James Kara Murat asked:


Brand new printer ink cartridges cost a considerable amount of money in general, and while printer ink cartridges from Hewlett-Packard can be said to be more affordable than most, they are still a little bit expensive. Thus, it makes sense for the average computer user to give using HP printer ink refill kits a good thought.

Buying and using HP printer ink refill kits do translate to savings for the average computer user. However, the downside of this is that if these refill kits are used incorrectly, it can lead to irreparable damage to the printer.

To make the task of refilling printer ink cartridges using HP printer ink refill kits easy for the average computer user, here are a few tips and tricks.

1. Always buy an HP printer ink refill kit that is specifically manufactured for the particular model that you have. Each printer unit requires a specific formulation of ink to function properly. Feeding your HP printer with the wrong type of printer ink will permanently damage your printer.

2. Never wait for your printer ink cartridge to go bone dry before you refill it. Always watch out for signs that the ink cartridge is running out of ink. If you wait too long, the printer ink left inside the cartridge will clog the cartridge outlets and damage it. Refilling a damaged ink cartridge will result at best in bad print quality and at worse in irreparable printer head damage.

3. Make sure that you follow the instructions on your HP printer ink refill kit to the letter. If you do not follow the instructions carefully, you will only end up with a damaged cartridge, or worse, a damaged printer head.

4. In filling a colored printer ink cartridge, be certain that you fill the cartridge chamber with the correct color of ink. Failing to do this will result in skewed printing results.

5. No one wants to get messed up while refilling an ink cartridge with a refill kit, so always line your workplace with cloth before you begin. Cloth will absorb the ink and keep it from seeping onto the surface of your workplace.

6. Got ink on your hands while refilling your printer ink cartridge? Do not worry about it. To remove ink stains from your hands, just wash it first with soap and water to get the excess oil of the ink off your skin. Follow it with a wash of mild bleach mixed with water. And then, wash your hands again with soap and water to get the bleach off.

Using HP printer ink refill kits are very handy and can result in considerable savings. But here is a caveat for you, though: If your printer is still under warranty, you will lose your warranty in case it is damaged by printer ink from the refill kit. Also, you can only refill an HP printer ink cartridge once or twice because the risk of ruining the printer gets too high.

James Kara Murat asked:


When the ink in your printer cartridge runs out, what do you do? Do you just chuck the printer ink cartridge in with the trash, or do you recycle them?

According to statistics, there are hundreds of millions of printer ink cartridges sold every year in Europe and in the United States alone. However, only a bare 5% of those printer ink cartridges ever find their way to a recycling center once they are used up.

Why Recycle Printer Ink Cartridges?

Advocates of the environment have two major reasons why they think printer ink cartridges should be recycled. One is that printer ink cartridges can harm the environment, while the other is that the materials they are made of come from finite sources that need to be conserved.

1. Printer ink cartridges are pollutants. Printer ink cartridges are non-biodegradable materials. When they find their way to a landfill, they do not rot so they just sit there for years. What is bad about that is that the chemicals that printer inks are made of are harmful.

2. Printer ink cartridges are made from finite sources. Printer ink cartridges are primarily made from plastic and metal. Plastic is a derivative of petroleum while metals are mined from the earth. Both petroleum and metal ores are finite and there is no knowing when they will be exhausted.

As thus, printer ink cartridges need to be recycled rather than just thrown away. The two main methods of recycling printer ink cartridges are: 1) refilling them when they become empty; and 2) giving or selling them to recycling centers.

Recycling Printer Ink Cartridges by Refilling

One of the simplest ways of recycling printer ink cartridges is by taking them to an ink refilling station to get them refilled, or by buying ink refill kits for some do-it-yourself refilling. If you are not so finicky about the quality of the ink in refill kits (we do need to recognize that inks in refill kits are not the same as original inks), then you can extend the life of your printer ink cartridge by refilling it once or twice.

Giving Printer Ink Cartridges to a Recycling Center

Once your printer ink cartridge cannot be refilled anymore, you can take it to a facility that recycles them. These recycling centers will even pay you for your empty cartridge, unless you specify that the cartridges are your donation to the facility. What these recycling centers will do to your printer ink cartridge is to retrieve the materials and find other uses for these materials.

The idea of recycling printer ink cartridges is not just some fad. It is a serious matter that we need to take seriously. Do your part and recycle your printer ink cartridges.

