Less Expensive Source for InkJet Cartridges

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

TonyL

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
8,904
Location
Georgia
Hi Folks:

I have Googled around but I thought I would ask all the great and frugal minds.

I have a Canon inkjet and want to buy Canon Inkjet cartridges. Anyone have a source.

Please note:
I do not want to refill them at Costco or anywhere else (tried that many times)

I do not want to buy a laser jet (have that...don't want to do that).

Thank you all very much. Happy turning and best to all!
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

lorbay

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2009
Messages
3,378
Location
BC. Canada
Hi Folks:

I have Googled around but I thought I would ask all the great and frugal minds.

I have a Canon inkjet and want to buy Canon Inkjet cartridges. Anyone have a source.

Please note:
I do not want to refill them at Costco or anywhere else (tried that many times)

I do not want to buy a laser jet (have that...don't want to do that).

Thank you all very much. Happy turning and best to all!

What is wrong with the Costco refills.??
Lin
 

gtriever

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
Messages
1,135
Location
Paducah, Kentucky
We have a Canon MG5320, and have had good luck with the LD brand clones that are on Amazon. They don't last quite as long as the Canon originals, but they are a heck of a lot cheaper.
 

dogcatcher

Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
2,359
Location
TX, NM or on the road
We had an expensive office printer for our accounting practice. Someone thought about saving a few dollars with a cut rate cartridge, it cost us the price of a new printer. Now I buy the recommended cartridges.
 

TonyL

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
8,904
Location
Georgia
Thank you folks: I will pursue the resources provided.
I have had the most success with the Canon cartridges. My MX922 just happens to perform better. Thank you again.
 

thewishman

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
8,181
Location
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA.
I've tried the knockoffs, they work okay, but not like the real thing. I have searched many times for the legitimate cartridges at lower prices. In the last year, the discounting stopped and everyone now sells them at the same price.
 

tomas

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
482
Location
Rio Rancho, NM
Hi Folks:

I have Googled around but I thought I would ask all the great and frugal minds.

I have a Canon inkjet and want to buy Canon Inkjet cartridges. Anyone have a source.

Please note:
I do not want to refill them at Costco or anywhere else (tried that many times)

I do not want to buy a laser jet (have that...don't want to do that).

Thank you all very much. Happy turning and best to all!

Let me start by saying that I am not a conspiracy freak. All ink cartridges that I am familiar with have a micro chip in them behind the brass colored connecting strips. The chip keeps count of the number of times the cart fires. When it reaches a number determined by the manufacturer, it reports that it is out of ink and stops printing. You can purchase a chip re-setter for your printer on the internet for around $15. Once re-set, the cart will start to print again until it is actually empty. My brother is a professional photographer and does the with his Epson Photo printer. By re-setting the chips he is able to print 15 -20 additional 8x10 color photos. I use one on my Epson and also on my HP.

Tomas
 

Woodchipper

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,138
Location
Cleveland, TN
It might be a bit more expensive but I use Staples for office products. I have a Brother MP-240. I can either order online and pick up at the store or go to the store for anything. They give credit for returned empty ink cartridges. I also have a service contract for my laptop. One charge for a year is cheaper than paying each time I have a glitch.
 

TonyL

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
8,904
Location
Georgia
Thank you.

Getting a few more copies out of OEM cartridges may be my best way to reduce costs. I have never owned a printer that "liked" non-OEM cartridges: between the error messages and inconsistent print quality that I experienced, it just wasn't worth the hassle. I am glad that some report a much better experience than mine.

Thanks folks. I can put a cap on this one :)
 

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,523
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
Tony,

Canon is one of the OEM's leading the charge on "counterfeit" toner cartridges. They have been successful in court, so most offshore makers of toner have stopped violating their copyrights and patents.

One result, they are able to "fair trade" their products (discourage price competition). Of course all of this is written up in the copier trade journals (as you know, I have been a copier reseller for over 40 years, in my "real job"), but has been pretty quiet everywhere else.

As you evaluate future copier-printer purchases, cost per copy should always be a consideration. The trouble is, few sales reps at the "box stores" will know the cost per copy and many of the "statistics" available are dead wrong. So, in short, cost per copy is likely to rise and competition is likely to be reduced--a good time for me to find a different career!! (see signature line)
 

chartle

Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
1,287
Location
Pgh, PA
In the last year, the discounting stopped and everyone now sells them at the same price.

Thats from the Printer manufactures all the profit is in cartridges. I think they even worked around the hack of buying a new printer just to get new ink.
 

chartle

Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
1,287
Location
Pgh, PA
Thank you.

Getting a few more copies out of OEM cartridges may be my best way to reduce costs. I have never owned a printer that "liked" non-OEM cartridges: between the error messages and inconsistent print quality that I experienced, it just wasn't worth the hassle. I am glad that some report a much better experience than mine.

Thanks folks. I can put a cap on this one :)

My Epson used tanks so it was easy to get the tanks refilled and the chip reset. I used to go to a kiosk in mall and have them refilled. One day I went to the spot and it was gone. Not an empty kiosk, completely gone. Not even a discolored spot on the floor where it used to be. :frown:

But the issue was if the head got damaged I was SOL since it didn't get replaced on each cartridge swap.

Now at work my inkjet uses 440ml cartridges, 2 per color, and prints 53" wide :) If I need to replace the head I think its a couple k.
 

TonyL

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
8,904
Location
Georgia
Thank you. I don't use any color cartridges only the XXL black. I am good. Thank you all very much though. :)
 

leehljp

Member Liaison
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
9,314
Location
Tunica, Mississippi,
Tony,

I have been printing in color for 25 years; most of that overseas in Japan. I have been disgusted with the price of OEM but when I went to refills, I began having problems in black and color. I could get by for one round of refill but after that, I had problems all the way around. I never had that problem with OEMS. This is on Epson, and Canon.

I too have been searching for a decent priced OEM sale, or even somewhat of a discount on OEMs.

I have seriously been looking at Epson continuous refill printers where they sell the ink in bulk. Those printers are higher but the long run looks like it will they will be cost effective.

I print in bulk at the end of the month and then don't print much for the next 25 days. I think this is where the refills cause problems - the 25 days of unused causes non OEMs to clog up, IMO.

Thanks for posting this.
 
Last edited:

ericofpendom

Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2012
Messages
371
Location
Bolton, England
Hi Tony, I have used Epson inkjet printers for years and was told by one company that i used that the compatible cartridges are made in the same factory with the same ink but just not branded. They told me that for the first year of a printers life the ink manufacturers are not allowed to make compatibles but after the first year they release the licence as the printer manufacturer has realeased a new model and everyone wants the latest and greatest so they are tied to buying original carts at full price again. I don't know if this is still the case but I have used compatible carts for at least 15 years with no issues. I have always found Epson to be by far the cheapest to run.
Eric...
 

TonyL

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
8,904
Location
Georgia
I am glad that you have had that experience. I owned several printer brands, but not that one. Thanks for sharing.
 
Top Bottom