When you need to buy replacement Printer ink cartridges, there are a number of things that you need to consider. Do you buy the manufacturer's original brand or another company's compatible cartridge? Is it a cheaper option to refill your existing cartridge yourself, using one of the many refilling kits available?

Each of these has advantages and disadvantages. Often the motivating factor when buying a printer ink cartridge is the price, as some can be very expensive. It is worth examining what is on offer and thinking carefully about what you want your cartridge to do, because price is not the only factor to take into consideration. There are other points to consider that may help you make the right decision.

Original ink cartridges are the ink cartridges supplied by the printer supplier for a specific model of printer. This type of cartridge can be quite costly, but they often have features that some of the other cheaper cartridges don't have. For example, some printers have electronic read-outs that will tell you how much black or coloured ink is left in the cartridge. With an original cartridge, the electronic chip that links this option to your computer to give you this read-out will be fully functional and provide the information. You will need to think about whether this information is an important factor for you when buying your cartridge, as a cheaper alternative may not have the relevant chip.

Remanufactured Cartridges are ones that have been sent back to a cartridge supplier and refilled. The cartridges are taken apart, cleaned thoroughly and checked to make sure that they work correctly. This can be a cheaper alternative to buying an original cartridge. Buying a remanufactured cartridge is also more environmentally friendly, as you are effectively recycling the cartridge. However some of the functionality mentioned above can be lost with one of these cartridges; the only way that you will be able to tell if the cartridge is running out of ink is when the quality of the printouts begins to deteriorate. Once again you will need to think about whether the money you are saving on the cost of the cartridge is worth the loss of the read-out function.

Compatible cartridges are cartridges that will fit your printer, but are produced by a manufacturer other than your printer's manufacturer. The advantage of this type of cartridge is that it is brand new and made to the specifications of the printer. Some of these third-party cartridge manufacturers are highly competitive so their products are cheaper than the original ink cartridge. However, any electronic functionality that monitors ink usage is likely to be lost. You may be more comfortable buying this type of cartridge than a remanufactured one, so in this case the price is probably going to be the deciding factor in your choice.

You can buy special refill kits and choose to refill your own cartridge. This is by far and away the cheapest method. It has all of the benefits of the remanufactured cartridge but it is a do-it-yourself solution. It is an environmentally friendly option because you are refilling your own cartridge but it can be messy, as you have to inject the ink into the empty cartridge by hand. With the very cheap options, the ink in the refill packs can be too thick to travel from the cartridge and through the printer unit, which may result in you having to go and buy a new cartridge anyway. If you are on a budget and are prepared to spend a little time refilling cartridges yourself, then these can be a good, economical option.

The motivating factor between purchasing one cartridge over another is probably going to be the price. All of these cartridges offer the same quality of printing, with perhaps the exception of the self-refilling methods available. No matter which alternative you choose, you are going to need to know your printer's make and model number. None of these methods should invalidate your printer's warranty, although it may be wise to check in your printer's terms and conditions before deciding on a particular option.