Generic inkjet cartridges
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
Thread Starter
Generic inkjet cartridges
I have decided to do a little testing, and I'm buying a set of cartridges from each of the following to fit into my Canon Pixma ip5000.
I will try to indicate quality / longevity and price.
http://www.tonezoneuk.com
http://www.disc-shop.co.uk/blank-media/ink-cartridges/
http://www.diskdepot.co.uk
http://www.premier-ink.co.uk/
These have all been recommended by PPRuNers over the last few years, but this doesn't imply that either I or PPRuNe endorse or recommend any of them.
If anyone wants to add any more recommendations please post a reply to this thread.
SD
I will try to indicate quality / longevity and price.
http://www.tonezoneuk.com
http://www.disc-shop.co.uk/blank-media/ink-cartridges/
http://www.diskdepot.co.uk
http://www.premier-ink.co.uk/
These have all been recommended by PPRuNers over the last few years, but this doesn't imply that either I or PPRuNe endorse or recommend any of them.
If anyone wants to add any more recommendations please post a reply to this thread.
SD
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These people have always been good.
http://www.printclearly.co.uk/
Pretty good quality and excellant service last time I used them (they have changed their name since. Were eazyinkjet but had a fight with the easy group and lost)
http://www.printclearly.co.uk/
Pretty good quality and excellant service last time I used them (they have changed their name since. Were eazyinkjet but had a fight with the easy group and lost)
'nough said
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I tried IJT but found their service to be appalling - so I'm a fan of www.cartridgemonkey.co.uk these days - good prices, good service, good choice and nice/easy website to use/navigate 
More bang for your buck
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Saab as I understand it, the problem with cheap/recycled cartridges is not so much "do they work" or "give good results" as the fade resistance of the ink, especially when used in photographic printing. My other half stuck a pickie of herself and 4 colleagues, printed off on their work (Epson) printer, on the fridge door 5 years ago and it was noticeable after about a year that the colour balance was shifting towards the blue, now the only colour left in the print is blue.
Obviously if you just print documents that are only going to be relevant for a few years this is not a problem.
Obviously if you just print documents that are only going to be relevant for a few years this is not a problem.
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GG, Obviously the colour has drained away over time, the blue remained as it got too cold to run away.
Sorry
I have a photo on the fridge of daughter feeding a squirrel done with canon ink. It has done the same thing, I guess its a function of light reacting with the inks.
This Pic.(when photobucket loads, bloody kids {Son} using up download)
Sorry
I have a photo on the fridge of daughter feeding a squirrel done with canon ink. It has done the same thing, I guess its a function of light reacting with the inks.
This Pic.(when photobucket loads, bloody kids {Son} using up download)
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I have always been a great fan of using ink from other sources than Epson for my Epson printers. I fully accept that, for photographic purposes, they may fade under bright sunlight faster than the products supplid by the printer manufacturers, but why? Originally, it was only possible for cartridges from the printer manufacturers to be used. As soon as the magnitude of the rip-off was discovered and a marketing opportunity created, ink and cartridges at much more sensible prices became available. Is it only the printer manufacturers who have access to "low fade" ink? Surely not, yet no supplier out there, be it a bulk supplier or cartridge one is promoting a more expensive, "fade free" ink. Might this be a case of the printer manufacturers trying to find any lame excuse to justify their exhorbitant prices?
I await the results of SD's investigations with interest.
P.P.
I await the results of SD's investigations with interest.
P.P.
More bang for your buck
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Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
Thread Starter
Well, today I installed a black (BCi3e), cyan & magenta cartridge from Premier Ink Supplies (£9.93in total, in. delivery).
As a "control" I used a genuine Canon yellow cartridge (£6.99).
The yellow is suppoed to run out before the others, so if this proves not to be the case, then a lesson can be learnt!
Unfortunately, there appears to be no way of printing a configuration / status page*, as on my laserjet, that shows the number of pages printed to date, so I won't be able to calculate the number of pages printed between replacing cartridges.
* - if anyone finds otherwise, please let me know!
I'll keep you posted, but don't hold your breath, as I don't do a lot of colour printing!
SD
As a "control" I used a genuine Canon yellow cartridge (£6.99).
The yellow is suppoed to run out before the others, so if this proves not to be the case, then a lesson can be learnt!
Unfortunately, there appears to be no way of printing a configuration / status page*, as on my laserjet, that shows the number of pages printed to date, so I won't be able to calculate the number of pages printed between replacing cartridges.
* - if anyone finds otherwise, please let me know!
I'll keep you posted, but don't hold your breath, as I don't do a lot of colour printing!
SD
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so I won't be able to calculate the number of pages printed between replacing cartridges
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
Thread Starter
Well SD, maybe you could, you know, count the pages as you put them into the printer??
SD
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SD, always ready to spring to the assistance of a fellow in need, I offer you a revised counting system, which I've called Counting Method 2, and which moves the counting workload from a sequential page-by-page process to an event-driven process, i.e. when the ink runs out. As a bonus, on the offchance you get more than 10 pages out of a cartridge, it prevents you from needing to take your shoes and socks off to cope with the large numbers involved. Without more ado, I present Counting Method 2:
Don't count anything, but keep the empty paper wrappers. When the ink runs out, count the empty wrappers, multiply by their nominal contents when full (let's call that partial result "F"), count the number of sheets remaining in the not-yet-empty pack, subtract that number from the nominal contents of the not-yet-empty pack (let's call that partial result "O"), and finally sum the partial results, arriving at the final result, which we'll call "Too".
Voila.
