3 Cheap Ink Cartridge Options For Your Printer

Filed on Aug 21, 2008 in Computers

by Frank Bolsom

The quality of the pages you print is greatly affected by the paper and the ink cartridge that you choose to use. Cheap paper can reduce your printer’s quality, and even though it is not always true, cheap ink cartridges can also cause your printer to produce images of a lesser caliber. There are pros and cons when it comes to using each of the three different kinds of inexpensive ink cartridges.

Refill Ink

The cheapest of the three options, using refill ink to refill your printer’s empty cartridges usually affects print quality negatively more than the other alternatives.

It’ll depend on what brand and model of printer you have, but many of the newer printers are difficult to refill. It can also be quite messy because you’re dealing with bottled ink, trying to inject it back into the empty cartridge.

Recycled Cartridges

Many companies clean used cartridges, refill them with ink, test them for quality, and then sell them as recycled cartridges.

Results from this option are better than those that refill ink tends to offer, but there is also a greater cost involved since you have to pay for the labor involved in the recycling process.

Companies that recycle cartridges often use special equipment in the recycling process and usually guarantee their already high quality work so that, if for some reason the recycled cartridge does not function properly, you can have your money returned to you or switch the malfunctioning cartridge for a good one.

Generic Cartridges

Generic cartridges are not as common as the other two options, mainly because many printer companies have patents on their ink cartridges so no other companies can duplicate them.

There are some cartridges that you can find brand new generic replacement ink for. These generic cartridge are not recycled, they are new but they aren’t made by the printer companies themselves.

While it is cheaper to purchase a generic cartridge than an original one, this is the most expensive of the three alternative options presented in this article. They also function just as well as the manufacturer’s do.

Printing needs determine which option is best. For example, if you plan on printing photos you will be more concerned with print quality than someone who wants to print copies of websites. You can decide by taking into consideration what you will be printing and the amount of printing you will be doing.

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Thinking about using aftermarket ink cartridges or refurbished toner in your printer but aren’t sure whether they’ll do as good a job? Visit the Inketeria website to learn more about the results to expect when using cheap ink in your printer.