By: Leonard Tan
Submitted: 2009-10-31 23:25:21 | Word Count: 672
All manufacturers of inkjet printers develop their own distinct designs for cartridges and ink composition. For this reason, the cartridges cannot be interchanged among brands and models. The cartridge that is suitable for one model may not work with the other brands and models of printer. When the cartridge becomes empty, the buyer has to buy a new one according to the model number of the printer and the serial number specified on the cartridge.
Modern color printers have a single unit cartridge containing four colors or four cartridge unit for each color. While in the case of the former, the entire cartridge has to be replaced if one of the colors runs out; in the latter case only the cartridge that is empty can be replaced.
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Original printer ink cartridges manufactured by printer vendors are highly expensive. Though the quality of the print is superior and durable, the high price of the cartridges drives some customers to third party vendors who provide an inexpensive alternative to the original cartridges.
Third party vendors primarily deal in compatible and remanufactured inkjet
printer cartridges. Compatible or generic cartridges are newly manufactured cartridges that confirm to the high quality and reliability of original cartridges. They match the specifications and the standards of the brand name cartridges. In case of remanufactured cartridges, the used cartridges are disassembled and cleaned thoroughly, along with the print head nozzle. Any worn out parts are replaced and the cartridge is filled with the printer specific ink. The cartridge is then thoroughly tested for its quality. Third party vendors also offer the service of refilling cartridges.
Though prints produced by third party vendor cartridges initially look nice, they have poor fade resistant or water resistant properties. Some of the low cost cartridges have good print results for text but bad results regarding quality and durability. The photo prints produced by the third party cartridges fall below expectation with respect to quality and longevity, as compared to the brand product.
Before buying an inkjet printer the yield of the cartridge must be checked. The yield is calculated based on the number of pages it can print. Cartridges must always be bought from a reputable store.
Buying an ink cartridge can be a difficult. With the increase in the number of ink cartridges available from different manufacturers it is not easy to make a choice. Some of the ink cartridges are made especially for certain printers of specific make, whereas the others can be used for any printer. The best way in which you can but an ink cartridge is to get a cartridge of the same brand as the printer.
The first thing that you should do is checking the type of printer that you have, whether it is inkjet or toner. Life the flap of the printer and check for the cartridge; a color inkjet would usually use four small cartridges whereas a toner printer would use four big cartridges. Toner printers that print only black, make use of just one large cartridge. Look for the model number of printer, which is at the top of the printer.
Secondly you should look for a compatible ink cartridge that would go with your printer brand and the model. The compatible cartridges are cheaper and can be easily bought online. If you buy these cartridges through a third party then they can be availed at much lower prices. You can replace these cartridges with the printer ink of the same brand.
Most of the websites that offer compatible ink cartridges would help you save the extra money and they come with money back offers. The cartridge can be refilled once it reaches a wear out condition. The compatible ink cartridges do not harm the printer and you can be assured about the life of your printer.
Lastly, you should look for an ink cartridge of the brand of your printer. If you are unable to find it then choose a good compatible ink cartridge that would not affect the life of your printer.
