Saving With DIY Ink

2010-05-27

As the cost of printer ink cartridges seems to get higher every year, it makes sense to look into ways to reduce this cost, whether you're a home computer user or a buyer for a business. The trouble is that printer companies have something of a monopoly in place. While the cost of individual printers can be quite low, usually the cost of ink is much higher, as the company that made the printer will charge as much as possible for each cartridge and obtain a patent on the cartridge design. This prevents other companies from making a similar cartridge, and ink costs remain very high.

Luckily, there are alternatives out there in the form of refillable printer cartridges. These special cartridge types aren't banned by patent law, and allow users to inject their own ink--removing one of the major costs of cartridge manufacturing (the plastic in the physical cartridge). Refillable printer cartridges can cost far less than a new cartridge, depending of course on the model of printer. Contrary to popular misconceptions, they're also very easy to use. Instructions are usually provided, and it's difficult to accidentally overfill a cartridge, since indicators are included on many refillable printer ink cartridge kits. Refill kits are usually only available online, as major retailers refuse to carry them, but when multiple cartridges are ordered, the savings are multiplied.

Of course, there's a downside to refillable cartridges. If damage is caused to a printer through the use of an ink refill kit, the printer's warranty will be voided. Printer companies do this because they can't provide a warranty on a product that they don't manufacture. However, as referenced above, the chances of making a major mistake that results in a printer malfunction are very insignificant. The savings provided by refill kits easily makes up for the risk for many consumers, and as modern printers are typically inexpensive in the first place, it's a bit of a moot point. Some computer users avoid ink refill kits simply because they don't like switching out ink. It's true that refill kits take a bit of time to use, and as such, they may be ill-suited to certain applications (for instance, large, high-capacity office printers).

If you're considering a refill kit for your printer, be sure to read user reviews for the kit that you're considering. Make sure that it will work flawlessly with your printer, and try to buy several ink refills if possible. You'll save an enormous amount of money over time with a refill kit, especially if you print very frequently.