Printer Ink Cartridges Don't Have to Ruin Your Budget

01/12/2010 - Computers and Technology Ink cartridges provided by your printer's manufacturer are very costly. Before investing in new cartridges from the printer manufacturer you might consider buying an off-brand cartridge. Standard cartridges can be found almost anywhere. They may not not an option for all printers. But the savings can be substantial so it is worth investigating to see if this will work for you.

There is no need to worry about damaging your printer. As long as you do your homework and get the cartridge and ink that matches your printer it will be fine. And you could save almost half off the manufacturer cartridges.

If you are worried about the guaranty on your printer and do not want to risk loosing that by using non-manufacture parts try the OEM cartridges (Original manufacturer standards). These cartridges are held to the same standard of quality and performance as the manufacturer's cartridges.

The Maguson-Moss warranty Improvement Act protects you from loosing the guarantee on your printer just for choosing an off-brand cartridge. This law protects consumers from loosing warranty because they will not exclusively use products made by the manufacturer. This gives the consumer more freedom of choice on their purchases, including products for printers.

As with everything there are two sides to the coin. Of course the manufacturer wants to encourage you to use their product so they will tell you how damaging off-brands or refill cartridges can be. However the companies that produce refilled cartridges will tell you the exact opposite. So there are two sides to consider.

The fact of the matter is that both sides have logical arguments. There is a balanced view to be had. It is important to consider the positives and negatives of purchasing refurbished and off-brand cartridges.

The Positives of Off Brands. The most obvious and appealing positive is the amount of money you will save. Paying half price is a huge plus.

Also by using refurbished cartridges there is less waste which is always good for the environment.

The Negatives. You may be sacrificing a bit of print quality. Since the cartridges are being refilled there is a possibility of air being trapped in the cartridges and this can affect the clarity of the printing.

If for some reason the refurbished cartridge does cause problems with your printer your warranty will most likely not cover the repairs.

Each consumer has to decide for himself if the positives outweigh the negatives. But both sides are worth considering before making your next ink cartridge purchase.