| HP is one of the oldest printer | | | | as buying a whole new printer so at this |
| manufacturers still in business, and | | | | point the printer often gets thrown out |
| their printers have long been considered | | | | and replaced. |
| some of the best. Is this accurate, | | | | By putting the printhead on the |
| however, or do people just assume | | | | cartridge itself, HP avoids this problem |
| they're good because their name is so | | | | of the head wearing out. Over the course |
| well known? | | | | of months or years, the print quality |
| HP's inkjet printers cover a wide | | | | will stay pretty much the same as it was |
| spectrum. They have photo printers in | | | | when the printer was brand new because |
| various sizes, business printers, value | | | | each time the ink is replaced, so is the |
| models for home use and a number of | | | | printhead. |
| specialized models for various | | | | There are a couple of drawbacks to this |
| applications. | | | | system, however. The first is that the |
| In any given category, HP tends to be | | | | cartridges tend to be a little more |
| one of if not the best print quality | | | | expensive than some of the |
| when compared to the competition. A big | | | | competition's. Each time you replace the |
| part of the reason for this is the | | | | ink you'll have to pay a little more, |
| technology they put into their | | | | but this added cost will even out when |
| cartridges. | | | | you consider you would eventually have |
| Most HP ink cartridges include not only | | | | to pay to repair or replace most other |
| the ink but also the printhead. The | | | | brands. |
| printhead is the component in a printer | | | | The other disadvantage to HP's system is |
| that actually sprays the ink onto the | | | | that their cartridges tend not to work |
| paper. In most other brands of printers, | | | | very well when refilled. Because the |
| the printhead is part of the printer | | | | head is part of the cartridge and is not |
| itself rather than the cartridge. | | | | designed to last beyond the expected |
| Over a period of time, as the printer | | | | life of the ink, it can wear out if the |
| gets used more and more, this printhead | | | | empty cartridge is reused. |
| can start to deteriorate and the quality | | | | You're usually safe with a single refill |
| of printing can suffer because of it. | | | | but after refilling it once, it's hit or |
| Eventually this printhead will wear out | | | | miss as to whether you'll run into |
| and need to be replaced. In most cases, | | | | problems. |
| replacing the head costs as much or more | | | | |