Printer Cartridges: Compatible, Remanufactured and Original

TECH · GLOBAL

Printer Cartridges: Compatible, Remanufactured and Original

The three types, warranty questions, print quality and reducing what you spend

Printers are sold cheaply because manufacturers often rely on ink sales, which is why cartridge choice is where the actual cost of printing sits.

The three types

Original cartridges come from the printer manufacturer. Remanufactured cartridges are genuine empties cleaned, refilled and tested. Compatible cartridges are new units made by a third party.

Remanufactured and compatible cartridges cost substantially less and vary more in quality between suppliers, which is why a supplier's return policy matters.

Warranty

Using third-party ink does not void a printer warranty in itself under UK and EU consumer law. A manufacturer can decline to cover damage it can show was caused by a cartridge, which is a narrower position than the warnings imply.

Print quality

For text documents the difference is generally negligible. For photographs, original inks usually hold colour accuracy and fade resistance better, which matters for anything you intend to keep.

Pigment inks resist water and fading better than dye inks.

Firmware updates

Some manufacturers issue updates that stop third-party cartridges working. Consider whether to allow automatic firmware updates if you rely on compatibles.

Reducing what you spend

Print in draft mode and greyscale for everyday documents. Use high-yield cartridges, which cost less per page. Check the cost per page rather than the cartridge price.

Inkjets clog if unused, so print something occasionally. For low-volume text printing, a mono laser is considerably cheaper to run.

Recycling

Cartridges should go to a recycling scheme rather than in household waste, and many charities collect them.

Storing cartridges

Keep spares sealed, upright and away from heat and sunlight, and check the expiry date, since ink dries and degrades in the cartridge. Buying a large stock ahead is frequently a false economy.

Install a cartridge promptly once the seal is broken.

Troubleshooting

Faded bands usually mean a blocked head rather than an empty cartridge, and a head cleaning cycle fixes most of it. Repeated deep cleans use a surprising amount of ink, so use them sparingly.

Choosing between ink and laser

Inkjets suit photographs and low volumes and clog if unused. Lasers suit text, print faster, cost more upfront and have a far lower cost per page, with toner that does not dry out.

For a household printing occasionally, a mono laser is frequently the cheaper and less frustrating choice.

Buying online

Match the cartridge to the exact printer model number rather than the series, since manufacturers use similar names for incompatible cartridges.

Buying a printer

Work out the running cost before the purchase price, since a cheap printer with expensive cartridges is the expensive option.

WHERE TO BUY

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