| There is a common stigma about refill ink that this | | | | Generally, it always works that whenever one |
| article is going to totally debunk. If you have been | | | | person has a bad experience they tell 10 people |
| disappointed with the quality of refill inks that you | | | | about it. When someone has a good experience |
| had used, possibly you've used or tried any refill | | | | with something they may tell one person. So the |
| kit from a local retailer, then you owe it to your | | | | bad news about the little refill kits at local stores |
| self to educate yourself about aftermarket inks. | | | | as quickly and easily given refill ink a bad name. |
| Some are better than others and some are | | | | So how can you save money? |
| better than all. If you use high quality | | | | It actually doesn't cost but a couple dollars more |
| American-made inks, you can save hundreds if | | | | to buy a very high quality refill ink versus what |
| not thousands of dollars, without ever missing | | | | you spend for the cheap stuff. You can buy |
| your OEM cartridges... | | | | high-quality by the 4 ounce bottle, by the pint, or |
| The reason I selected such a generic title for this | | | | even by the gallon if you're feeling froggy. I can |
| article, refill ink, is because there are so many | | | | personally attest to the fact that if you use |
| different aspects that I want to communicate to | | | | quality American made ink products, that you can |
| you that it's hard to really categorize this article | | | | save hundreds and yes, thousands of dollars on |
| into anything other than being generally | | | | printing with inkjet printers, without having any |
| informative about refill ink. | | | | headaches, hassles or printer hiccups. The trick to |
| Most people have no idea... | | | | doing this is having a supplier that number one, |
| There is absolutely, positively, no reason | | | | knows what they're doing and number two, |
| whatsoever for anyone to have to buy a new, | | | | knows exactly what they are selling you and |
| name brand ink cartridge ever again. If you know | | | | what it will work for. |
| what you are doing with just a little bit of basic | | | | Not all suppliers are the same. |
| information and direction, you can cut your print | | | | Now this is getting a little bit deep into this |
| cost down to nearly nothing. | | | | subject, but I'm going to fill you in on something |
| Let's look at a quick fact... | | | | that is known among people in this industry that is |
| When you buy ink cartridges at your local retailer, | | | | not talked about very much. There are vendors |
| then have a brand name label, you are spending | | | | online that actually sell high quality American made |
| thousands of dollars per gallon for inkjet ink. The | | | | aftermarket inks, but they don't sell them for the |
| last time I did the math on a particular ink | | | | right printers. It's very costly for a distributor to |
| cartridge it was on HP 02 black. This cartridge, if | | | | carry a full line of these high-quality products |
| memory serves me correctly holds less than 20 | | | | because each printer and each cartridge model |
| mL of ink. The average selling price for a new | | | | can have its own specific ink formula. So, rather |
| black HP 02 is around $20. If you do the math | | | | than keeping a full stock and having the |
| and convert the milliliters and to ounces, you will | | | | appropriate ink available for all printers that they |
| find that if you use this particular cartridge, you | | | | sell inks for, smaller vendors of high-quality inks will |
| are spending upwards of $3000 per gallon. Isn't it | | | | substitute. For example, they may carry a high |
| funny that when gas prices were at their peak of | | | | density pigment-based black ink for the, let's say |
| four and five dollars a gallon that people were | | | | HP 88 cartridge. Now, that high-density pigment |
| outraged at the amount that they were having to | | | | black is specifically made for the Thermo-based |
| pay to travel 12 miles? Little do most people pay | | | | HP 88 print head. What they may do is try to sell |
| attention to, is that it costs more to add 1 ounce | | | | this same ink for all HP black ink cartridges that |
| of ink to your inkjet printer than it costs to fill up | | | | use a pigment-based ink. This will allow for more |
| the gas tank on most midsized cars. That is, if | | | | sales with a smaller product line, however it will |
| you are buying name brand cartridges. | | | | result in many failed printheads. |
| Crude oil at the time of this writing, is selling for | | | | The point is, if you want the best inks to use to |
| about $65-$75 per barrel. The cost of the | | | | save money without compromising print quality, |
| average OEM ink sold in new cartridges is going | | | | you also have to consider the source that you |
| for about $250,000 per barrel. Printer | | | | use for purchasing those products. |
| manufacturers give the printers away at rock | | | | How much money can you save using high quality |
| bottom prices and then nail you when you need | | | | refill inks? |
| to buy ink cartridges. | | | | Even buying the best of the best, you can |
| So it's clear to see... | | | | expect your average refill cost per cartridge to |
| Buying OEMs is an outrageous waste of money. | | | | be around a dollar or less. Many ink cartridges if |
| Especially if you do a lot of printing. If you print a | | | | you have the right simple tools to refill them with |
| lot, you might as well be throwing $20 and $50 | | | | can last for 10, 20, 30 or more refills. If you are |
| bills right down the toilet. | | | | intimidated about the idea of reselling, you will find |
| Why do more people not use refill ink? | | | | that it is actually very easy if you have good |
| Most people have tried it but it had a bad | | | | tools to use. They are very inexpensive, |
| experience. What you get and the little kits at | | | | easy-to-use and once you get the hang of it you |
| your local store leaves a bad taste in most | | | | will wonder why you ever paid money for an |
| people's mouths. The quality is very poor. | | | | OEM. |