My Epson has just died... (Epson Stylus Color 440)

Member Name: smcc

Product:	Epson Stylus Color 440
Date:	16/09/01 (96 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Faithful, Good at photos, Cheap inks

Disadvantages: Slow, Not the best at photos now, Not brilliant on plain paper

Let me point out that my Epson printer is NOT really a 440, a friend had a 440 and my case looked tatty, but HIS 440 packed in last year so I ripped the case off and swapped it for my old one.

It's terrible when your loved ones die on their birthdays, isn't it? Well my beloved Epson Stylus Color 400 (to give it its Sunday name) did more or less that.

I adopted (after paying the adoption fee of £149) in September 1996 and cared for it constantly for the last five years. It has repaid me with kindness...and loads of printouts. Its memory will be with me for a long time to come - we have several photo quality glossy prints of relatives hung on our walls.

About two years ago it fell ill, ink dehydration - its blackhead had clogged up (unfortunately Oxy is not suitable for this type of plastic) and I thought then that it might be on its last legs. But I tried some CPR (Clean Print Head) techniques on it: I spread a clean dry cloth on the bottom and run the printhead across several times and hey presto!

However over the last six months things have started to look bad - particular photos! Then about two weeks ago, the inevitable happened...it lost its will to print black - basic motor skills gone. What was I to do? I tried CPR again, but after half an hour I realised it was too late.

Now when you lose a pet, you get another one. I think the same will apply to my old friend Epson 400. I am going to buy a replacement when I get paid (or maybe someone will take pity on me and buy one for my birthday at the end of this month). Most likely a 790 (if I can find one) or 880. I will keep the 400's printer cable as a fond memory though.

Sob, sob, sob...

Summary: