Cheap printer ink here!

[Orchidflower]

The last time I had to run to Target to purchase printer ink (area of 400,000, but very limited in resources), I paid about $60.00 (yes, I said sixty dollars) for one black and one color cartridge.
So, I looked on the net, searched ratings and review sites, and found this company: 1800emart.com. I purchased 3 black and 2 color cartridges for $18!!! Huge savings and no difference in the ink that I can tell. Very fast shipping, also.

1800emart.com

 

[TromboneAl]

You're probably going to find that it isn't worth the savings. Sorry for the bad news, but I've tried multiple non-HP cartridges (e.g. Abacus.com) and have had some major problems. I've got a big black stain under the printer that demonstrates one of them.

Main problems:

Ink won't flow, you need run the cleaning cycle 10 times, plus put the cartridges on wet paper.

Leaking

Poor printing.

Bad color.


Now I only use HP cartridges, but get a discount at staples, and get $3 for empties. I also try to print as infrequently as possible, and use draft mode for non-critical stuff.

 

[mathjak107]

remanufactured ink destroyed my epson printer. never again... i wont even use staples refills.

 

[Den26]

I get all my ink cartridges at Megatoners.com. Clearly, the cheapest, and easiest way to get new ink. Not any name brands, but drastically less money than Target. Haven't had problem one with them.

 

[two4theroad]

I found the same website several years ago after the same type experience with inkjet inks but now am a member of the once burned twice shy club for discount inks. I ruined 2 printers and now use only OEM ink. No problems ever. I am going to try the Kodak printer next time I need a new one. They advertise 1/2 the usage of ink and lower prices on their ink refills too.
2fer

 

[martyb]

You're probably going to find that it isn't worth the savings. Sorry for the bad news, but I've tried multiple non-HP cartridges (e.g. Abacus.com) and have had some major problems. I've got a big black stain under the printer that demonstrates one of them.

Main problems:

Ink won't flow, you need run the cleaning cycle 10 times, plus put the cartridges on wet paper.

Leaking

Poor printing.

Bad color.


Now I only use HP cartridges, but get a discount at staples, and get $3 for empties. I also try to print as infrequently as possible, and use draft mode for non-critical stuff.

Hey Al,

Wasn't it you that was using Carrot Ink? I didn't go back & research, but I was thinking it was you who posted the tip about Carrot Ink dot com awhile back. I tried them out & had good luck, and just ordered some more from them a couple days ago, for my Epson Stylus Color 880.

Marty

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'm still working on the giant color laser I bought over 3 years ago for $399, on the original toner cartridges. Maybe four more years to go before I need to replace it.

 

[Martha]

I bought a cheap laser about 3 years ago too, on CFB's recommendation. I also am still working on the first toner cartridge.

 

[Nords]

Color laser is the only way to go for those time- and mission-critical applications like high-school science projects and English papers...

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

What I liked about it is that it can sit there for six months and after I blow the cat hair out of it, it purrs right up and prints 30 pages for me in about 45 seconds.

Makes a hell of a racket though. All that toner cartridge changing, whirring and clicking.

I havent looked at them lately but Dell was selling a refurbished high end color laser for something like $500-600ish. Came with a set of 10,000 page toner cartridges.

That'd last me TOO long though. In 2019 I'd get my new desktop with the super eSata XXMVI five billion bit per second printer connections and there I'd be with a stupid USB 2.0 printer...

Just...do...not...put any glossy inkjet coated paper into one unless its laser rated. My wife somehow found a handful of sheets of the stuff and poked it into the printer. Melted the paper and now every once in a while we get a little bit of goo out of it stuck to a fresh print.

 

[Sue J]

Hey Al,

I tried them out & had good luck, and just ordered some more from them a couple days ago, for my Epson Stylus Color 880.

Marty

I have that same printer. How did the printing compare to using the Epson ink? We don't print a lot. I bought this printer for printing photos but we don't do very much of that anymore, I found that it was worth it to have photos printed on real photo paper at Walgreens or WalMart. So I'd love to find a lower cost solution to supporting this printer's ink. No matter where I go, the black is $29 and the color is $25.

Just yesterday the color cartridge indicator started blinking.......

 

[Orchidflower]

Well, so far so good. We shall see. My son paid $20 for this used printer, so....
But next printer is the laser one if that's the best. I would love to buy no ink if possible.

 

[youbet]

My seven year old HP DeskJet 400 keeps whirring along on Carrotink.com remanufactured cartridges. Probably have gone through a dozen or more of them. I order when they have a sale + free shipping. Never a quality issue. I'm sorry I read this thread. Now I'm worried!

 

[mickeyd]

My 13 year old Canon ink Jet BJC-250 is still spittin' em out believe it or not. Most of what I print is for my own use so tip-top quality is not a priority in this case. I have been refilling my own ink jet cartridges for several years now with a kit that I purchased for about $12 from a local inksell.com store. I occasionally purchase the ink for about $5 or so and it is good for about 3 cartridge refills.

I now spend very little on printer ink. This from a guy that used to buy new cartridges at $20 a pop back in the day. Now I pay about $1.50. Quite a savings IMHO.

