How To Save Money With Inkjet Cartridge Refills
Printer cartridge refills have become a common way of saving money on the cost of ink - and if you've ever had to replace your ink cartridges you know how expensive that can be. There are some different factors that can affect whether or not your printer will work with an inkjet cartridge refill kit, however.
The brand - and model - of your printer will have some bearing on whether you can refill the ink cartridges. Many newer models of printer use cartridges that don't work very well, if at all, when refilled.
The printer manufacturers make their money on the ink cartridges, not the printer. They practically give the printer away, with the expectation that you will be buying their ink for some time to come. They don't like the idea of the ink refill kit manufacturers getting between them and you.
One of the methods used by the printer companies is to put a chip in the cartridge that registers when the ink runs out. Epson uses this method on many of their printers.
If you refill a cartridge with one of these chips in it, it still won't work because the printer "knows" the cartridge is empty.
The inkjet refill kit producers do their best to stay one step ahead though. They've come up with "resetters" for some of these cartridges that will basically reprogram the chip for you so it can be used again.
Another common technique to stop inkjet cartridge refills is a vacuum-sealed cartridge. If these ink cartridges are opened, or a hole is drilled to add more ink, the seal is broken and the cartridge is rendered useless. HP and Canon use this method with many of their cartridges.
Some cartridges can still be refilled if done carefully, but it can be tricky to get the new ink in without breaking the seal. There are companies that specialize in refills that can do this without breaking the seal. They use a specialized inkjet cartridge refill machine however, so it's not something everyone can do.
These companies often provide refilling services through other stores, like computer or office supply stores. You send your cartridge away and they return it to you a few days later, refilled and tested.
The third tactic for stopping cartridge refill kits from working is to manufacture the cartridge in such a way that it is pretty much worn out by the time the ink is used up. This method is used with some Lexmark and Dell ink cartridges.
The circuit on the cartridge is made thinner than normal, and it wears out quite quickly. If you refill the ink, the cartridge will often work fine but may not work for long. This is usually due to being worn out, not the refilling process.
Not surprisingly, if you have an older printer you're more likely to have success with a refill kit. If you refill the printer ink for a BJ 20 ex Canon printer, for instance, you'll probably be able to get 8 or 10 refills before the cartridge needs to be replaced.
If you're dealing with current HP or Lexmark inkjet cartridge, refill kits are probably not going to be the easiest thing to deal with (if you can even find one for your particular model). In these cases you might be better looking for discount printer ink cartridges, rather than refills.
