After reading my article about generic print cartridges, Teebo was moved to write to me about his experiences. He taught me a few things that even I didn’t already know… and hopefully you’re about to learn something, as well. Here is what Teebo had to say:

There are two types of ink cartridges today: one is a complete cartridge which includes a print head, the other is only an ink reservoir. The advice I was given when I bought my last printer was to buy one whose cartridges contain the print heads. That way, each time you buy a new ink cartridge, you’re getting a brand new print head.

My previous printer had the print heads built right in to the printer itself, not on the ink cartridges. One day, the print heads failed. I called customer service, and was told that it wasn’t worth it to fix the machine. They said I was better off buying a new one! I was so unhappy with their response that I DID buy a new printer – from a different company! I made sure to purchase one that uses ink cartridges that include the print heads.

Every time I buy new ink, I get new print heads. I never have to worry about them failing again. Generic cartridges don’t come with print heads, of course. My recommendation is to not buy generic ones… but to simply take your name-brand ones in for refills to save yourself money. These work great for home use. When the print heads finally do fail on the ink cartridges, simply throw them out and buy new ones. This is going to save you a lot of money, and a lot of headaches.

Excellent advice! Thanks, Teebo, for reaching out to help others refrain from making this same mistake!

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Generic Printer Cartridges, Is it Worth It?
By Pinky Mcbanon Platinum Quality Author

The battle for inkjet cartridges rages on – with printer manufacturers insisting that their cartridges are the best and only option for printing and the manufacturers of generic cartridges on the other hand, declaring that their cartridges deliver printouts of as good quality as original cartridges. If you have ever purchased an inkjet printer, and run out of ink, you must have noticed that the cost of one inkjet cartridge sold by the manufacturer of your printer can be as high as 33% of the cost of the printer itself.

Many printer manufacturers sell their inkjet printers at very low cost. The cartridges are expensive to replace – in fact, 3-4 cartridge replacements can cost as much as the printer itself! A printer user would certainly like to cut down on this recurring expenditure while maintaining the ability to generate quality printouts when needed.

This is the reason behind the proliferation of generic cartridges – generic cartridge manufactures claim that their products deliver quality prints that can match those produced using branded ink cartridges at as low as one-fifths the cost.

How reliable are these claims? Can generic printer cartridges provide the cost effective print quality they claim to do? The truth lies somewhere in between.

While generic cartridges give as good quality printouts as original cartridges on normal paper, the differences really show up when printing on high quality paper. Original cartridges give clear, sharp and brighter printouts while generic cartridges tend to yield smeared images on high quality paper, most probably due to the difference in the quality of ink used. Another aspect is the longevity of the printout. Printouts using original cartridges maintain the quality over a much longer duration than those produced by generic cartridges. This is attributed to the research and development efforts of printer manufacturers in maintaining quality of the ink used in original cartridges.

The most important drawback of generic cartridges is the very high incidence of clogged nozzles in the printer. Most of the users of generic cartridges have reported an increase in the frequency of cleaning print heads.

If you want to cut down the cost of printing and are willing to put up with the effort involved in having the print head cleaned frequently, it may be worthwhile to use generic cartridges.

Ms. Pinky is a Computer Support Specialist for more than 25 years. Has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Engineering, MS Research work in Systems Engineering.

Get more free computer tips on her blog at www.computerhelpdeskandsupport.com/

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pinky_Mcbanon class=”related_post”>

Chris | Live Tech Support | Video Help | Add to iTunes

http://live.pirillo.com/ – My round table gang and I came up with a few tips to help you save on expensive ink for your printers.

Three of my friends joined me for this discussion: Kat, SC_Thor, and Wirelesspacket.

Wirelesspacket works in the commercial printing industry. He definitely is against using off brand cartridges, or refill kits. The ink just isn’t as good, and honestly doesn’t last as long. I’ve noticed that as well, and always recommend using the manufacturer’s brand for your particular printer.

Another thing you can do is to change your print layout. Print using Economy mode, instead of the default basic mode. This will save you a lot of ink in the long run, and you won’t really notice any difference in the quality.

When it comes to “practice” printing for color brochures and documents, always print your tests out in black and white. Of course you’re going to want at least one test run in full color. But when you’re just checking the layout and things, use black and white. Colored ink is not cheap!

Lastly, make sure to buy a printer with separate cartridges for color and black ink. This will save you a lot of money, as well.

What other tips and tricks do you have for saving ink cartridges and toners? How do you save money?

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