How To Save Money Using Compatible Cartridges
Compatible cartridges - as opposed to the original brand - can save you a lot of money, especially if you do a lot of printing. There are some things you need to watch out for, however, if you're going to get good results from them.
First, there are very few brands of printer that have true "compatible" cartridges available for them. Most of the cheaper versions of inkjet cartridges are actually recycled from empty cartridges. The only brand that I've seen actual new compatible cartridges for is Epson.
The reality is that most of the printer companies have patents on their ink, so it's very difficult for other companies to clone the cartridges without breaking the law.
This doesn't mean recycled cartridges are bad, but it's something you need to be aware of. Because they have been used before, remanufactured cartridges can have more problems than new ones.
When you're considering using one of these "compatible" cartridges - whether new or recycled - there are a few things to double-check before deciding on a supplier.
First, what kind of guarantee do they offer? Because the inks are different than the original brand, you can sometimes run into cartridges that just don't print as well as the originals.
If this happens, what kind of recourse do you have? Ideally, a money-back guarantee is the best choice because if a brand of ink doesn't work well for you, exchanging it for another of the same probably won't do much good.
Another factor to consider as far as the guarantee is concerned is whether the ink supplier will cover any damage to the printer caused by the ink. It's rare - and more of a scare tactic by the manufacturers than anything - but it's possible that a generic ink could cause problems with your printer.
If this happens, your warranty will likely be void so does the ink supplier then cover any repair or replacement costs?
Finally, if you are considering a remanufacture cartridge, how many times does the company reuse a cartridge before it is thrown out? Reusing an ink cartridge once or twice shouldn't be a problem, but beyond that they can be more likely to print poorly or quit working entirely. And generally the black ink cartridge will be more easily remanufactured than the color.
Check these things before you buy that compatible ink cartridge - you don't want to find out it's not working properly in the middle of an important print job!
