Refilling printer cartridges?

[awa355]

Are refills worth the effort?

We go through a lot of black ink ( printing text ) and I wondered if re fills would last as long. I assume, if refilling cartriges is cheaper, then it stands to reason that they wont hold as much ink.

The young fella in the local Warehouse Stationary shop said that for printing decent digital photos, you need decent 'photo ink', in a printer with a good print engine. He reckons that Canon print the best photos.

I know my Brother prints crap photos. I would never bother using it for a picture I wanted to keep. Three months, and the colours fade. It does scan old photos to the USB stick brilliantly. They come up on the laptop screen great.

I tried the kiosk thingy at Warehouse Staionary but it seems to auto crop a lot off the original picture.

[pzkpfw]

... I assume, if refilling cartriges is cheaper, then it stands to reason that they wont hold as much ink. ...

I wouldn't bet on that; the price is as much about margins and markups as anything else.

There's a reason my Canon scanner/printer ink printer thing was only $45 - that's less than a genuine ink cartridge costs.

If your printer is out of warranty, go for a re-fill. Can't hurt to try.

(I'm using refilled 3rd party toner in my Canon laser - no issues yet and WAY cheaper.)

[Gremlin]

Often the re-filled cartridges won't work with the machine. I think it was HP was the most likely for it to not work.

I've had more success with compatible cartridges, ie brand new but not branded.

[FJRider]

And either by accident or design ... the ink levels aren't shown on the computer, with my refill cartridges. (Canon MX300 Scanner/copier/printer/fax)

[Bassmatt]

Get a continuous ink supply system. They are cheap, the ink lasts for ages and the ink quality seems fine.
http://www.melcotechnologies.co.nz/

[Gremlin]

And either by accident or design ... the ink levels aren't shown on the computer, with my refill cartridges. (Canon MX300 Scanner/copier/printer/fax)

If you installed via disk, you should get the little box which shows ink levels (or alerts), otherwise in printer properties...

Installed a few of the Canon MX models, they seem to perform well...

[SMOKEU]

Don't some ink cartridges have a little chip in them which needs to be reset once refilled?

[FJRider]

If you installed via disk, you should get the little box which shows ink levels (or alerts), otherwise in printer properties...

Installed a few of the Canon MX models, they seem to perform well...

I installed the MX by disc ... just the refill cartridge doesn't show level in the box.

An HP deskjet 2500 I had as original install did better photo's I thought. But the Canon is OK .. The scanner comes in handy.

[Akzle]

Are refills worth the effort?

I tried the kiosk thingy at Warehouse Staionary but it seems to auto crop a lot off the original picture.

get a laser printer for b+w.
cheapies avail.

refllls with god ink are OK (cheaper than replace cartridge) cheap cartridges just as good for color doc printing.

suggest one with network connect (brother) brand, even if you're not that clever.

print photos w/ harvey norman, is cheaper than warehoose, OPD is purportedly cheapest.

~fin

[YellowDog]

+1 for a laser printer. My colour laser is 5 years old now and still prints perfectly. I refilled the toner cartridges for around $150. Will easily outlast me

Inkjets are great with colour photos on coated paper. Heaps better than lasers. I did passport photos the other week and they were accepted without a problem. Cheap refills are not going to be any good for photos. OK for B/W text though.

[pete376403]

Don't some ink cartridges have a little chip in them which needs to be reset once refilled?

Many cartridges (both laser and inket) have chips in them that CANT be reset , so even if refilled, the printer will register them as empty.
European union got mighty upset about this some years back as they said (quite correctly) that it would result in huge numbers of cartridges ending up in landfills. Printer makers were required by law to make carts sold in the EU to be refillable.

Related - anyone want a load of genuine ink for Canon BJC3000 (may fit others). I've a large quantity of ink carts, printheads in both black and colour. All new old stock, still sealed but date expired.

[BoristheBiter]

Often the re-filled cartridges won't work with the machine. I think it was HP was the most likely for it to not work.

I've had more success with compatible cartridges, ie brand new but not branded.

+1 to that.
We tried them at work and maybe 1 out of 3 worked and then it stopped halfway though the ink.

[arcane12]

+1 for a laser printer. My colour laser is 5 years old now and still prints perfectly. I refilled the toner cartridges for around $150. Will easily outlast me

Inkjets are great with colour photos on coated paper. Heaps better than lasers. I did passport photos the other week and they were accepted without a problem. Cheap refills are not going to be any good for photos. OK for B/W text though.

Another +1 for a laser printer. You can get a good laser printer very cheap these days. Even colour lasers are getting quite cheap. I picked one up from Warehouse Stationary in Hamilton when they had the fire sale - smoke damaged!