Printers with integrated original CISS: Canon, HP, Brother, Epson solutions
At the moment, all 4 major manufacturers of home inkjet printers have in their arsenal devices with built-in CISS (continuous ink supply system). HP was the last to present its solution (in February, two models of the new HP DeskJet GT series were announced). And this year, Epson is celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Factory Printing line (Ecotank Abroad). Under the cut, more about 4 implementations of the original CISS.
It is worth noting immediately: we are considering modern home inkjet printers with original CISS.
In general, the CISS always consists of end cartridges, movable tubes (to follow the cartridges), and donor ink tanks. In the device of the latter, a design that ensures a stable supply of dye is important, since the cartridges and printheads of home printers for the most part do not know how to adjust the ink pressure, they come into them by gravity. They can do it more precisely, but in a very narrow range. Most often, “donors” use the principle of the “Marriott vessel” .
To begin with - a general table of models with comparable functionality, all of them are 4-color MFPs. If I included inexpensive Canon G1400 or Epson L132 printers in the table, I would not be able to pick up an analogue from Brother and HP, and they would look strangely attractive at a price. Important features are indicated in the second line. Prices were collected 1.5 months ago and may vary slightly from current prices.
Please note: the HP GT series are still officially sold only in India (prices are calculated from rupees).
CISS in “Factories” - a logical and long-studied construction: separately taken containers; rather voluminous damper cartridges in a movable carriage; an ink loop lined along the bottom of the printer and extending from above onto the carriage from the opposite side from the donors. Pictured are the insides of the L210.
Most print factories (especially early ones) can easily guess their cartridge predecessors. For example, the popular L800 is the legendary modified P50. Accordingly, inside all devices, the Epson Micro Piezo piezoelectric GHG familiar to the manufacturer with a rather large resource. Nevertheless, “Printing factories” are much more likely to get into service centers than their cartridge counterparts because of the fundamentally greater vulnerability of printers with CISS. The main problems are standard: GHG airing or air entering the ink loop, clogging of the head due to thickening of the ink.
Brother always released its printers with fixed cartridges, from which tubes went to the print head with an ink buffer. Just in the T300 / T500 / T700 cartridges are made built-in to the case, so the whole design is more like built-in slam-shut devices (refillable cartridges).
Having extensive experience working with inkjets of this manufacturer, I note the following points:
In general, I would recommend Brother specifically for the office.
The CISS on Canon has a non-standard layout of donor containers: black is on the left, separately, color is on the right, but the ink ribbon is wound up as standard - from right to left and left to overlap the carriage.
The combined type of ink is also unusual: black pigment + colored aqueous dyes (about the difference). True, experiments show that the pigment is unscrupulous, although it certainly will not float from a drop of water, as on prints from the Printing Factory. On the other hand, the pigment does not like long downtimes, if it is printed on one bank for a year (this is quite realistic at home), it begins to settle and thicken, clogging the nozzles in the head.
The most interesting thing about Canon is the printheads in the form of ordinary FINE disposable cartridges. The very PG-440 or CL-446 for cheap dual-cartridge printers that are discarded after a run of 10-15 ml. ink (you can of course refuel - then there is a chance to “drive out” another 50-100 ml). Interestingly, the G1400 / G2400 / G3400 tests showed stable operation of the heads even after 300 ml of paint.
The GT 5820 and 5810 have a print system identical to Canon, with the exception of donor containers mounted outside the enclosure.
It is worth noting immediately: we are considering modern home inkjet printers with original CISS.
- CISS from a third-party manufacturer is a system that the user needs to install on his own, and this deprives the user of a guarantee for the device.
- The original CISS - a system from the printer manufacturer, is already integrated into the device.
In general, the CISS always consists of end cartridges, movable tubes (to follow the cartridges), and donor ink tanks. In the device of the latter, a design that ensures a stable supply of dye is important, since the cartridges and printheads of home printers for the most part do not know how to adjust the ink pressure, they come into them by gravity. They can do it more precisely, but in a very narrow range. Most often, “donors” use the principle of the “Marriott vessel” .
