Frank Bolsom asked:


Most people who own a computer printer have run into print quality problems at some point or another. One page the printer is doing great, the next page the printing is spotty or blurry.

Most people suspect the printer as soon as these problems crop up, but the fact is it is more often the ink that is at fault. This can be even more true if you use refilled ink cartridges with your printer.

Most modern printers are made to work with specific types of ink, and if you use a slightly different ink in the cartridge it can have a huge effect on the print quality. When you go to refill the ink, it seems simple enough – either black or the 3 colors (blue, red, yellow). There is a vast difference, however, in black from one type of ink to another and even more so with the colors.

When you use the proper ink in your printer, your prints will be sharp and clear, with bright, accurate colors. They will also last for many years without fading or losing their color.

The wrong type of ink will result in blurry, smudged prints with dull colors that may not be accurate to the original picture.

When replacing your ink, whether refilling your empty cartridge or buying a recycled cartridge, you need to be sure that the ink is specifically compatible with your brand and model of printer.

For example, if you have an Epson printer you need to be sure to use an ink that is specified as Epson compatible. If you use an ink that is made for an HP or Canon printer, your print quality will not be what you expect.

If you are refilling your own ink cartridges, be sure that you follow the refill instructions correctly. Today’s printers are pretty high-tech and they are extremely dependent on the quality of ink and the fitness of the cartridge.

Roberta Groche asked:


Finding the absolute value printer cartridge is easy. All over the Internet, there are thousands of portal offering low priced printer toner cartridges. However, buying expensive or cheap cartridges does not guarantee a quality print. We need to scrutinize the product that we want to buy to make sure it’s worth investing for.

Printer toner is the life of your printer. Poor prints are results of poor quality toner. Cartridges that are shipped with printers are original and are of good quality. Buying these separately is costly, but there are other alternatives that we can do to maintain the quality while spending less. Original cartridges or consumables are hard to find and some times they are only available at the manufacturer’s affiliates.

A cheap alternative to original printer cartridges are the refills. Instead of purchasing a new printer cartridge an owner can simply have the old toner refilled with compatible and quality powders. Refills are very cheap and will surely save the owner some decent amount. On the other hand, refilling original cartridges with poor quality powder may ruin or damage the printer causing it to malfunction. It is strongly recommended to ask for a refill from trusted and reliable stores.

Compatible printer cartridges are also good alternatives. These types are specifically designed to match the original cartridge and fit exactly into a printer. These are very cheap alternatives that can offer the same quality as the original. The downside, some compatible cartridges does not last long enough. A lot of compatibles are filled with less powder compared to the original. Another disadvantage of using compatibles is the maintenance. Most compatibles are disposable. So once empty, one will need to dump it instead of recycling it. There are also compatibles that are perfectly suited to meet the original. They can be refilled and are guaranteed to produce quality prints.

Recycled cartridges are also proven alternatives. These are use original cartridges that were refurbished to look and function like new. Refilled and sold to consumers at prices with great difference from brand new cartridges. Though these are cheap, it is very important to check for the physical structure of the cartridge. A buyer must make sure that there are no leaks or further damages to the cartridge. It is expected that life expectancy of these items are less compared to brand new units.

There is no equal alternative to using original printer cartridge. Aside from the quality prints it produce users are assured that this can not damage the machine since it is designed to work with it. Finding good cartridges can be easy if one is familiar with what to look for. Important factors are quality, life expectancy, cost of refill, and price.