Printer ink and toner! If nothing vexes the electronics consumer, it's the price of printer ink and toner! And no wonder, it's one of the most confusing things out on the market.
When it comes to overpriced ink, some consumers smell a scam......and they might be right about that sometimes. However, not all printer and ink manufacturers are completely terrible, but the situation could be better.
One of the main problems that consumers have is the way printer ink and toner is labeled and packaged. It's a free-for-all at the moment. Any company can pretty much label their product or NOT label their product any way they want to. At the moment there is no real standard.
I've heard rumors that there are lawsuits in the works to force manufacturers to adhere to some kind of labeling standard, but I've yet to see any kind of standard labeling procedure appear on anyone's packaging. (If anyone knows any information about any kind of lawsuit or regulation involving printer ink, let us know!)
Some companies are very good about this and they list very precisely how much ink is in each cartridge. Other companies use rather nebulous terms like "standard use", "high-capacity", "XL", "moderate use" and so forth, without telling the consumer exactly how much ink they are buying.
Another issue is the promotional combo pack, which might give you an assortment of colors but also offer extras like photo paper or some other such goodie. They never do mention that the cartridges aren't always full. Which is why the promotional package seems like "such a deal"!
Free printer included! This is another marketing scheme that is used and the consumer needs to be aware of what they are getting into. Don't get me wrong, sometimes the free printer IS a good deal, a very good deal. But it depends on the printer and the ink that goes along with it.
More than likely the store you buy your computer from also sells printers and ink. It takes 5 minutes to go to another aisle and price the ink that is going to go along with your so-called "free printer".
Even if they don't sell ink, so many people have cell phones now with web browsers, it would be very easy to price the ink out with a quick google shopping search. Know what you're buying before you buy it.
Another thing to look for with a "free printer" is whether or not the ink is or soon will be discontinued.
Too many of these free or cheap printers have discontinued ink or ink that costs a fortune. Also beware of ink that's too cheap. If it's too cheap, not marked correctly as far as how much ink is in the cartridge, you might be purchasing cartridges every month or every two weeks! That's NOT an inexpensive ink!
Does your local computer or stationery supply store offer an ink cartridge recycling program? If so that can knock a few dollars off every ink cartridge you buy when you return and recycle your old cartridge. Something to consider if you are cost-conscious.
Is there a reliable and compatible ink cartridge available in a generic brand? Buying generic ink can save $10 or more on each cartridge. Beware though, some very poorly made brands are out there that can kill your printer. See what your friends are using and try to get a recommendation.
Research is your friend and can save you big bucks if you look before you leap.
The last thing I might add is if you already own a printer, do yourself a favor, write down the manufacturer, the full name and model number, and the number/type of cartridges it uses. Notice that I said the "full name and model number". Some people think that the words "Officejet" or "Deskjet" don't count, but they do when you're trying to match up a printer with the correct ink. This is not a difficult thing to do, but it's one of the biggest problems people have when buying ink - they haven't a clue which ink to buy!
Just because you have a Hewlett Packard printer doesn't mean that all or any Hewlett Packard ink cartridges will fit and work in your printer. You can't randomly pick up a Canon cyan cartridge and shove it into any random Canon printer. Each printer model has it's own cartridge and it's own specifications. Granted, some cartridges work in multiple printers, but you really need to know what printer you own.
That's the easiest part. Just write down the information and carry it in your wallet or your purse. Better yet, when you buy new printer ink, cut out the front of the box that states the cartridge number and tape it to the side of your printer. This way it's very easy to find, remember and nobody needs to make a frantic cell phone call from the store to home and hope your 11 year old knows how to figure out which cartridge you use. (Yeah, I've seen this happen countless times.)
Also be aware of what kind of printer it is: Is it an inkjet printer, a laser printer, a fax machine only or a multi-function printer? Multi-function means it might have a scanner, a fax as well as a printer included.
Armed with this information, you are ready to go out and save yourself some money.
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