Refilling printer cartridges does work.

happywriter

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Apr 25, 2009
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The way prices are going with HP printer cartridges it will soon be cheaper to junk to printer than to change the two cartridges.
I have a thought that it is strange that there have to be so many different HP types of cartridges.
I have started using a refill kit. It is ok providing one is careful and painstaking during the refill. I find I get about 5 -6 refills out of each cartridge, before they finally do go totally wrong.
That is a huge saving on running costs for a printer, especially if the print quality does not have to be 100% for the use which I need.
 

TracyG

Moderator
Apr 26, 2009
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Yes, I agree, it does appear to be cheaper to buy another printer than it is to change the cartridges. I have an Epson R300 which has been running nicely on compatible cartridges for years, though the printer has rejected the last two sets of inks I've purchased. I have priced up the genuine Epson cartridges and it's over £50 for the set of 6 that I need. I've seen brand new printers cheaper than this, with a free set of ink included. I have heard about using refill kits, but wouldn't know where to start. What exactly do you get in a refill kit?
 

Georginazn

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Apr 22, 2009
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I used to go the refill route, but having had a printer completely gummed up, and finding out that expensive though they are, the genuine ink does contain added ingredients that keep it ungummy, I never buy compatibles or refill anymore. I do search for the best deals each time I need to replace, and have saved a fair bit that way. Good luck though - maybe I was just unlucky.
 

happywriter

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Apr 25, 2009
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The cost of printer catridges has been a subject of consumer enquiries in many countries. The general conclusion is that printer manufacturers are making excessive profit from their cartridges - having a tied-in client base.
In the long term, there will be investigations, complaints, committees and reports. In the meantime consumers are getting ripped off, legally.

As with other products, suppliers should be made to provide information of the cost of the use of their products - the total costs. In the case of printers it might be a simple cost of providing an average 100 pages of mixed print - at a specified mix - over a two year period; or some similar requirement.
With that information, purchasers can make informed decisions.
 

Chutzpah

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Jan 9, 2009
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twitter.com
Laser printer. Your toner cartridge will cost more than ink cartridges, but I've had mine for four years and not had to change the toner yet....
 

happywriter

New Member
Apr 25, 2009
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"Which" magazine did a review on printer costs, which was interesting. However, their running expenses were based on:
"The cost of owning a printer over three years is based on printing every week an A4 photo, three black-and-white text pages, and two documents containing colour graphics."

That works as a comparison between different printers, but does not seem like a realistic print load.