Carla Weaffer asked:


Personal computers along with inkjet printers can be found in many homes these days both for personal and home office use. As prices for inkjet cartridges can become quite expensive, it can be a wise consumer decision to look into purchasing compatible printer ink cartridges.

What are compatible printer ink cartridges? Compatible printer ink cartridges are refurbished printer ink cartridges that are compatible with Epson and Canon printers just for example. Purchasing compatible printer ink cartridges can be beneficial in several ways. There are very few consumer printer models that are not compatible with compatible printer ink cartridges.

The first reason that it is a wise consumer decision to purchase compatible printer inks is that it will save you money. Replacement cartridges that are produced by printer manufacturers can a lot of the time end up to be more expensive then the printer itself. If you were to do some comparison shopping you will see that compatible printer ink cartridges will end up costing less than cartridges produced by manufacturers. Consumers that buy inkjet refill kits can greatly extend the life of a printer ink cartridge, thus saving them money.

Ease of purchase is another excellent benefit to purchasing and using both compatible printer ink cartridges as well as inkjet refill kits. It is extremely easy for consumers to locate a retailer of compatible printer ink cartridges online at more reasonable prices then brick and mortar stores. Most consumers appreciate the convenience of this as they do not even have to leave their home to order a new printer ink cartridge.

If you use an inkjet refill kit you will be helping to reduce the amount of solid waste getting disposed of into landfills. In addition to that the use of inkjet cartridge refill kits are very convenient as you can often refill a cartridge several times with one refill kit. Using a compatible printer ink cartridge along with an ink refill kit can greatly increase the life on an ink cartridge as long as the cartridge is refilled before reaching the empty point. Also as most ink contained in quality compatible ink cartridges and ink cartridge refill kits is very good quality it would be possible to purchase a number of cartridges and store them for later use. Since the printer ink is of a quality you should not have to worry about stored printer ink producing a poor quality print job.

Many consumers are under the impression that using a compatible printer ink cartridge or an inkjet refill kit will void the warranty on their computer. This is not the case, as typically the use of compatible printer ink cartridges will not void the warranty on a consumer printer. Another concern of individuals looking to purchase a new printer is that it will produce a print job that is inferior to a ink cartridge. A quality compatible printer inkjet cartridge will produce a print job equal to that of a cartridge produced from a manufacturer, sometimes even better in some cases.

So when you are looking into purchasing a new printer, remember all the great benefits that go along with using compatible printer inks.

Frank Bolsom asked:


When it’s time to replace you printer ink cartridge, buying bulk ink will save you some money. You need to be sure the bulk ink will be suitable for your printer, however. So how do you find the best deals?

The following your alternatives:

Original Manufacturer Cartridges

You can usually buy them for less if you buy them in bulk. If your printer uses both a black cartridges and a color, you likely use more of one than the other. If you’re going to buy them in bulk, just buy the one you use most.

The original manufacturer’s cartridges will usually give you the best quality prints out of any of the alternatives. They are the most expensive, however.

Also, if you buy them in bulk keep in mind that they do dry out. Most ink cartridges have a “best before” date on the box. If they sit too long before you use them, the ink may dry out (which means your bulk purchase savings will disappear out the window).

Remanufactured (Refilled) Cartridges

There are many companies that sell remanufactured cartridges. These are basically refilled OEM cartridges, but without the hassle and mess of doing the refilling yourself.

The companies that refill them also usually do a more thorough job of cleaning and testing them than you can do yourself, so they tend to be more reliable.

These cartridges are much like the original brand of ink – they will dry out if they sit too long. Don’t buy more than you need to last you for a couple of months, otherwise they may not work by the time you use them.

Do-It-Yourself Refill Kits

These kits let you refill your empty cartridges and are the cheapest option of them all. The bottles that hold the ink until you refill the cartridge are also much less prone to drying out, so these kits have a much longer shelf life.

The refilling process can be tricky, however, for some printer models more than others. It can be quite messy if you aren’t careful.

Comparing the Costs

Let’s compare the price of each of the above options:

An original HP ink cartridge for the V40 series printer costs about $30 from most stores (black only).

If you buy this ink in bulk from a wholesaler, it will cost about $100 for 4 cartridges, or $25 per unit.

You can buy remanufactured ink cartridges for the same printer for $21 each, or less if bought in bulk.

Finally, a bottle of black refill ink for that printer will cost you roughly $15, and will refill the ink 4 times. This works out to $3.75 per refill.

