PC World recently presented the results of its 2009 reliability survey, one that reached 45,000 PCWorld.com readers.
The study included everything from smartphones and PCs to digital cameras and printers. It got responses on reliability (the ability to set up and run without major problems) and service (what happens when there is a problem). The survey asks for rankings in nine separate areas, include phone hold time and ease of configuration.
How did the various printer companies do?
Here are some of the results. Be aware that the survey was mostly about home models — not serious office workgroup models — and probably includes a large percentage of low cost ink jet models, so take it with a grain of salt:
- 7%t of users reported severe problems with their printers (almost the same as in 2008).
- Canon won top honors in this class — this has to be almost all ink jets, since Canon doesn’t really compete in the laser printer market.
- Brother showed very well, improving its ranking (the company offers both ink jet and laser models).
- Samsung slipped from second to third place, in a tie with Epson. Of course, Samsung sells only laser models, Epson only ink jet. Samsung got top ranking in ease-of-use.
- Dell improved from below-average to above-average (ink jet and laser).
- Kodak, on the other hand, slipped (ink jet only).
- HP, as it has done in previous years, ran last. That’s the case even though half of the respondents owned HP printers (laser and ink jet).
Again, a few caveats: These are mostly home machines, mostly ink jets. Those surveyed are among the most tech-savvy, so the answers are probably different than what you’d get from a less sophisticated group.
