| When it's time to replace you printer ink cartridge, | | | | more reliable. |
| buying bulk ink will save you some money. You | | | | These cartridges are much like the original brand |
| need to be sure the bulk ink will be suitable for | | | | of ink - they will dry out if they sit too long. Don't |
| your printer, however. So how do you find the | | | | buy more than you need to last you for a couple |
| best deals? | | | | of months, otherwise they may not work by the |
| The following your alternatives: | | | | time you use them. |
| Original Manufacturer Cartridges | | | | Do-It-Yourself Refill Kits |
| You can usually buy them for less if you buy | | | | These kits let you refill your empty cartridges and |
| them in bulk. If your printer uses both a black | | | | are the cheapest option of them all. The bottles |
| cartridges and a color, you likely use more of one | | | | that hold the ink until you refill the cartridge are |
| than the other. If you're going to buy them in | | | | also much less prone to drying out, so these kits |
| bulk, just buy the one you use most. | | | | have a much longer shelf life. |
| The original manufacturer's cartridges will usually | | | | The refilling process can be tricky, however, for |
| give you the best quality prints out of any of the | | | | some printer models more than others. It can be |
| alternatives. They are the most expensive, | | | | quite messy if you aren't careful. |
| however. | | | | Comparing the Costs |
| Also, if you buy them in bulk keep in mind that | | | | Let's compare the price of each of the above |
| they do dry out. Most ink cartridges have a "best | | | | options: |
| before" date on the box. If they sit too long | | | | An original HP ink cartridge for the V40 series |
| before you use them, the ink may dry out (which | | | | printer costs about $30 from most stores (black |
| means your bulk purchase savings will disappear | | | | only). |
| out the window). | | | | If you buy this ink in bulk from a wholesaler, it will |
| Remanufactured (Refilled) Cartridges | | | | cost about $100 for 4 cartridges, or $25 per unit. |
| There are many companies that sell | | | | You can buy remanufactured ink cartridges for |
| remanufactured cartridges. These are basically | | | | the same printer for $21 each, or less if bought in |
| refilled OEM cartridges, but without the hassle and | | | | bulk. |
| mess of doing the refilling yourself. | | | | Finally, a bottle of black refill ink for that printer will |
| The companies that refill them also usually do a | | | | cost you roughly $15, and will refill the ink 4 times. |
| more thorough job of cleaning and testing them | | | | This works out to $3.75 per refill. |
| than you can do yourself, so they tend to be | | | | |