Using After Market Print Cartridges In An OEM Printer And Things To Know

2010-04-05

Often, printer companies work on the premise that printer ink cartridge purchases by consumers will be their largest source of income in the printer ink market. For this reason, inkjet and laser printers are often extremely cost-effective, but the manufacturer's printer ink cartridges are much more expensive. In theory, the printer will operate for years, and since the consumer will continue to require ink, they'll have no choice but to purchase OEM printer ink cartridges. In recent years, many companies have started to produce what are known as after-market or refurbished printer ink cartridges. These are designed to be almost identical to the OEM version, and work just as well when installed into a printer. However, there are a few things to bear in mind when using an after-market printer ink cartridge.

The first is that refurbished ink cartridges may not display the same printer cartridge quality as the OEM version. The cartridge will be of a slightly different shape and configuration, and while it should state on the box exactly what printer series the cartridge will work with, the initial installation is key. These refurbished options may also not print as well as the OEM variety, especially at the beginning of their use, as they're not created in exactly the same way as OEM cartridges or with the same ink blend. Aligning the printer and making sure to do several "test pages" to get the cartridge running the way it should are essential to making sure that the printer runs its best, even with an after-market cartridge installed.

Another piece of information to bear in mind is that refurbished printer cartridges will typically void the manufacturer's warranty. Often, the printer documentation will specify that the printer must be used in the way that it was designed, and that includes using only genuine parts produced by the original manufacturer. Although refurbished printer ink technology has come far enough that any serious problems such as paper jams, or severe damage to the print head assembly are unlikely, if such a problem were to occur, the manufacturer would be under no obligation to fix or replace the printer. This can be a significant problem in a business environment if many versions of the same printer are used. If they were to all suffer problems that were not covered under warranty, it could mean a significant loss for the company.

Many individuals and companies turn to an after-market printer ink solution for ease of use and cost-effectiveness. Generally, this poses no problems for either the printer itself or the printer cartridge quality of the copies produced, but making sure to test and align the printer, as well as watch out for any potential problems is essential.