 

[martyb]

I have that same printer. How did the printing compare to using the Epson ink? We don't print a lot. I bought this printer for printing photos but we don't do very much of that anymore, I found that it was worth it to have photos printed on real photo paper at Walgreens or WalMart. So I'd love to find a lower cost solution to supporting this printer's ink. No matter where I go, the black is $29 and the color is $25.

Just yesterday the color cartridge indicator started blinking.......

Seems pretty close in quality to me. The color cartridge is 13.95 & the black is 10.95, shipping is 3.95. If you buy a bundle of 3 black/4 color or 4 black, 3 color it's a good bit cheaper, but I don't know what the shelf life on those cartridges would be. I think these last two have lasted me almost a year, so I don't know if I'd want to have them sitting around for a couple years before I used them. I try to do my printing at work as much as possible. Only have black ink there, though.

 

[bssc]

Instead of buying cartidges, I found an HP inkjet on sale and bought it instead. Turned out to be cheaper.

 

[packrat44]

The last time I had to run to Target to purchase printer ink (area of 400,000, but very limited in resources), I paid about $60.00 (yes, I said sixty dollars) for one black and one color cartridge.
So, I looked on the net, searched ratings and review sites, and found this company: 1800emart.com. I purchased 3 black and 2 color cartridges for $18!!! Huge savings and no difference in the ink that I can tell. Very fast shipping, also.

1800emart.com

Prices from 1800emart for HP cartridges are very high. New - HP 56 - $22.75; HP 57 - $29.50; HP 58 - $25.75. Remanufactured - HP 56 - $15.25; HP 57 - $19.75. A person can buy new factory cartridges for what 1800emart charges for their remanufactured units.

I have been refilling my cartidges with resoanable success. However, if I let them them get too low they will dry out and need to be replaced with a new unit.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

About $180 for a dell outlet color laser with 1000 page toners. Another $200ish for a set of replacement 2000 page toners.

 

[ERD50]

Well, so far so good. We shall see. My son paid $20 for this used printer, so....
But next printer is the laser one if that's the best. I would love to buy no ink if possible.

My seven year old HP DeskJet 400 keeps whirring along on Carrotink.com remanufactured cartridges. Probably have gone through a dozen or more of them. I order when they have a sale + free shipping. Never a quality issue. I'm sorry I read this thread. Now I'm worried!

Cheap cartridges have been working for me for years in several printers also.

My Mom's canon get all jammed up using only canon carts. My SIL put in a new print head, I've been buying the cheap carts for her since (several years), and no problems.

I think you can have problems with either, so I wouldn't necessarily attribute it to the cheap carts - might just be chance.

-ERD50

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

We have been using Carrotink.com for years with success. I have a Canon i350 here on the road and a multifunction printer at home.

The only printer ink problem I have is my cheapo Brother 420CN multifunction printer. It tells me that a cartridge is out and won't print anything, even when I put in a brand-new genuine Brother cartridge. I think a sensor is kaput. Still use it for scanning and faxing out. Slow but cheap.

CFB, thanks for the info on the Dell color laser! Dang! They are getting cheap!

 

[ERD50]

Instead of buying cartidges, I found an HP inkjet on sale and bought it instead. Turned out to be cheaper.

Many of those come with 'starter' cartridges - low fill. Might not be the deal you thought it was.

I'm tempted by the newer color lasers also, but every time I look, they are HUGE - won't fit on the shelf I have mounted on the wall, and would probably tear it out of the wall from the weight if it did fit. Hope they get smaller and lighter soon.

-ERD50

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

The new ink-jets have chips in their cartridges that make it impossible (as far as I know) to refill them. Even Canon, I hear.

I can't see buying an HP again. I have not been hearing good things about them. Built too cheap, cost too much.

 

[ERD50]

The new ink-jets have chips in their cartridges that make it impossible (as far as I know) to refill them. Even Canon, I hear.

Yes, I wish I could get my hands on a few more of these older Canons, the i350, iP2000, iP1500, i455 - the carts are VERY cheap ($1.50), but these printers will eventually die.

It kills me to think of all the people that have said ' I threw my old printer out and just got a new one, it was cheaper than new carts'!

I want those old printers! You can get new printheads for the canons for ~ $35.

Those old canons are going for a good price when you do find them - some people have realized the true value of the printer when you can get $1.50 carts for it.

-ERD50

 

[Texas Proud]

The new ink-jets have chips in their cartridges that make it impossible (as far as I know) to refill them. Even Canon, I hear.

I can't see buying an HP again. I have not been hearing good things about them. Built too cheap, cost too much.

I bought some ink to put in my cartridge... but for some reason it just gets real messy... and does not work..

HOWEVER, the instructions told you how to override those chips etc... place tape over this lead.. place cartridge in printer.. do something... take out, place another over blah blah... etc... and THEN your chip says it is a new cartridge ready to go....


I also think the COST of a 7ml cartridge or even 5ml (not mine... mine is 7, but three colors in one so the color goes out QUICKLY)....

Sooo, I do not pay $25 to $30 just to print in color.... and got a cheap ($80) laser that has printed 3 reams of paper so far... I should get one more...

I would like to find carts for only $5 to $10...

 

[chinaco]

Anybody have any expereince with the HP2600n Color Laserjet.

It is on sale at Compusa for $279. Apparently it comes with full toner cartridges. In fact a full set of toner replacement cartridges is listed at $289. Apparently the printer is free??