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Non-OEM ink for inkject printers - any good?

DATYdude

Puttin' in Face Time
Oct 8, 2003
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I have an Epson printer and am sick of spending the high prices for OEM ink, it's almost worthwhile to buy the entire printer again just for the ink that comes with it.

So I'm considering some of the non-OEM ink on ebay. Any opinions? Is the quality any good? Will it screw up my printer?
 

l69norm

Member
Jan 25, 2004
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Depends on print head

DATYdude said:
I have an Epson printer...... Will it screw up my printer?

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpage/178

Epsons have the print head built into the printer as opposed to HP where the print head is part of the cartridge. If the print head clogs in an Epson, it's very difficult to clear. A lot of times, you have to buy a new head which costs more than the printer does.

Cheap third party ink makes the problem worse. I've always been told to use nothing but OEM ink in an Epson.

The real bad parts about Epson OEM ink cartridges is that:

1. There is a built-in metering microchip on most printers that counts the number of pages printed. It doesn't really measure the amount of ink in left in the cartridge. It's quite possible for the cartridge to be 25% full, yet the printer thinks it's empty based on the number of pages printed.

2. Epson only 1/2 fills the cartridge at the factory (so I'm told)
 

foolnarnd

Member
Jul 25, 2005
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Refilled cartridges plenty of times

DATYdude said:
I have an Epson printer and am sick of spending the high prices for OEM ink, it's almost worthwhile to buy the entire printer again just for the ink that comes with it.

So I'm considering some of the non-OEM ink on ebay. Any opinions? Is the quality any good? Will it screw up my printer?
I have an Epson 740 and have the same reaction to cartridge prices. Costco had some cheapo refill kit Ifor both the colour and black ink cartridges and I tried it. Never had a problem. I think I'm probably on the third or fourth refill now.

Well there was this problem when I over filled the cartridge and also that time I didn't tape the bottom first before filling...make sure you're filling on over top of something easily cleaned.
 

tboy

resident smartass
Aug 18, 2001
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way out in left field
I use non-oem cartridges in my epson and have nothing but good luck with them....considering I pay $2.98 a piece for B & W as opposed to $29.00 for an OEM version. These guys sell colour ones for $4.48 as opposed to $35.00 for OEM colour.

I think OEM is a crock, they say "you have to use only epson products" because they cut the prices on the printers then soak you on the cartridges.

My stylus colour 740 runs a clean print head as soon as I turn on the printer then before it prints a page. IMHO epson designed their printers to waste ink at every oppurtunity. I tell you, it spends more time cleaning the head than printing!

Here's the place I order from. Last time I ordered on a Friday at noon and the cartridges arrived by 2 pm Monday.

www.metawatch.ca

here's my calculations:

Printer: $120.00
B & W OEM Cartidge: $29.00
Colour OEM: $35.00

You'd probably use (varies) 10 cartridges over the life of the printer total $290.00 for INK $120.00 for printer cost $410.00

Non-Oem:
Printer: $120.00
B & W: $2.98
Colour: $4.48

Say the non-oem DOES screw your printer, even after 5 cartridges, here's the cost: $120.00 ink $15.00 total $135.00

Well, you're STILL $275.00 ahead of the game so for that you could buy 2 more printers and 10 cartridges....and that is on the off chance that the non-oem products actually DO something to the printer.
 

The Bandit

Lap Dance Survivor
Feb 16, 2002
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Anywhere there's a Strip Joint
Staples brand cartridges are a good price, and I've never had a problem with them.
 

Cobster

New member
Apr 29, 2002
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yep, i use ink-jet sales and so far, zero problem with them.
save a ton$$$
 

monkeychan

New member
Sep 6, 2004
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I tried using them for photo printing, the resulting image is acceptable, but far from accurate. If you wanna go cheap, use them, if you wanna have accurate colour, forget about them.
 

SilentLeviathan

I am better than you.
Oct 30, 2002
909
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monkeychan said:
I tried using them for photo printing, the resulting image is acceptable, but far from accurate. If you wanna go cheap, use them, if you wanna have accurate colour, forget about them.
Pretty much.

Refills and third party inks are two different things. If I had to choose between them I'd always go for the thrid party ones. I've seen nothing but horror stories with refills. Even then third party inks are really only OK if you don't care about quality and just want something cheap and fast. You don't really save that much anyway. I was looking at some the other day and it was only something like $5 a cartridge.
 

tboy

resident smartass
Aug 18, 2001
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way out in left field
SilentLeviathan said:
Pretty much.

Refills and third party inks are two different things. If I had to choose between them I'd always go for the thrid party ones. I've seen nothing but horror stories with refills. Even then third party inks are really only OK if you don't care about quality and just want something cheap and fast. You don't really save that much anyway. I was looking at some the other day and it was only something like $5 a cartridge.
Wel, you're shopping at the wrong place. I clearly pointed out that the epson ones I use are a full $24.00 a cartridge savings.......not $5.00
 

MarkII

New member
Sep 22, 2004
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Some After market inks are good for B&W regular printing.

If however you are doing photo printing, stick witht he OEM inks.

Epson has a very good print system that is based on the paper and the in matching up correctly with the selected image perameters. You are assured with OEM that you are get archival quality, with aftermarket only time will tell and that may not be a "lot" of time.

Any articles I've read where people used non Epson product in Epson printers produced less than favorable results when compared side by side. The non Epson products also were very succeptible to fading.

I have the R1800 and I only use Epson product. I have a colleague who uses after market and I've taken some of his images and printed them in my workflow and the difference is quite noticeable side by side.

But, for regular text the aftermarket s probably more than sufficient. So long as it doesn't clog the print head go for it!

M2
 

Stymie

Member
May 27, 2004
440
9
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Toronto
inkjet island - fairview mall + other malls
or
diy - staples - jet tec ink refill kit

i only use for b/w text only printing
 
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