What are the options available for refilling my printer? There are mainly two ways you can refill your printer – with printer cartridges or with ink refill kits. There are OEM cartridges, remanufactured or recycled cartridges and compatible cartridges. The cheapest option is, however, buying a printer ink refill kit and refill the empty cartridge.
Do remanufactured cartridges harm the machine? Remanufactured cartridges do no harm to the printer. Remanufactured cartridges are nothing but recycled OEM cartridges. You only have to buy a remanufactured cartridge that is meant for your specific printer.
How many times I can refill a cartridge? Many suggest refilling should not be done for more than 4-5 times. Printer cartridges come with printer heads and once these heads wear out, the cartridge needs to be changed. As long as you are satisfied with the print quality, you can go on refilling.
How to save printer ink? Printer inks are very expensive and the best way to save money on printer ink is to use it economically. Plan and print. Often people take printouts simply to realize later that it is not required. Take printouts of only those documents, which are necessary.
Where to buy printer ink? Printer inks can be brought from retail stores or from online stores. Buying from online stores will save you a lot of money – both on the product and on shipping and traveling expenses as well.
Does my printer warranty remain valid even if I use compatible or remanufactured cartridges? Printer manufacturers like Hewlett Packard, Canon, Epson, Lexmark etc suggest that you use only OEM cartridges. Generally your printer warranty will be void if you use compatible or remanufactured cartridges. If you have ever used remanufactured or compatible cartridges, the printer manufacturer will not take responsibility for any damage done to the computer.
Here's how to do it:
Cartridges from the Manufacturer
Buying bulk quantities of manufacturer ink cartridges is usually more affordable than buying them individually. If you do a lot more black and white printing than color printing, buying black cartridges in bulk could be a good idea.
Though they are quite pricey, cartridges that come straight from the manufacturer produce the best printed pages.
Don't forget, however, that ink cartridges can dry out over time; in fact, most boxes of cartridges have a date stamped on them saying when they should be used by for best results. The money you save by buying in bulk will be wasted if your ink cartridges dry up and become useless before you ever need them.
Cartridges that Have Been Refilled and Remanufactured
Refilled and remanufactured cartridges, sold by many companies, are usually just original manufacturer cartridges that have been refilled with generic ink. That means you are saved the stress of trying to refill them at home.
The cleaning and testing process performed by ink refilling companies is more in depth than you would be able to do at home by yourself, so you can trust that they will be of a higher quality.
Refilled and remanufactured cartridges are also susceptible to the drying effects that original manufacturer cartridges are. For that reason, it would not be wise to buy any more cartridges than you plan on using in the next few months.
Do-It-Yourself Ink Refill Kits
Printer ink refill kits are cheap and do not tend to dry out as quickly as the other options since ink is stored in bottles instead of a cartridge.
The actual act of refilling your printer's ink cartridge with you new ink, however, is not very simple. It can potentially turn into a big mess if you don't know what you are doing.
Counting the Cost
Think about the prices of each option:
For a V40 series HP printer, black ink cartridges cost about $30 brand new.
Bought in bulk, the same cartridges are sold in packs of four at $100, making their individual unit price $25.
The exact same cartridge only costs $21 if it has been refilled and refurbished. And bulk purchases of refurbished cartridges will drive the price even farther down.
A bottle of black refill ink that will completely refill your cartridge four times is sold for only $15. That means that each refill only costs you $3.75.
Both Oliver Turner & Frank Bolsom are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Oliver Turner has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight, Education Toys and Acne Treatment. We have made the most comprehensive research to find the best place to buy printer inks. Find the results only on