Printers have become a daily utility instrument and are commonly seen in homes, offices, hotels, restaurants, and many other places. The two basic requirements for any printer to function are electricity and an ink cartridge. A printer cannot function without either one of them. The ink in the cartridge is in limited supply and is consumed quickly. If the printer is not used for a period of time, the ink may dry up and cause the printer to malfunction.

The ink used in a particular printer is not appropriate for use in all printers. Different varieties of ink are broadly classified into dry and wet ink. Ink used in laser printers is toner, which is a dry power-type substance. The ink used in other printers, such as the desk jet series, is liquid ink.

The ink, whether dry or wet, is stored in a cartridge that is placed in the printer. The cartridges are made in such a manner that refilling them is an easy task. However, this needs to be done professionally or the cartridge will cease to function. The printer ink cartridge industry has seen a great demand in refilling of cartridges as this works out as a cheaper alternative compared to buying a new cartridge. They are an efficient and economical alternative to purchasing new ink cartridges. Cheap printer ink cartridges are usually remanufactured printer cartridges that consistently provide high standards of prints with greater efficiency while delivering clear and crisp images.

The quality of ink provided in a ?cheap? ink cartridge is as good as that of a new, regular ink cartridge. Companies selling these ink cartridges guarantee reliable performance with every print and suggest that the use of these ink cartridges will not hamper the printer’s warranty.

There are both pros and cons to using refilled cartridges in your inkjet printer, no matter what brand you own. If you listen to the manufacturers, refilled cartridges can damage your printer and void your warranty.

If you listen to the refill companies, on the other hand, the cartridges will work as well as the originals, at a much lower cost.

The truth is somewhere in the middle – here are some of the pros and cons of refill ink.

Pros

The biggest advantage of refill ink is the lower cost. They cost less than half the price of a new cartridge, and this can really add up over the life of a printer.

And no only do you save money, but you’re also recycling the ink cartridge, which is better for the environment.

Another advantage of refill ink is the availability. If you keep a refill kit on hand, it won’t matter when your cartridge runs out – you can just refill it. This is especially helpful if you run out of ink in the middle of the night or you use a printer like Dell, whose ink is not available anywhere except by ordering from Dell (and waiting for it to be shipped).

Cons

One of the biggest cons of refilled ink cartridges is they can be tricky to refill. The printer manufacturers are making it harder and harder to refill their cartridges, and if you’re not careful you can have problems after filling them.

Air bubbles can form in the ink which can translate to splotchy printing. The refill process can also be messy, with spilled ink being a common problem. Ink stains are next to impossible to remove so you want to be sure you’re not wearing good clothes or working over carpet when refilling your cartridge.

And finally, using refilled ink can void your warranty in some cases. If you have a problem and it’s determined to be caused by the aftermarket ink, your printer warranty won’t apply. You have to weigh the cost of ink versus the cost of replacing your printer and make your own call on this point.