A Very Basic Guide To Color Printer Ink

Cheap printers usually don’t equal cheap printers. There’s a good chance you’re already confused. To keep it simple, the point I’m trying to make is that ink often has a lot more to do with the price of a printer than the unit itself. For instance, you might buy a cheap printer, but the price for the ink needed for that printer might be expensive. On the other hand, you might buy an expensive printer, but the ink for it will be cheap. So, in the long run, the cheap printer is expensive and the expensive printer is cheap. When it comes to ink — especially color printer ink — it’s important to have a good idea of the basics.

The first thing you should always find out when buying a printer cartridge is the yield. This refers to how many pages that ink cartridge is capable of printing. This is also what tells you the real price of the ink. If you want to stick with high quality color printer ink, then get into the habit of using Canon, HP, and Lexmark. These three brands offer the best ink for photos. Their inks are also reliable and consistent. Staples will offer decent deals, and Go Computer Supplies isn’t far behind, but Amazon will always be the cheapest.

Some people who shop for color printer ink and prefer retail like to use a place called Cartridge World. Their claim to fame is that they refill cartridges and sell their own substitute ink. However, if you’re not using HP, then the service has been known to be inconsistent. They do offer a 100% money back guarantee.

Many people who prefer to shop online like to use a place called Carrotink.com. You should only use this service if you use HP or Epson. This site can help you save 15% by not using OEM cartridges. That said, quality for photos are not very impressive, and if your photos are important to you, then it’s always best to pay the extra money and go with an OEM cartridge. OEM basically means they’re originally manufactured cartridges. Carrotink.com also offers a 100% money back guarantee.

It’s best to stay away from ink refill kits. They might be cheap, but they’re also messy and not worth the hassle. Once again, keep in mind that OEM cartridges offer the best quality. They’re like premium fuel opposed to unleaded. In addition to sticking with the manufacturer’s ink, also stick with their paper. This is, of course, if you want the best results possible. If you use Canon, HP, or Epson, use their archival inks. This will lead to longer lasting prints. Another good idea is to always recycle and reuse empty cartridges. Not only will this help save you money, but it’s also better for the environment.

Instead of looking at the prices of printers and ink cartridges, start out by finding out what your cost per page will be when you buy a specific printer and the ink that goes with it. While the cost of the printer and cartridges are important, when it comes to saving money and getting value, they’re not the most important factors. If you’re a novice, this all might be confusing to you. In order to have the best odds of success, consider using Amazon as an information portal. Their product descriptions and customer reviews should help lead you in the right direction.

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About James Wikkee

James Wikkee has held several positions at two of the largest printer and scanner manufactures in the world. He knows the in and out of these devices through his +13 years of experience in the field.

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