How Often Do Inkjet Printers Need To Be Used To Be Happy?

Inkjet printers are a lot like other complex devices, with fluids in them - like cars - they don't like to sit unused for long periods.  Drying out is a real risk.  But how much use is enough?

N.B. All that follows is 'Anecdata' - that is, not hard facts, based on a proper study.  Not science.  But, it is based on having this conversation with many people who run printers, across more than 20 years.

There are really two answers to this question.

(This is your larger, roll based printers - in the current Epson range, that's the Epson 5360 and up).

Large format printers are designed for, and definitely work best, with very frequent use.  Really, 5 days a week type of use (or more - lots of places run their printers 24/7 of course!).  If you're thinking in investing in a large format printer, you should only do so if you're going to print a decent volume pretty much every week of the year.   These machines tend to get problematic pretty quickly if you're not using them frequently. 

You can improve things by e.g. running a humidifier in your print studio (indeed, having a good humidity level is one of the keys to running these machines more easily) - but we've seen so many people with bigger machines come a cropper (i.e. lose a printhead) - through lack of use.  So we'd say it's fairly simple here - only buy one of these if you really have a significant workload to put through it.

These printers are more designed for less frequent, intermittent usage patterns.  For example, they may have better capping systems, or they might do things like charge the head when it is parked, so ink is naturally repelled.

In general, though, they still like to be used.  Ideally, at least once a week.  You can probably get away with a couple of weekends a month.   It doesn't have to be a lot of printing, but ideally at least a full coverage (photo quality) A4 once a week would be the right sort of level.

Even the odd longer trip away (3 months or similar) is usually ok, as long as this is an exception rather than a rule.  The self cleaning mechanisms will usually get these going again after such a break, if it's an occasional thing.

Where people seem to run into trouble is if they only print a few times a year, or take repetitive long trips with sudden bursts of printing in-between.  Anecdotally, people with these patterns definitely seem to run into more issues - some of which are solve-able frustrations (with a lot of ink waste in head cleaning) - others are printer killing level problems.

So - if you have moderate regular volumes, then a printer like this is an absolutely fantastic creative tool to have.  But if you're really a quite infrequent printer, or you're really just tackling a one off job - I'd strongly suggest you instead use a printing service.

For full details, and just generally if you run an inkjet printer, you'll want to read our more thorough guide here:

...but the key thing is the best approach is very slow and steady.

One of the things that will kill an inkjet printer head is too much pressure.  So if you run a whole bunch of cleaning cycles, and your head is thoroughly blocked (due to neglect and dried up ink) - there's a good chance you'll blow the head.

Never run more than 2 or 3 normal head cleaning cycles, or 1 power cycle, without then letting the printer sit a while.  Why?  Ink dissolves ink.  But it takes time - so when the went ink from the cleaning cycle comes into contact with the dried ink, it needs time to dissolve the plug.

The best approach is generally a couple of head cleans, and then a nozzle check to see where you are.  If still clogged, just leave the printer overnight, then repeat the next day. 

Hopefully, and usually, within a few days you'll find your head is running clean.  Once clean, do a good bit of printing to get everything flowing and lubricated again.