| One of the most common questions about buying | | | | products e.g. HP Photo paper, printed on with HP |
| ink cartridges is "are compatible ink cartridges as | | | | printer ink. |
| good as original ones?" | | | | Speaking of paper, this can greatly affect the |
| Well below is a guide to understanding the main | | | | quality of your printouts. So if your compatible |
| differences and how your needs may effect on | | | | cartridge prints are looking a little rough maybe |
| whether you should be looking at original or | | | | you could upgrade your paper to achieve the |
| compatible ink. | | | | results you are after. |
| How much printing do you do? | | | | What kind of printer do you have? |
| If you will be printing large numbers of documents | | | | Many people think that if they have a slightly older |
| and other files then compatibles make good | | | | printer then they can't use compatibles or that |
| financial sense. | | | | they won't work very well. However as long as |
| Compatibles are cheaper than originals in nearly all | | | | you are using good compatible ink you should be |
| circumstances so you will see price saving | | | | fine. The truth is if your printer is a bit older you |
| immediately and by quite a margin. However you | | | | will most likely have more compatible inks to |
| should check that you are getting good quality | | | | choose from. The older a printer is the longer |
| compatible ink cartridges. | | | | third party companies have had to get to grips |
| As long as you are printing at least once a week | | | | with its needs and create an alternative ink for it. |
| then compatibles will serve you well without | | | | When you buy a brand new machine it is much |
| problem. To keep your printer in tiptop condition | | | | harder to find compatible ink for it. |
| you should every few months or so swap for an | | | | A quick note on environmental issues |
| original cartridge. This may seem like a foolish idea | | | | Third part compatible ink is produced in bulk and |
| when you are saving money, but an original | | | | cheaply to save you money. They are designed |
| cartridge will help clean your print head and keep | | | | for one use and not generally recycled. The |
| your machine working optimally. | | | | factories they are made in will not follow the sane |
| If you only use your printer sporadically, say | | | | guidelines as the international businesses like the |
| every few weeks or months and it can be sat | | | | big printer brands, many of whom have strict |
| without use for long periods, then you should look | | | | environmental policies. Original printer ink cartridges |
| at original inks. If left for a long time ink can dry | | | | can be refilled and resold professionally at the |
| out in the cartridge and on the print head causing | | | | factory and so offer much better green |
| damage. Original ink usually has extra chemicals | | | | credentials. |
| and agents to prevent this from happening. As | | | | Hopefully this has given you a little food for |
| you are likely to have to buy a new compatible | | | | thought... Originals, while certainly more expensive |
| cartridge if this happens any cost saving you | | | | can be relied upon 100% for good quality image |
| achieved is immediately lost. | | | | printing, plus there is the option of recycling |
| What will you be printing? | | | | re-using the emptied cartridges. Compatibles on |
| If the majority of your printing is going be text | | | | the other hand are a cheaper alternative and |
| then compatibles should be your cartridge of | | | | more often than not you won't notice the |
| choice. Compatibles have no problem recreating | | | | difference from a quality perspective so long as |
| text unless of the very highest quality and | | | | you print on good quality paper! |
| resolution. | | | | Summary |
| If most of your work in done with images then | | | | Original ink cartridges offer reliability, quality and |
| you will find the best results come from original | | | | better eco credentials but you do pay more for |
| ink. That's not to say you can't get good results | | | | them. Compatible ink cartridges are cheap and if |
| with compatibles you are just more likely to | | | | you choose wisely, little different to their original |
| achieve the best quality work with originals. This is | | | | adversaries. |
| especially so when combining manufacturer | | | | |