In testing on refill inks for PC World, Jeff Bertolucci encountered leaks and streaks caused by low-cost refill ink, as well as instructions that recommended using too much ink -- which resulted in overfilling the cartridges. Some people think design means how it looks. Even Bill McKenney, the CEO of the refill ink manufacturing company InkTec Zone, concedes this point -- though he's quoted in a CIO article as saying "you'd need an awfully sharp eye to tell the difference." You’ve undoubtedly heard or seen advertisements for businesses that promise to save you money on printer ink cartridges -- one problem, though, according to HP: Refilling doesn't work. The same article ("Will a Remanufactured Cartridge Damage Your Printer?") However, whether you do it yourself or take your cartridge to a store that specializes in refill ink, you take risks when choosing refilled cartridges in your printer. Refilling an inkjet printer is not much difficult task. When changing ink cartridges, I inevitably ended up with ink on my fingers. PC World: Hack Your Gadgets: Refill Ink Jet Cartridges, Ink News: Differences Between OEM, Remanufactured, Compatible, and Refilled Ink Cartridges, PC World: Cheap 'Jumbo' Ink Refills: Too Messy to Recommend, The Signs & Symptoms of a Bad Ink Cartridge, A Comparison of Canon & Brother Multifunctional Printers. The ink is likely to fade faster, and will not last as long as ink from OEM cartridges. Generic and refilled cartridges frequently cause alignment problems with your printer, and some may even leak. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of refilling toner cartridges: If toner refilling isn’t for you but you still want to save money and decrease your printer’s environmental impact, there are still ways to do both. references PC World testing done with the Rochester Institute of Technology which confirmed that manufacturer ink produced better quality prints that third-party ink. Lower ink costs. Many stores offer refilling services for ink cartridges, charging prices that range from about $7 to $15 (plus the costs of the ink and toner), depending on the brand and style of the cartridge. However, almost all major printer manufacturers dissuade users from heavily relying on refilled ink cartridges citing the potential loss of quality and printer head damage. "Design is a funny word. - posted in Inky Thoughts: Hi, Ive recently bought my Platinum PTL-5000 and the unique nib performance is very interesting and its still a very smooth pen to write with, although it is the opposite of my TWSBI Eco in terms of nib feedback, making the Eco feel buttery smooth when I switch from the Platinum to write with the TWSBI. Also, do the refilling in the garage or on an old table. Refilling cartridges has its advantages and disadvantages depending on where and how it is done. Ink and toner cartridges are expensive, and printer ink alone can cost $13-75 an ounce in the United States. To a much lesser degree, sometimes the ink may clog where the ink droplets are shot onto the paper. At any time, these cartridges can stop working. Required fields are marked *. All the modern features make the ink tank printer expensive to buy. However, the ink will be finished at some point. The images are created by expelling thousands of droplets on the paper. Disadvantages of the Ink tank printers The initial cost is high Though the ink tank printer gives you good cost-saving over time, the initial cost of the printer is a bit pricey when compared to other types of printers in the market. Consider sending old cartridges in to be recycled and purchase discount remanufactured (or refilled) cartridges. Definition of "Max Resolution" on a Color Laser Printer. Many office supply, discount, and department stores carry these kits for a fraction of the cost of an official replacement cartridge. This is a very important factor, especially if you do a lot of large scale printing. The main disadvantage of remanufactured cartridge is it cannot mass-produced. This can cause image-quality problems and the ink cartridge may need to be self-cleaned or replaced. She has worked with local online businesses, supplying print and web content, and pursues an active interest in the computer, technology and gaming industries. There are different opinions about the refilling of ink cartridges but everybody looks for quality refilling of ink cartridges to reduce the printing cost. An inkjet refill kit is a set of tools and ink used to refill ink cartridges.The specific tools and the amount or type of ink depends on which cartridge the kit is designed for. Some other problems that occur with ink refills are leaks, ink streaks and clogged printer heads. However, with print cartridges printing for only hundreds of pages, and ink tanks good for thousands, ink tank printers are much more affordable per page. Here I can recommend a great compatible consumables brand V4ink, they are selling brand new replacement Ink and toner cartridges, and the quality is very good, cost-effective. 2) Refilling your own toner or ink can get messy. CIO: Will a Remanufactured Cartridge Damage Your Printer? You’ll be saving money without spending more time than you would to buy a regular cartridge. Every one of our ink refills and compatible and remanufactured ink and toner comes with a 100% guarantee against defects. Any time you use liquid ink technology you run a slight risk of smearing and smudging prior to the ink completely drying on the paper. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This can be because the cartridge wears out over time, or because of the memory chip on the cartridge. Refilling ink cartridges is not a job for neat-freaks or people in a hurry. Also, consider how it will last with the refilled ink cartridges. Ink refills are available for all the top brands including HP, Lexmark, Brother, Samsung, Epson, Canon and more. There are several options to consider before making the decision to refill cartridges. Refilling cartridges costs, on average, half of what buying a new cartridge does. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works." You can also wear some old clothes when refilling the ink cartridge. How to Override a Canon MP190 Cartridge Chip. The risk of leaking … Ink tank pros and cons . The risk of leaking is higher if you refill your own printer cartridge. Disadvantages. Page 1 of 2 - Any Disadvantages To Refilling Ink Cartridges? You may experience leaks and clog your print head. Refilling your ink cartridge can be difficult: if air within the cartridge is not properly balanced then the ink will not flow evenly and you will end up with uneven prints. , yellow, and will not last as long as ink from OEM cartridges cause alignment problems your. 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