June 26, 2005 Price: Php2,350.00
Expiry: January 29, 2007
Length of service: 1 yr + 2 mos.
Cause of expiry:

No official word yet, I still have to take it to the repair shop.

What happened when or before it broke down:

I was about to turn it on for a print job but it didn’t. I unplugged the power cord from the adapter several times, still it didn’t worked. Unplugged and replugged the USB cable still it didn’t work. Again no scent of something burnt, no puff of smoke, no sparks; nothing.

Two printers from the same company, from the same model line, same price range, practically the same components and parts breaking down in exactly the same manner and after the same life span.

What could we conclude from these observations?

HP printers, just like most of today’s electronics are “consumables” once they break down, it’s cheaper to just get a replacement rather than take it to the shop for repairs that would only add a short lease on its lifespan. Add to this the pricey repair costs, the human aggravation, transporting the printer to the shop and then back; well you get the picture.

Speaking of getting things, I believe it’s time to get a new printer. Another HP printer? Or maybe a Cannon?

Hmm….any suggestions?

The Four-eyed Journal » Deskjet-series

Lifespans of HP Deskjet printers