Wonderful for a portable!

I had been looking for a decent yet sturdy printer to haul around with my laptop when I needed it. I looked for weeks and compared prices of all the portables until settling upon the BJC-80. I was able to get a good price through Staples with their online price matching program. Staples listed this printer for $299, but I only paid a little over $200 when I brought in an online offer.

I searched the web high and low for a great price...I did find this model through a company for under $100--but it was refurbished, and I didn't want to touch that. Used cars I'll buy....but not computer hardware like this.

Anyway, I like how the printer came with a storage container for the ink tank not being used, so I have the option of using all black, or black and color. That's a great feature.

I'm impressed by the speed with which it prints. It does a great job, and I have never noticed a single problem. I've been able to prop it up it the weirdest of places in order to print. I've balanced it on bushes, in a laudromat, and on a libray stack to name a few.

You can buy optional parts, such as a battery or scanner, but they are pricey. I know the scanner sells for about $99.00, but I haven't been able to find the battery pack. So, I have to have an oulet to print, and I have to haul the power supply and cable around with the printer, and that takes valuable space in a college student's bag. However, that little inconveniece is nothing compared to not being able to print at all, or the potential wait in a crowded computer lab.

It prints great for all of my needs, including high quality papers and documents. I'm an English/Tech Writing major, so this is an important aspect of my work. I have also printed overhead transparencies, labels and envelopes--all with great results. Its has never jammed.

One note about the transparencies, though--and I think this does for all ink jet printers--you need a special tranparency designed for ink jet printers, and those can be really expensive, so its wise to print a test page on standard paper first.

One thing I don't like is not knowing if Im low on ink or not...I always carry extra ink (in the container provided with the printer) just in case. I tseems I always run out of ink righ tin the middle of a big print. Murphy's law, I suppose. The ink cartidges are small, so I go through them more often that with a desktop printer, but I don't mind so much.