Back in September 2024, I had to approve a coding printer for our packaging line. My first instinct was to buy used Videojet printers. The conventional wisdom says you can find used Videojet 1220 printers for less than half the price of a new one, and they'll run the same. That is not what happened.
Let me set the frame. I'm not an engineer. I'm the office administrator for a 110-person packaging company. I manage maintenance and production supply ordering—roughly $900,000 a year across 25 vendors. I report to both operations and finance. My job is to keep the line running without making the plant manager regret my existence.
This is a comparison between the path I took and the path I wish I'd taken. I'll stick to the dimensions that matter when you're the person signing the PO: cost, downtime, consumables, data, and whether a laser is actually a better idea.
The comparison I didn't plan to run
The budget side of me loved the used quote. The used unit was $3,200. The new Videojet 1220 was quoted at $8,700 as of November 2024. I want to say the used price included a 90-day warranty, but don't quote me on that—the invoice was less clear than the sales pitch. (I should add: the seller wasn't an authorized Videojet reseller, which I learned later.)
At first glance, this isn't a comparison. Used wins. But I didn't compare the price of the printer. I compared the total cost of owning it for the next 12 months. I don't have a lab and I didn't run a controlled test. This is one buyer, one line, and one set of suppliers. I still think it's useful, because most buying decisions are made with the same imperfect information.
Upfront cost vs. total cost
Used won on day one. It wasn't close. But the total cost of that used printer over the next four months was higher than the new unit would have been. The used printer went down in October. The service visit was $185/hour. The printhead replacement was quoted at $1,100. We lost about six hours of packaging time while I waited for the reseller to call back.
The new unit didn't have those costs because it had a warranty, installation, and manufacturer service support. Let me rephrase: it had a support structure I didn't have to fight for. That's worth more than the discount on the used price.
Conclusion: On sticker price, used wins. On cost through the first year, new won in our case.
Downtime and service response
We had a failure where the actual repair took 20 minutes, but the wait took three days. If I remember correctly, it was a clogged printhead. The reseller wouldn't come until the following week. The production manager said, "I don't care if it costs double; I need someone who answers the phone."
The new Videojet 1220 didn't fail in the same way, so I can't give you a direct comparison from our line. What I can tell you is the service agreement included remote diagnostics. Put another way: the hardware may be the same, but the problem-solving behind it is not.
Conclusion: New wins for any line that can't afford a multi-day stop. Used only makes sense if you have an in-house maintenance person who can troubleshoot the machine.
Consumables and print quality
The reseller recommended compatible ink to save money. We tried it. The codes were readable for about a week (surprise, surprise). Then the printhead started clogging. The tech who came out guessed the compatible ink was the trigger. We switched back to Videojet original ink and cleaning solution, and the issue went away.
I only believed the original-parts argument after ignoring it and paying for a service call. The "cheap" ink saved us maybe $300 and cost us roughly $1,400 in repairs and lost time. That's not a sophisticated analysis. It's just the number on the work order.
On print quality, both printers could produce a readable code. The new Videojet 1220 just looked cleaner at the same line speed. Our preprinted labels are designed at 300 DPI, which is the standard for commercial offset work. The variable code doesn't need that level of detail, but it does need consistent contrast. The used printer's output would fade near the end of a shift; the new one didn't.
Conclusion: Original ink and cleaning solution cost more. In our case, the alternative cost us more in one service call.
Data and compliance
I didn't expect this to matter, but it did. We're not pharma, but our customers ask for traceability information. The new Videojet 1220 controller made it easy to pull maintenance logs and verify code settings. The used unit had an older controller, and I had to walk to the line and scroll through menus to get the same information. That doesn't show up in a purchase price.
This might not matter for every buyer. If you only need a simple best-before date, the older interface is fine. But if your quality team asks for records, the software becomes part of the total cost.
Conclusion: New wins on data handling. Used is acceptable if your requirements are simple and you have time to walk.
The laser detour
At some point, someone will tell you to skip ink and buy a laser. We evaluated a Telesis fiber laser for metal tags, and we looked at the CO2 laser latest models for plastic bottles and labels. A good laser plastic marking machine manufacturer will ask about line speed, material, and contrast before quoting you. I appreciate that because it means they're educating you instead of guessing.
The laser math is real: no ink, no solvents, less consumable inventory. But the capital cost was higher, and we would have needed to change some packaging to get the mark contrast we wanted. I can only speak to our line. If you're running one product 24/7, laser might be the right answer. For a mixed line with short runs, a new Videojet 1220 was simpler.
Conclusion: Laser is not automatically better. It's better in specific conditions. If you're marking plastic at high volume, talk to a laser plastic marking machine manufacturer with application experience.
What I'd choose today
Today I'd choose a new Videojet 1220 for a critical packaging line. I'd only buy used Videojet printers if I had a maintenance person on-site and a service fund equal to at least 30% of the purchase price. And if I needed a permanent mark on metal, I'd call a Telesis fiber laser distributor. For plastic-only lines, I'd ask about the CO2 laser latest models before dismissing them.
This approach worked for us, but our situation was a mid-size packaging company with predictable production. If you're a seasonal business, a high-volume laser line, or a plant with a full maintenance team, the calculus could be different. The prices I quoted were as of November 2024, so verify current pricing before you budget.
I'd rather spend 10 minutes explaining these trade-offs than deal with mismatched expectations after the PO is signed. An informed customer asks better questions and makes faster decisions. I learned that by making the expensive mistake first.
