I’ve previously written about how expensive printer ink can be (It’s one of the most expensive liquids in the world!), but just like death and taxes - your printer will one day inevitably … run out of ink.
When that happens - you basically have 3 ways of replacing the ink:
#1. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or brand name products
A “brand name†inkjet or toner cartridge is just that - it’s a printer cartridge that carries the brand name of the manufacturer on it, usually the same as the printer manufacturer, for example, Epson, Canon, Hewlett Packard, etc.
#2. New compatible, off-brand or generic products
A “new compatibleâ€, “off-brand†or “generic†inkjet or toner cartridge is manufactured by a company other than the original printer manufacturer. There are a large number of these “new compatible†manufacturers, and it’s quite true that the quality of their product can vary (more on that a bit later). In the case of inkjet cartridges, “generic†cartridges are completely new.
#3. Remanufactured products
A “remanufactured†inkjet or toner cartridge, by definition, is a cartridge which has been serviced, cleaned, refilled with toner or ink and possibly had a few component parts repaired or replaced.
- from info-leeches via about.com
The Case Against Compatible/Generic Inks
While obviously much cheaper, the quality of generic printer ink has traditionally been suspect especially when dealing with high quality color prints (Check out this 2003 PC World Test chart).
Left uncontrolled, some of these inks offer poor quality and even worse - may clog up printer heads.
The Case For Compatible/Generic Inks
1. ISO Certification of generic manufacturers
To step up the competition however, some generic ink manufacturers have now stepped up and implemented ISO 9001 standards. This now ensures a consistent quality across their products.
2. Rising costs of original printer ink
It’s an open secret that printer manufacturers make almost no margin on their printers and recoup all their profits through selling expensive printer ink - even to the extent of selling printers at a loss!
Compatible/generic inks on the other hand can be up to 80% cheaper depending on the brand.
Further Resources:
Should you still decide to go with generic/compatible Inks, you can try getting ink at Inkshop.co.uk. What I like about their ink cartridges is that everything they sell is manufactured under stringent ISO 9001/9002 standards which should go a long way quality-wise.
Possibly the best study I’ve seen on this topic was done by PC World. Granted it’s a bit dated (4 years old), but it gives a good idea of what to expect.
Would you buy compatible/generic inks, or would you stick to originals all the time? Let us know in the comments!
Disclaimer: InkShop.co.uk has paid me to write on this topic, and to give an honest opinion. Please note that all opinions expressed in this post are completely my own, and have not been influenced by InkShop.co.uk in any way.
[tags] printer, productivity [/tags]
January 13th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
I’m using Canon printer since 10 years ago, and I support OEM ink because my experience with generic ink is pretty nasty.
One can get cheaper original ink during PC Fair.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Yes, you are right about ink being the most expensive in the world. Gram for gram it’s many times more expensive than gold. It’s quite a rip off actually.
In the US, I think Kodak launched a new printer line where they sell reasonably-priced ink.
I’m using an Epson, and it’s generic ink all the way. RM68 for original ink vs. RM15 for generic ink with 1-to1 exchange if it doesn’t work? It’s a no brainer.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:37 am
I always tend to buy original ink (I have a canon MP600R). I had a few bad experiences with the remanufactured cartridges a few years ago and wouldn’t go back to trying them ever again.
Originals all the way for me - that reminds me I need to buy a new black :(
January 15th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
A relevant consideration in selecting original or generic printer inks is the worst case scenario should the latter turn out unsatisfactory. A bad choice of generic ink may mean more than a botched printout; the printhead can be irreversibly clogged by incompatible ink. In such a situation, there is a lot to be said for printheads that are built into the ink cartridge (as in many HP printers) as compared with printheads that are built into the printer body. In the latter, it may be uneconomical to replace a damaged printhead and the whole printer has to be written off. On the other hand, an ink cartridge with a fouled built-in printhead can simply be discarded without having to throw the printer out together with it.
January 15th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Whether we are talking about colour printer inks or black ink makes a difference. Colour ink chemistry is very complex and it is often difficult for generic ink makers to replicate accurately the colour rendition original inks give. On the other hand, black is black. I personally use generic black ink, but go for original colour ink for my HP printer.
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:00 am
Another option, if you live in the U.S. and near a Walgreen’s store, is to get your ink cartridges refilled. Walgreen’s offers this service for a fraction of what it costs to buy brand new OEM cartridges.
I haven’t actually had a chance to try it out yet, but I intend to — a least with my black ink cartridges, per CY’s comments above. I understand the ink may not be any better than what you get in generic cartridges, and I don’t want to chance irreparably clogging my printheads, but I would really rather not pay such exorbitant prices for printer ink either!
So, we’ll see how it goes with the black ink first. ;)