| Ink is expensive. It's easy to spend far | | | | running low. Don't let this inspire you to |
| more on ink over your printer's lifetime than | | | | replace those cartridges right away, though; |
| you spent on the printer itself. And printer | | | | in some cases, you still have plenty of ink |
| companies like it that way. Their business | | | | left. Most printers will physically stop or |
| model is to sell their printers for a low | | | | refuse to start printing when the cartridge |
| price, then make up the profits on sales of | | | | is actually out, and people who want to |
| ink. It works out better for them, since | | | | conserve ink are advised to ignore those |
| once you've bought your printer you're locked | | | | warnings and just keep printing until they |
| into their ink-or at least they make you | | | | can't anymore. |
| think so-and you have to keep spending more. | | | | |
| | | | Smart Chips. Watch out for printers with |
| But in general, consumers aren't so happy | | | | Smart Chip technology. These tiny computer |
| with this arrangement. Most people try to | | | | chips are installed in some printer |
| conserve their ink due to the expense, but | | | | cartridges. They're there to stop the |
| there are many ways printers and manufacturer | | | | printer from printing after a certain amount |
| cartridges are designed to make you use more. | | | | of time has elapsed, forcing you to buy a new |
| Here are six ways printer companies try to | | | | cartridge whether the old one is empty or |
| foil your ink conservation attempts-and how | | | | not. The printer companies claim that their |
| to get around it. | | | | ink degrades naturally over time, and the |
| | | | chips are there to stop people from printing |
| Setting a default other than Economy. When | | | | with ink that's past its expiry date. |
| you just hit the "Print" button without going | | | | However, consumer advocates think otherwise, |
| into your printer settings first, what | | | | and several lawsuits have been filed against |
| happens? Your printer probably doesn't print | | | | companies like HP and Epson claiming that the |
| in Economy or Draft. For most printers, you | | | | chips force consumers to buy ink more often |
| have to physically go into the print settings | | | | than needed. |
| and change to Economy before printing. And | | | | |
| some drivers don't let you set it as a | | | | The chips are also there to limit people from |
| default, so you have to remember to do this | | | | using third-party cartridges and refilling |
| every time. This can be frustrating for | | | | services. They are designed to sense when a |
| those who try to conserve ink by printing in | | | | non-brand cartridge is installed, and to give |
| Economy as often as possible. To save on | | | | a warning that using these cartridges is |
| ink, make sure you don't forget to change | | | | dangerous and might harm the printer. They |
| your print settings to Economy before | | | | also make it difficult to refill cartridges- |
| printing. | | | | Smart Chip cartridges generally won't print |
| | | | if refilled. |
| Printing in colour automatically. Colour ink | | | | |
| is more expensive than black. And even if | | | | When buying a printer, ask whether the chips |
| you're printing a page of black text, many | | | | are installed in the ink cartridges. If you |
| Inkjet printers will automatically use the | | | | already have a Smart Chip printer, you can |
| Colour setting-unless you remember to change | | | | still buy third-party ink. Look for 100% |
| it manually each time. Other printers use | | | | compatible cartridges that have a microchip |
| colour ink for grey-scale printing | | | | of their own installed, or use a chip |
| automatically-this is something you can also | | | | resetter to reset the chip after refilling |
| change by going into your print settings and | | | | your ink. |
| making the change to black ink. Even if you | | | | |
| think you're just printing a black-and-white | | | | Convincing you that third-party ink might |
| document, go into your print settings every | | | | harm your printer. Printer companies will |
| time and make sure you're using black ink. | | | | tell you that only their own ink is safe to |
| | | | use in their printers, and that third-party |
| Selling printers with all-in-one cartridges. | | | | ink might ruin the machinery. But bear in |
| All-in-one cartridges are basically one | | | | mind that they have a financial incentive to |
| cartridge with multiple compartments for each | | | | convince you of this-if they do, more people |
| different colour ink. The problem with these | | | | will buy their expensive brand-name |
| cartridges is that you can't replace | | | | cartridges. The well-known third-party |
| different ink colours separately. If you run | | | | cartridge manufacturers are generally quite |
| out of one colour ink, you have to replace | | | | safe to use, and produce comparable-quality |
| the entire cartridge-even if none of the | | | | prints. |
| other compartments are empty. To save on | | | | |
| ink, try to choose printers that have | | | | Printer companies will try to get even the |
| separate cartridges so you can replace them | | | | most careful ink-conservers to spend more on |
| one at a time as needed. | | | | ink. But you don't have to fall for it. |
| | | | Know what the pitfalls are, and you'll be |
| Warning you the printer is "nearly out of | | | | better able to save on ink despite the best |
| ink" too soon. Some printers give you a | | | | efforts of printer manufacturers. |
| warning message when your cartridges are | | | | |