Original printer ink is one of the most expensive liquids — the black pigment costs upwards of $2,700 per gallon. Many owners of inkjet machines believe that cartridges are grossly overpriced. After all, OEM products may cost nearly as much as basic printers! Meanwhile, there are plenty of reasonably priced competing cartridges. Discover your options in 2022.
Like any printer manufacturer, Hewlett-Packard strongly advises customers against non-original ink. However, the price gap is often too big to ignore. You can buy 4 cartridges with HP 902xl ink at Smart Ink for around $55. A single original cartridge costs around $24! Here are the key things to know about such cheaper replacements.
Quality Certification And Warranties
Top-rated stores have certificates of compliance with global standards. These include ISO, STMC, Reach, CE, and others. Print quality is often indistinguishable from the original product. Cheaper cartridges work just as well as OEM ink, even for high-resolution tasks where every minute detail matters.
Quality is also confirmed by extended warranties. Some stores offer a 2-year money-back guarantee. It covers manufacturer defects and transportation damage, so customers have peace of mind.
Perfectly Legal
Officially, compatible products are original. Despite being designed for brand-name printers and imitating the performance of OEM supplies, they are legal. Consumer protection legislation in Canada prevents manufacturers from including anti-competitive terms in their warranties.
Boosted Page Yield
Compatible cartridges typically have XL or XXL volume. Thus, you get more ink every time. For instance, a Smart Ink XL HP 902 cartridge prints 825 pages, while the standard yield is 300 pages.
Sustainable Alternative
Independent brands are focused on eco-friendly policies, just like big manufacturers. Their compatible cartridges are recyclable. By using remanufactured products, you will also reduce the amount of plastic and electronic waste.
This is the second category of cheaper supplies. Remanufactured items are revamped OEM products — refurbished original cartridges filled with fresh ink. They work like new, as providers also replace worn elements and perform thorough testing before shipping.
Safe to Use
Compatible cartridges are legal, but are they safe to use? As long as you buy from reliable stores, your printer will work as usual. Subpar products from shady suppliers may leak or damage the print heads, so do some due diligence in advance.
Recognition Is Instant
High-quality products come with the latest version of the cartridge chip. This guarantees instant recognition. If your printer rejects non-original supplies, there is a workaround. Disabling firmware updates will let you use any compatible or remanufactured cartridges.
To Sum Up
The quality of OEM cartridges is indisputable, but splurging on printer supplies is a lazy option. Savvy consumers choose excellent quality at a low cost. Find a reliable store once to save hundreds of dollars annually!