Corbin Newlyn asked:


Have you ever tossed aside an printer cartridge? If you’re the kind of person that does a lot of printing each day, you’ll probably end up using more than one ink cartridge in a month. When your it runs out of ink, throwing it away is not always the best option.

There is good money to be saved by taking your empty printer ink cartridge and getting it refilled instead of buying a new one. In the majority of cases, you can save as much as 70% of the price of it if you choose to refill them instead of purchasing new ones.

In addition to saving money, you actually help the environment by reducing the amount of garbage that goes into landfills each day by refilling your printer cartridge instead of throwing it away and buying a new one. Keep in mind that the majority of printer ink cartridges nowadays are constructed of non-biodegradable materials such as plaster. What this means is it would take hundreds and hundreds of years to have a small ink cartridge disintegrate.

If you’re the type of individual that uses more than one new printer ink cartridge in one months time and you do not refill your empty cartridge, you are in effect adding more pollutants to the environment. Imagine how much actual non-degradable (pollutants) you would be creating in a years time at the rate you are going now.

Choosing the Appropriate Ink For Your Printer Cartridge Refill

There are many different types of ink on the market today based on the fact that certain printer brands use specific kinds of ink. If your computer brand is say a Hewlett-Packard then there are specific types of ink cartridges with ink made especially for that brand that you should use.

It is not a good idea to use an ink that may be incompatible with your computer printer because the possibility exists that you could damage your printer. It is also prudent that you not use any of the cheaper ink’s that may adhere to your printer causing distortions and discolorations in the colors.

To ensure that you have the right cartridge refill, it would be wise to bring your empty cartridge to a local retailer that specializes in refilling ink cartridges. Even though refilling the printer ink cartridge on your own may be somewhat less expensive than bringing your empty ink cartridge to someone who specializes in that work, there may be many things that may not go as smoothly when you’re refilling your ink cartridge. Also, keep in mind that refilling ink into your ink cartridge can be a messy job.

John C. Arkin asked:


When your old Dell inkjet cartridges stop working in your printer, you may be tempted to just toss them in the trash before buying a brand new one. However, that is not your only option. You can also choose to either recycle or refill your used your cartridges in order to save the environment and/or money.

Refilling Dell Cartridges

Refilling your Dell cartridges is a good way to save money on ink supplies. Although the manufacturers aren’t crazy about the practice because you won’t be handing over more of your hard-earned money to them, there is nothing wrong with reusing the cartridges. It’s a good way of doing your own recycling while also saving money.

When to Refill

One important point to remember about refilling your used cartridges is that you cannot wait until they are completely empty. If you wait too long, the ink can end up clogging the nozzles on the cartridge which will prevent it from working correctly. Instead, refill when some ink is left in the cartridge.

The Refilling Process

First, you’re going to find a good place to work where a little bit of a mess won’t cause problems. Make sure to have plenty of paper towels handy as well. Now you’re ready to follow the process below:

• Use a 1/16 inch drill to make a small hole where the “E” in Dell is written on the top of the printer ink cartridge

• Fill a syringe with about 10 to 15 milliliters of ink

• Slide the needle into the hold and slowly inject the ink. Make sure the needle goes deeply into the hard sponge that is included in the cartridge

• Keep above a paper towel for an hour to catch drips

• Return the cartridge to your printer after letting it set overnight

Final Refilling Tips

After you finish adding the ink, do not leave the cartridge on a paper towel. The towel will re-absorb the ink and delete all of your hard work. Also, be sure not to leave the cartridge out for too long without taping over the hole to prevent the drying up of the new ink.

PrinterInk.com asked:


Printer ink being one of the most costly expenses for any business, do you think purchasing a generic and remanufactured printer ink cartridge is better then buying brand name?

If you’ve ever had to go to your local office supply store to purchase a black or color ink cartridge for your inkjet printer, have you noticed how the cost of printers has dropped so dramatically? On the other hand the prices of replacement ink cartridges for inkjet printers have remained constant. If you purchase four printer cartridges, you will have spent enough to buy a whole new printer.

People have tried many different things in order to offset the high cost of printer ink. One of the most popular is the use of printer refill kits, and while this is definitely more cost effective, it can be quite messy and time consuming. Another option is using generic and remanufactured cartridges online from reputable suppliers like 00inkjets and Carrot Ink instead of their brand name counter parts, which is going to save you money as well.

What’s in a Name (Branded Printer Ink)?

