Cheap Ink Cartridges - Are They Worth The Risk?

If you've owned an inkjet printer for more thanMost of the inkjet refill kits that you can buy will
six months or so you probably know the mosthave bottles of ink, a hole-drilling tool of one type
expensive part of ownership is replacing the inkor another, a syringe, and a tool that you will
cartridges. Although many people stick with theneed to use to reset the security chip that's
original equipment manufacturers cartridges othersembedded in most consumer ink cartridges today.
try to save money by using replacementThese electronic security chips measure the
cartridges or by refilling their ink cartridgesapproximate amount of ink that's left in the
themselves.cartridge then and communicate this information
In this article we'll explore the question of whetherto the printer. The chip has to be reset when the
you really save money when you use a refilled inkink is refilled or the computer will "think" that the
cartridge in your printer. That's because there arecartridge is still empty. The challenge you'll face is
times when cheap inkjet cartridges really aren'tthat the tool has to be designed for the exact
that cheap after all.brand of cartridge or the ink cartridges won't
First, what exactly is a refilled cartridge? Brick andwork. And some of the resetting tools are rather
mortar as well as online vendors either buy orcostly.
accept used ink cartridges from their patrons.Aside from the possibility of not being able to
They refill them and repackage the usedactually use a cartridge that you've refilled, the
cartridges and then sell them at a deep discountprocess itself can be rather messy. And on top of
(compared to OEM cartridges) to the public.that, if a cheap ink cartridge leaks when it's inside
If you're going to go this route do a little researchyour printer the printer can stop working
on the company you plan on purchasing from oncompletely. So you'll have to buy another printer.
the Internet before you buy your cartridges.Some people argue that the cost of printers has
Although it's more expensive then filling it yourselfdropped so much that it is worth the risk to use
you'll be able to sleep a little easier if you knoweither a third party refilled ink cartridge or go to
that the professionally refilled ink cartridge you'rethe trouble of refilling the ink cartridges
buying are unlikely to ruin your computer.themselves.
However, if you're set on trying to save theI guess the bottom line is how much of a gamble
most money you'll have to refill the cartridgesyou're willing to take and if you think the odds are
yourself. This could be a bit problematic. Here'son your side.
why.