The quality of your printer ink cartridges plays a significant role in the final output of your prints. Using cheap paper can affect your print quality, and the same can be true for using cheap ink cartridges. However, there are a few different ways to obtain discount ink, each with its advantages and disadvantages.
Option 1: Refill Ink
Refilling your empty cartridges is generally the cheapest option for obtaining cheap ink, but it also tends to result in the lowest quality prints. The difficulty level of refilling depends on your printer’s brand and model. Furthermore, dealing with bottled ink can be messy and challenging when trying to inject it back into the empty cartridge.
Option 2: Recycled Cartridges
Many companies offer cartridge recycling services where they take the empty cartridges, clean them up, refill the ink, and test them. This option is more expensive than refilling your own cartridges due to the added cost of labor involved. However, it tends to result in better quality prints.
Companies that recycle cartridges have specialized equipment that can do a better job of remanufacturing empty cartridges. Additionally, they usually offer a guarantee on their work, so if the cartridge does not work correctly, you can either get a replacement or a refund.
Option 3: Generic Brand Cartridges
Generic cartridges are less common than the other two options because many printer companies have patents on their ink cartridges, preventing other companies from duplicating them. However, there are some brand new generic replacement inks available for certain cartridges that are not recycled and are new but not made by the printer companies themselves.
These generic cartridges tend to be the most expensive of the three options, but they are still cheaper than the original cartridges and work just as well.
Considerations When Choosing a Cheap Ink Cartridge
Your choice of cheap ink cartridge will depend on how much printing you do and what you are printing. If you are printing photos that you want to keep for a lifetime, your needs will differ from those of someone printing copies of web pages for future reference.
