OKI Microline 280 Elite

Advantages: Great for text
Disadvantages: A bit noisy

...I believe that most OKI microline printers are used for business purposes, as are most other dot matrix printers. The microline can be seen in Airports and Hotels all around the country. I have used them in a business capacity for several years and always found them to be outstandingly reliable. I have now been fortunate enough to pick one up for home use. It is second hand with quite a few miles on the clock but is ideal for my uses since I send out a lot of letters and type up reports etc. for my college course. Make no mistake, dot matrix printers are for text only, don't even consider printing graphics on one - it just looks crap. But as a text-only printer the Microline 520 is very hard to beat. It prints as if it was new, ribbons are very very cheap and last for .... well I can't even remember the last time I changed one. If you... Read review

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Advantages: Reliable, speed of response
Disadvantages: Not very flexible, no graphics support

...The OKI 380 is a dot-matrix 24 pin monochrome printer. We make use of a number of these printers at the company I work for. They will retail for around the £250-£300 mark, depending on the supplier you use. Dot-matrix printers have been around for many years and this type of printer was really the first kind that most people would have seen in offices, appearing along side the early desktop computers. However, technology quickly moves on and these printers were superseded by the invention of the laser printer. These days it is rare to see this type of printer in a normal office environment as the laser printer is a much more flexible machine. However, the technology although old still has its uses. The reason why dot-matrix printers have not yet gone the way of the Dodo is because for certain uses they have one distinct... Read review

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Advantages: Quick reliable dot matrix printer
Disadvantages: Just remember it is a dot matrix

...I have used these printers on and off for over 12 years. They are generally reliable and good for a 9 pin dot matrix. Some early ones had problems with weak drive gears, but later ones are fine. I had to go through about 50 of these looking for dodgy gears and replacing them!!!!! They support both IBM and EPSON control codes and have an easy to use menu which prints as it goes. They are available with both Centronics and RS232 sockets. Extras include various tractor feed modules. For business use with pre printed stationary they are excellent and are my favourite DMP. Scoring Picture Quality, well it is a dot matrix hence poor. it is also mono. In general OKI printers are very good, we have a colour laser at work which is very good and I will review it and the bigger version we get our customers to buy. My only... Read review

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