Either it be canned vegetables, clothing or electronics, today people love brand name products. You are being bombarded with advertisements for any number of things for your mind, body and home. This is the main reason that brand name products cost so much. Companies spend billions of dollars per year on advertisements to make the product memorable for the viewing public.

Most people don’t realize that many generic products are manufactured using the same components, often by subsets of brand name companies and sometimes in the same manufacturing facilities and they are of similar quality.

PrinterInk.com is dedicated to the quality of the products that our customers purchase. This is why we check the quality of the generic and remanufactured cartridges from the companies we review.

Advantages of Generic & Remanufactured Cartridge

Before going for generic or remanufactured printer cartridges, most people worry about the quality of product they will receive.

PrinterInk.com understands that quality is just as important as price. This is why we test the quality of the printer ink cartridges from all of the online companies before we rate them. That is our way of assuring customers that the generic and remanufactured printer ink cartridges they receive will meet their expectations.

There are other advantages for purchasing generic or remanufactured cartridges instead of brand name.

Price – Generic and remanufactured cartridges are substantially cheaper then their brand name counterparts, often half the price.

Selection – By searching PrinterInk.com’s Printer Ink Reviews, you are sure to find a remanufactured or generic cartridge that will be compatible with your inkjet printer.

Service – Companies that make generic or remanufactured cartridges have done extensive research to ensure their product is of the highest quality. All of the online suppliers that PrinterInk.com reviews have generous return policies as well as friendly and knowledgeable customer service departments to handle all of your questions and concerns.

Printer Ink Cartridges

If you think that you are wasting your money purchasing high price brand name printer ink cartridges for your business – switch to generic and remanufactured cartridges today.

Instead of wasting your precious time researching for the best online companies where you can get the highest quality and best value, refer PrinterInk.com. We have done all the work for you! We have reviewed and rated the top six online suppliers of printer ink cartridges and printer refill kits, rating them on product quality, price, selection and service.

Read our Printer ink reviews to check out products from companies such as 4inkjets, 123inkjets and Carrot Ink to help you make the decision on what suits the needs of your business the best. We update our reviews frequently to ensure our customers consistently get the best deal on generic and remanufactured cartridges.

Visit PrinterInk.com whenever it is time to order your ink!

Carla Weaffer asked:


Many consumers make use of a consumer printer in addition to a personal computer for a number of reasons. With the purchase of a consumer printer also comes the need to purchase replacement printer ink cartridges as the ink runs out of the cartridge you are currently using. Replacement printer ink cartridges that are purchased from printer manufacturers can often cause quite an expense for consumers. Many manufacturer-made replacement printer ink cartridges can even surpass the purchase price of the printer they are used with. This is why buying compatible printer inks is a wise consumer choice. There are many ways why using compatible printer ink cartridges can be beneficial.

The main reason that using compatible printer ink cartridges and inkjet refill kits appeals to many consumers is that it will save you money. Individuals will find that more often than not a compatible printer ink cartridge will be less of an expense than the purchase a replacement printer ink cartridge from a printer manufacturer. Inkjet refill kits is also a great money saving option for consumer printer owners that may be on a budget or those that just like saving some money. An ink refill kit can greatly extend the life of a printer ink cartridge if the cartridge is refilled before the ink cartridge is completely empty.

Another great benefit to purchasing an inkjet refill kit or a compatible printer in cartridge is that they are extremely easy to purchase. Most consumers very much appreciate that they can order a compatible printer ink cartridge online for a great price and have it delivered right to their front doorstep.

The quality of the print job a compatible printer ink cartridge can provide you with is another great reason to use compatible printer inks. If you have purchased a good quality compatible printer ink the quality of the print work should be equal to an ink cartridge purchase from a printer manufacturer.

If you are an ecologically conscious consumer you will appreciate that compatible printer ink cartridges and ink refill kits decrease the amount of solid waste dumped into landfills each year as the can be reused several times. Also if you wish to purchase compatible printer ink cartridges or refill kits in bulk if you buy a good quality ink you will not have to worry about the future print jobs you printer will produce as the ink should store quite well. This option is can be found to be a real money saver with a lot of consumers.

There are very few models of printers that will not work with compatible inkjet printers so you would not have to worry about limited choice when looking into buying a printer you can use compatible printer inks with. Deciding to use compatible printer ink cartridges instead of replacement ink cartridges from a manufacturer can provide you with high quality print work at a much more reasonable price. So keep all of this useful information about compatible printer inks in mind as soon as you begin shopping for a new printer or your current printer is in need of new ink.