I saw the informercial on TV about the "Kodak Easy Share All-in-One printer" a few weeks before Christmas. I thought it would be perfect for use in my home office. Oh, the beautiful photos I could print, as well as letters, reports, etc. And the inexpensive ink cartridges... That was a dream come true. My dear sweet husband got it for my Christmas present. Nice gift... Over $200. Then my nightmare with the Kodak ESP 7 All-in-One printer began in March — 3 LONG months ago.
First, I waited from Christmas until March to even open and try to start using the printer because I was waiting for my old LexMark to run out of ink... You know those "expense" ink cartridges I'm supposed to never have to buy again! Big mistake... I find out later Kodak has a 30-day return policy! Of course, that was printed on the paperwork INSIDE the printer carton.
Second, when I tried to install the ESP7 software CD, I couldn't... Took me a couple of weeks to finally get someone at Kodak to tell me I needed to update my Windows XP to Service Pack 2 or 3 (I had SP1). Ok... I paid Microsoft $10 with shipping for the SP3 CD.installed, then installed the Kodak software.
I was so excited... I finally get to use my wonderful new Kodak all-in-one! Wrong... As soon as I turn it on, the top tray that holds the photo paper slides in and gets stuck, so I have to reset several times. Then it takes as many as six tries to even print one b/w document, getting the "out of paper" message—what is wrong with you... There is plenty of paper there. Not to mention the machine "spools" (it sounds more like "grinds") for 60 seconds between tries, only to pop up with the "out of paper" message again!!!
It took me over 30 minutes to print one check; 18 minutes to just run 6 copies of a b/w document. Oh... My dear LexMark, I have done you so wrong!!!
Numerous calls to the 800 number. Your wait time will be 15-20 minutes, which I really don't have the time to waste. Then I'd e-mail Kodak, clearly expressing my frustration and my loathing of this printer; I'd usually get a response by the next day saying how concerned they are about my dissatisfaction. Finally they told me to uninstall the program, run their "clear" program, and then install a newer version of their softwear which they mailed to me; I did all that; still doesn't work.By now it's telling me it's almost out of ink!!! How did that happen when I can hardly get it to print or copy anything?!?! The cartridges they send with the printer are either half empty to start, or this printer actually feeds off ink!!! Where's the savings on ink they like to talk about?
Another couple of weeks trying to get Kodak to just let me return the printer for credit. Kept getting promises that a "supervisor" would contact me.By now I could throw this printer out the nearest window, jump out myself, land on it, and stomp it into the ground!!!
I give up waiting for the supervisor to contact me after about a week. I call the 800 number, finally get in touch with an English-speaking supervisor after about 30 minutes trying to explain to the heavily accented person on the other end WHY I need a supervisor. She tells me NO REFUND because it's been past 30 days. Well... Duh, how did I know that? You're not told that in the infomercial, or when you order, or on anything that isn't packed INSIDE the box!
She finally offers to send a replacement. Asks for my credit card number... Do I sound stupid... You think I'm going to let you charge me $209 for another one!? Told her to pick up the defective one by UPS and just send a replacement after she receives this one back. A week later, I do get the UPS shipping label; I box up the defective printer and I'm having UPS pick it up today.
We'll see how the story goes from here. From other comments I've read, I don't expect the replacement to be a NEW printer, but probably a refurbished one. Just hope it works... Even though it will probably print slowly, be very noisy, and use ink quickly. I might print a photo or two every now and then. My good old all-in-one is coming back out of retirement and getting hooked up to my PC as my main printer. I'll gladly pay more for the ink!!!
Wanda
Martinsville, Virginia
U.S.A.
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