As a consumer, I have to admit I love getting a really great deal. Well folks, the cost of OEM inks for most consumer ink jet printers is more costly than most consumables...just take a look at the attached chart from Gizmodo.com. The ink listed is HP Black Ink.
The good news is that there are some great solutions around this profitable rip off. Profitability invites competition...leading to competitive challenges. There are some very clever solutions to avoiding the high costs of fine printing.
Now admittedly, not all inks are created equal...but there are some fine third party companies delivering fine quality inks and refillable cartridges at a fraction of the cost of OEM inks and cartridges. Yes, this approach takes some patience and willingness to fuss a bit...but the savings are truly significant.
I personally have been using Epson printers for many years. Have you ever noticed that the mass market printers seem very inexpensive...regardless of brand of printer. This is due to the built-in profit of the consumables...ink and paper...to feed your printing addiction.
I am happy to report that using refillable cartridges and third party inks works wonderfully and inexpensively if you deal with the best of the third party vendors.
No, I do not represent the companies listed below, but I can wholeheartedly endorse the products and support from the following inkjet cartridge and ink suppliers. I have had no problem with their products and I have not voided the warrantee on my printers because I have used third party inks in my Epson printers.
These folks have been around for quite a while. Many of the avid B&W printers using inkjet have been using these guys for many years. Their Ebony Black ink is considered amongst the most permanent pure carbon ink. They have great support and a good range of products suited to many inkjet printers. Plenty of good information on their site regarding inks, maintenance and refilling of third party cartridges.
Inkjetcarts http://inkjetcarts.us/
Very responsive dealer as well. Ross generally calls you back personally if you have a question. Very fair pricing, and it is my impression that they are offering the inks from the same manufacturer in China as MIS. Good support available...
I personally have found the above listed suppliers fair in their pricing and honorable. The longevity of these suppliers of third party inks is a testament to their honesty IMHO.
I know there are less than reputable dealers selling questionable quality inks at very low costs. There are also some snake oil salesman selling boutique inks with claims of vast superiority of their branded inks when compared to other inks including the OEM products. In both cases, buyer beware!!!
For the casual user, OEM inks may be the perfect solution. But for a serious printer, the astronomical costs of the consumables can make fine inkjet printing a painfully expensive experience. I personally love making fine archival quality prints at an affordable cost.
Check back for more posts and links for additional information on affordable solutions and techniques for creating high quality inkjet prints.