best bet consumer photo printer and paper choices

[conbu19]

Hey Gang,I've read and heard so many things about photo printers(consumer/enthusiast level now)and papers that my head is spinning.
No, I won't be buying the best photo printer available,cause I'm not in the business end of photography,don't earn my living from it, just an enthusiastic picture taker who occasionally wants to make prints of his nicer pictures,but make the best he can,with out selling my car or furniture to do it. I'm not a photo shop guy,again just don't want to put that much into it, at the same time realize that manipulation can really help even at the lower levels.Paper,we all have in desperation,made a print on some kind of typing paper,"just to see what it'll look like", then put in photo paper and the print looks like a different picture altogether. I know this is sort of wide open and basic,but I know many experts are out there,so help us less technical folks out with some suggestions,OK?
Thanks, Steve B.:thumbsup:

[Rocket_Scientist]

I'm no pro-photographer, but I can give you my humble take on printers, having used quite a few since my first Epson 9-pin dot matrix I bought for (gasp!) $900 back in 1982, or thereabouts. If you're not looking for really "high end" (laser, etc), then I would make the following recommendation(s): Epson probably does the best (highest resolution) printing, and has some of the best ink available, but is not usually the fastest; HP generally has the best paper handling, is usually the fastest, and, using their new Vivera inks yields very good quality; Canon is somewhere in between the two. If you are interested in the small 4x6 or 5x7 single photo printers, again Epson has the highest quality and most fade resistant inks, but they seem to "bundle" their ink with their paper, which is a big negative for me; HP printers are quite good, and use the same Vivera inks as their larger PhotoSmart printers; Canon seems to offer convenience, if you use Canon cameras, but I don't see any other advantages. I have not investigated other brands, so have no recommendations for them, but personally, I use HP because the paper handling means more to me than the Epson edge on quality. As far as papers: I use HP Premium Photo paper when I want the very highest quality print I can produce, and whatever I can get at a reasonable price for average printing.

[conbu19]

Tink ewe too,Rocket,your help is a great help. Steve B.