Summary table
To begin with - a general table of models with comparable functionality, all of them are 4-color MFPs. If I included inexpensive Canon G1400 or Epson L132 printers in the table, I would not be able to pick up an analogue from Brother and HP, and they would look strangely attractive at a price. Important features are indicated in the second line. Prices were collected 1.5 months ago and may vary slightly from current prices.
| Epson "Printing Factory" | Brother t | HP Deskjet GT | Canon | |||||||
| Model | L456 | L355 | L566 | DCP-T300 | DCP-T500W | DCP-T700W | ||||
| Important | does not print borderless, a guarantee of 15 thousand prints | no wifi | no wifi | no wifi | ||||||
| average price | ||||||||||
| Lowest price on Y. Market | 14000 | 13450 | 24454 | 11490 | 14880 | 17297 | 11130 | 12560 | ||
| The price of black ink, 100 ml (originals) | 480 | 731 | ~ 600 * | ~ 600 * | 590 | |||||
| The price of black ink, 100 ml (non-original Inktec) | 203 | 203 | 203 | 233 | ||||||
| Price of color ink, 100 ml (originals) | 680 | 552 | ~ 600 * | ~ 600 * | 590 | |||||
| Price of color ink, 100 ml (non-original Inktec) | 188 | 188 | 188 | 186 | ||||||
| Warranty | 12 months or 30 thousand prints (15 thousand for L355) | 12 months | 12 months or 15 thousand prints | 12 months or 30 thousand prints. | ||||||
| A4 bb print speed (ISO / IEC 24734) | 9 ppm | 11 ppm | 8 ppm | 8.8 ppm | ||||||
| A4 color print speed (NOT PHOTO) (ISO / IEC 24734) | 4.5 ppm | 6 ppm | 5 ppm | 5 ppm | ||||||
| The volume of the built-in ink containers | all of 70 ml. | black 108 ml, colored 42 ml each | black ~ 100 ml, color 70 ml each | black 135 ml, color 70 ml | ||||||
| Borderless Printing | Yes | Not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
Please note: the HP GT series are still officially sold only in India (prices are calculated from rupees).
Epson Printing Factory
CISS in “Factories” - a logical and long-studied construction: separately taken containers; rather voluminous damper cartridges in a movable carriage; an ink loop lined along the bottom of the printer and extending from above onto the carriage from the opposite side from the donors. Pictured are the insides of the L210.
Most print factories (especially early ones) can easily guess their cartridge predecessors. For example, the popular L800 is the legendary modified P50. Accordingly, inside all devices, the Epson Micro Piezo piezoelectric GHG familiar to the manufacturer with a rather large resource. Nevertheless, “Printing factories” are much more likely to get into service centers than their cartridge counterparts because of the fundamentally greater vulnerability of printers with CISS. The main problems are standard: GHG airing or air entering the ink loop, clogging of the head due to thickening of the ink.
Brother with integrated slam shut
Brother always released its printers with fixed cartridges, from which tubes went to the print head with an ink buffer. Just in the T300 / T500 / T700 cartridges are made built-in to the case, so the whole design is more like built-in slam-shut devices (refillable cartridges).
Having extensive experience working with inkjets of this manufacturer, I note the following points:
- start pumping GHGs (nozzles) are required less often than on similar Epson
- slow print photo
- plus lower paper tray: no back space needed
- minus the paper tray: regular problems with picking up thick paper
- able to perform self-cleaning during long downtimes, so the risk of drying is minimal (the scourge of all inkjets)
- self-repairing the ink chamber in the print head is an incredibly complicated procedure
In general, I would recommend Brother specifically for the office.
Canon with weird heads
The CISS on Canon has a non-standard layout of donor containers: black is on the left, separately, color is on the right, but the ink ribbon is wound up as standard - from right to left and left to overlap the carriage.
The combined type of ink is also unusual: black pigment + colored aqueous dyes (about the difference). True, experiments show that the pigment is unscrupulous, although it certainly will not float from a drop of water, as on prints from the Printing Factory. On the other hand, the pigment does not like long downtimes, if it is printed on one bank for a year (this is quite realistic at home), it begins to settle and thicken, clogging the nozzles in the head.
The most interesting thing about Canon is the printheads in the form of ordinary FINE disposable cartridges. The very PG-440 or CL-446 for cheap dual-cartridge printers that are discarded after a run of 10-15 ml. ink (you can of course refuel - then there is a chance to “drive out” another 50-100 ml). Interestingly, the G1400 / G2400 / G3400 tests showed stable operation of the heads even after 300 ml of paint.
HP printers for India
The GT 5820 and 5810 have a print system identical to Canon, with the exception of donor containers mounted outside the enclosure.
Features of Original CISS
| Epson "Printing Factory" | Brother t | HP Deskjet GT | Canon g | |
| Capacities | Moved left / right | Built in housing | Moved to the right | Built in housing |
| Printhead | Piezoelectric | Piezoelectric | Thermostatic, based on FINE cartridges | Thermostatic, based on FINE cartridges |
| The ability to disassemble and pump the final cartridges (dampers) | Not difficult | Very difficult | Simply | Simply |