Get your print on (aka how/where do you print)

I sprang for an Epson 3880 when the rebate had them down to $880ish - and they include $400-500 in ink, IIRC. Finally got it set up tonight and it's amazing. Black & White prints (without a profiled monitor, that's my next savings project) look better than anything I managed in a darkroom.

I don't need a 17" wide printer, but it was ultimately a better deal than the 2880, and no one makes an equivalent printer in 8.5x11 (which is dumb - I don't know how anyone living in NY/SF/etc. could have one of these unless they had a ton of money).

Costco makes 16x20 and 20x30 prints on an Epson 7880 for $6-8, I've started using the latter for work stuff - I can put a 16x24 image on 20x30 paper with a title at the bottom (poster-style), so things can get tacked up in the office without being framed.

I've had bad luck with traditional color prints locally (Walgreen's especially, they came out looking like crap) - the paper is so thin and there's not much depth to the print. They don't compare to color prints I made in a chemical darkroom or current inkjet. And at $1.50 per 8x10 it's not much cheaper than ink and paper (from here on out, since I bought the printer already).

hah hah, my summer project is to actually set up a darkroom and do more with my negatives other than scanning them.

epson 2400. bought it... 6 years ago, I think, and it's still a beast. I do wet process now and again just for kicks and why because it look better.