Don't count anything, but keep the empty paper wrappers. When the ink runs out, count the empty wrappers, multiply by their nominal contents when full (let's call that partial result "F"), count the number of sheets remaining in the not-yet-empty pack, subtract that number from the nominal contents of the not-yet-empty pack (let's call that partial result "O"), and finally sum the partial results, arriving at the final result, which we'll call "Too".
Voila.
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
Thread Starter
A preliminary report on the "Premier Ink Supplies" black, magenta and cyan cartridges installed recently:
Both magenta and cyan are noticeably paler than their Canon equivalents, determined both by comparison of test sheets and actual prints.
Longevity will take a bit longer to determine!
SD
Both magenta and cyan are noticeably paler than their Canon equivalents, determined both by comparison of test sheets and actual prints.
Longevity will take a bit longer to determine!
SD
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SD,
Third part inks usually require a different colour-profile to be loaded, in order to get right amount of "boost" to said colours.
Have you checked if there's a printer-profile to be downloaded from the manufacturors site?
I tried "pirate-packs" before, but ended returning "home" to Canons own inks.
Both due to longevity and also the fact that I had to flood the paper with a lot more ink to get the expected result (=extra cost). Flooding, that in turn can lead to run-back/bleeding of ink, ruining the picture.
Third part inks usually require a different colour-profile to be loaded, in order to get right amount of "boost" to said colours.
Have you checked if there's a printer-profile to be downloaded from the manufacturors site?
I tried "pirate-packs" before, but ended returning "home" to Canons own inks.
Both due to longevity and also the fact that I had to flood the paper with a lot more ink to get the expected result (=extra cost). Flooding, that in turn can lead to run-back/bleeding of ink, ruining the picture.
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I had an Epson DX4850, and unhappy with the price of genuine cartridges tried an alternative ("Inkrite" if my memory serves me correctly). I can't honestly say whether there was any difference in colour rendition, but one problem immediately showed up - EVERY time I pressed "Print" I got a warning - "Epson has detected that you are using non-genuine inks".
Some while later it stopped printing red, and despite trying the head cleaning utility several times got nowhere with it. Fortunately it was still under guarantee and I still had some original (used) cartridges to put in.
The local Epson agent also had to admit defeat, and I was given a service exchange unit, which gave me no end of problems trying to get the P.C. to recognise it. (Another story)
I've decided to stick to genuine ones for now.... No doubt just what the manufacturer intended.
Some while later it stopped printing red, and despite trying the head cleaning utility several times got nowhere with it. Fortunately it was still under guarantee and I still had some original (used) cartridges to put in.
The local Epson agent also had to admit defeat, and I was given a service exchange unit, which gave me no end of problems trying to get the P.C. to recognise it. (Another story)
I've decided to stick to genuine ones for now.... No doubt just what the manufacturer intended.
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Continuous Ink Supply Systems - CISS
I have a Canon MP96o with 7 ink cartridges. Thats a lot of dough when all 7 have to be changed.
I have just installed a CISS.
Works a treat. I no longer have to put in anymore cartridges - ever.
All that I need to do now is top up the external tanks with the correct ink, bought at A$11.00 for a 100ml bottle. Around A$61.00 for all the inks.
No connection other than a satisfied customer....from
www.rihac.com.au
They are in Melbourne, Australia.
I have just installed a CISS.
Works a treat. I no longer have to put in anymore cartridges - ever.
All that I need to do now is top up the external tanks with the correct ink, bought at A$11.00 for a 100ml bottle. Around A$61.00 for all the inks.
No connection other than a satisfied customer....from
www.rihac.com.au
They are in Melbourne, Australia.
Avoid imitations
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I have an HP Photosmart 1000 printer. The "78" (colour) and "45" (b+w) cartridges are hugely expensive, so I tried "Tescos" refilled ones.
Out of 6 refilled cartridges I've had one 45 fail to work at all, another that caused a double image of any text and a 78 with a colour missing.
I've had them replaced by customer services, so no major issues, just annoyance and inconvenience.
Out of 6 refilled cartridges I've had one 45 fail to work at all, another that caused a double image of any text and a 78 with a colour missing.
I've had them replaced by customer services, so no major issues, just annoyance and inconvenience.
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I do some work for HP and what we found in our "lab tests" is that 70% of the time using "remanufactured" inks or refill kits is that you will cause damage to the the cartridge (it may break, spill or leak), damage to the printer , or damage to your document or photo (color fastness, dryness, water resistance, long-lasting capabilities). Also, you have no clue as to how good or bad the ink is they are putting in there.
But some of you, I had an Epson a few years back and I bought remakes of the blk for US$2 and colors for US$3! Hard to beat until that one day a black cartridge broke while printing. Needless to say it was time to get a new printer.
But some of you, I had an Epson a few years back and I bought remakes of the blk for US$2 and colors for US$3! Hard to beat until that one day a black cartridge broke while printing. Needless to say it was time to get a new printer.
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What this really boils down to is that printer manufacturers seem to expect to get their cake and eat it. If they sold printers for a price which gave them a sensible return and then sold ink cartridges for similar prices to those at which other manufacturers can provide them then they wouldn't have to make up excuses as to why only their replacement cartridges should be used. Furthrmore there would then be no neeed for them to develop more and yet more sophistaced devices to prevent users from using alternative cartridges. I appreciate tht H.P are a special case because their cartridges also contain the print head mechanism. This is because they were the first to market an ink jet device and their ink jet mechanisms would not last the life of the printer itself. It took a short time for this technology to improve this life to that of the printer itself but HP have steadfastly refused to incorporate this technology and thus all HP cartridges still contain the (expensive) print head. The only reason for this is to maximise their profits from replacement cartridge supply.
P.P.
P.P.