Epson make great printers. For print quality I prefer them over HP. Ink costs are also some of the lowest, whereas HP are quite high. I own an A3 Epson printer and it has been brilliant. As as an example my A3 printers black ink carts are only £14 and that is for branded ones, and they last forever. Colour carts only being £16 too.
However Epson's don't like being left unused for a long time. As their print heads are built in and not part of the cartridge, so if the ink dries out in the head it can be very hard to clear it to make the printer print properly again. For this reason because you said you might not print all of the time I recommend HP over Epson.
Canon are another make that produce some amazing prints, but Canon are probably the most expensive make to run. The actual printers are very affordable, but you will find yourself spending close to £80 each time you need to buy a new B/W and colour cartridge. The carts also don't last long. Maybe 20 A4 colour images before they need replacing.
For print cost Epson can't be beaten as cartridge prices are low and print quality is high.
For the best quality printing Canon are one of the best, but print costs are the highest.
For reasonable running costs, good print quality and better security against print head damage though lack of use HP are the best.
As mentioned avoid Lexmark and other makes. They look good for the price, but their cart prices are always high, their build quality low, and they print quality poor.
Finally, never use third party inks, or refills. Not worth it as the inks are not colour fast so will fade in daylight, the carts don't last as long because the ink isn't the proper constancy, and if the the printer gets damaged because of using them it voids your warranty.
