For the Record: Hate Mail to Kodak

Tonight, finally so pissed off at my printer/scanner that I'm afraid my head will explode, I sent this email to Kodak:

I purchased the Kodak ESP 3 All-in-One Printer in December of 2008. I just want you to know that this is, without a doubt, the single most disappointing purchase I've ever made.

Because it was a Kodak product, I didn't bother to go to the store and actually see one in operation. I jumped at the tv offer and bought it because it sounded like a great product.

When it arrived, i was immediately disappointed in the print quality, even using photo quality paper. I thought, well, you get what you pay for, and it was really inexpensive, so I figured I could live with that, as most of what I print are drafts. I could also live with the way it shudders and sounds like a jet taking off when it does print. The fact that it will not accept more than one piece of paper at a time into the feeder -- try to put even two or three sheets in, and it jams -- well, that was annoying too but I figured I could work around it.

Recently, I've had problems with it suddenly "disappearing" and having to unplug it (being told to do this by the printer, you understand) in order for the computer to find it again.

But the single worst thing, and what I'm most mad about is the way I keep being told I am out of ink. I have printed maybe 20 copies on this thing, and have replaced the ink three times. I realize that I don't use it often, so maybe it's just that the ink dries out, but it still makes me very very angry.

I should have just packed the thing back up when i got it, and sent it back. Every time i use it -- or should i say TRY to use it -- it just pisses me off all over again.

As soon as I can afford to replace a printer and scanner, I'll buy a new one -- an HP or Epson this time!!! -- and take this one to the backyard and beat it to death with a sledge hammer. That might give me some satisfaction.

I know there is nothing to be done, and I'm not expecting you to do anything, but I really wanted you to know how much I hate this printer, and how disappointed I am with Kodak.