Ink Jet Cartridge question...

[ndemge]

Has anyone used the "B" grade refilled cartridges on ebay? <br /><br />Needing ink for a photo printer, want to check if they are usually as good as new, or is there a big difference?

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Ink Jet Cartridge question...

I bought some once for a Canon printer that was about a year old, and the printer head failed a few months after the cheap cartridges were installed. Coincidence? Maybe. One time is admittedly not a good test, but it raised my suspicions. So I bought a new printer and made the decision to stick with the OEM stuff from now on.

 

[bayman]

Re: Ink Jet Cartridge question...

I have tried using the B grade ink twice now in 2 different printers. I bought one of them at a large chain office supply store. The results were equivalant to what I paid for the ink...not so good. Some lines print just fine, but every few lines it doesn't print well. Overall, I am disappointed as the printouts can't really be used for much. I don't want to pay the OEM prices but I need quality too. Hopefully a good aftermarket ink company will come along if they haven't already.

 

[ndemge]

Re: Ink Jet Cartridge question...

That's all I needed to hear bayman, I'll stick with NEW.<br /><br />It's for a photoprinter, so I can't take the chance of bad lines.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Ink Jet Cartridge question...

I think the printer manufacturers bend over backward to defeat the use of refilled/aftermarket cartridges. They have become the main income source for them.<br /><br />I used to successfully refill cartridges for the first generation HP printers. After that I wasted a lot of money on refill kits and reman cartridges.

 

[Scooch_2]

Re: Ink Jet Cartridge question...

I've been using Ink Jet Goodies for replacement cartridges and ink refill supplies since I got a Canon i950 a few years ago and now a Canon Pixma iP5000. <br /><br />I have been extremely happy with the quality and longevity of the prints. I print tons of photos on the printer(s) and they work great. The head on my i950 did clog after a few years, but considering the age and the number of prints I ran through it, I don't worry too much that it "could" have been the refills. For the money I save on cartridges, I could but a new printer every 6 months and still come out ahead.

 

[ndemge]

Re: Ink Jet Cartridge question...

Ink is pretty incredible, the printers are almost disposable.<br /><br />My brother got a free printer with his last dell computer, he looked into the price of replacement ink, and it wasn't worth using the printer past the first cartridge that came with it.<br /><br />It's worth it to the companies to give dell free printers to send out with their computers in the hope they will get ink sales down the line. <br /><br />I'm looking at a #57 HP cartridge for a Photosmart 100 printer. Most places, it's about $35 for it.<br /><br />I'm watching an auction for the ENTIRE PRINTER with a brand new ink on ebay right now for $20 shipped. Put the printer up in the closet as a spare I guess.

 

[gewf631]

Re: Ink Jet Cartridge question...

I think it depends a lot on what kind of printer you have - HP cartridges have a lot of technology on the cartridge, whereas Canon's and Epson's are just ink tanks.<br /><br />I've been using inks from HobbiColors with great success in my Canon i850.<br /><br />You might want to Google the groups and see what you come-up with - that's how I found this supplier.

 

[mrloring]

Re: Ink Jet Cartridge question...

I bought a cheapie Lexamrk at Walmart for $28. The black cartridge is $17 and the color is $20. It came with both cartridges and 10 sheets of high gloss photo paper. I have bought three printers in the past year, remove ink and paper from the box and throw the rest away. Such a waste though.