Warning: Printer Ink Cartridges

[Beth]

Just a word of warning: It's probably not worth trying to save money on thos cheaper ink replacements.

I was printing out a long collection of documents recently and thought I'd try to save a few dollars on the new ink cartridge I needed. Instead of buying the HP, I looked at a generic replacement and an ink refill. I tried the ink refill (advertised on TV), and followed the instructions that came with it exactly. Even so, the ink dripped into my printer and fried the electronics inside. I had to buy a new printer and was out the money for the cartridges. Looks like my printer cable died too, and we're not yet sure about the printer port on a new computer.

I was at a meeting this week and talked to another woman who had tried the generic replacements on an HP printer. The printer heads didn't work, but it sounds like replacing with an HP cartridge resolved her problem. It's not worth the headaches, trying to save a few dollars could put you out $200 or more.

[Ralph]

Thanks, Beth! I'd been waiting for an unbiased opinion about those replacement inks & cartridges.
I've seen numerous references to these things (like inksite.com), but never a review. With the cost of "real" cartridges, it's sure tempting! Now, maybe I understand why PCWorld & PCMagazine both did very recent printer reviews, including user costs, but didn't mention ANYTHING about the generic inks!
Here's a tip, though, for HP printers (I've never used any others, but I suppose they have a similar function):

When printing, instead of just clicking on the print icon, click File/Print. The printer window will come up, then click on the "Properties" button next to the printer name. On the Setup tab is a "Print Quality" box. Changing it to "Econofast" will use much less ink, & is perfectly acceptable for printing all these recipes.

[Beth]

I've gone to copying all the recipes onto disk or to Mastercook....takes even less ink.

As unhappy as I was at the incident, I like the new printer...they are much better and cheaper than when we bought our last one.

[Norma]

I am so glad you posted this review. I have been really wondering about refilling the cartridges. I'm so sorry you had that bad experience though, Beth. I like Ralph's suggestion for saving ink which brings up a general printer question I am wondering about. When I bought my printer, I bought an extra cartridge so I'd have it on hand. The original one lasted forever (couple of years--don't print alot). I replaced the cartridge and it only lasted a few months. Is it not a good idea to keep them too long before use? (I hope I don't get expelled for this non-food question.)

[Beth]

The ink should keep pretty well if seeled in the foil pouch and the tape is kept over the printer head, but it could start to dry out. If you don't print alot, it could be that the heads are drying out in your printer. Check with a service tech. You may need to print a page every week or couple of weeks to keep the fresh ink flowing. You may want to find out how to clean them or have it cleaned (if you buy a service plan, regular cleanings may be covered....Best Buy's covers cleanings for 4 years). Our new printer has a self-cleaning mode that helps too.

Norma, we don't eat from our printers, but they sure are an integral part of our use and enjoyment of all the recipes and ideas we share here, so I think it's an important and relevant topic.

[Beth]

Norma, I just put a new cartridge in my printer (I've been printing a lot!) and the wrapper on the new one said that for best results, you should use within 6 months of opening. Our B&W printer, like yours, is hardly used and has been going a long time. Who knows?