After you have purchased your ink refill kit that is compatible with your printer model (if you haven't, I recommend 4Inkjets or 123Refills for great value and quality products), find yourself a flat workspace to begin refilling the cartridge. Make sure you have some towels for cleanup and clear tape for the installation, as well.

Preparing For The Refill Process

Firstly, you'll want to take the empty cartridge out of your printer. Keep in mind that the ink can be messy, so you'll want to be close to a sink or, perhaps, wear some disposable gloves. Make sure to place the paper towels down on your work area to catch any ink that might be displaced - heavy duty paper towels work best, and, when using standard ply towels, you might want to double up. Keep in mind that individual refill kits may have their own instructions, so make sure to refer to them carefully and read over the instructions included in the kit you have purchased before beginning as well.

Locate The Appropriate Injection Location

At the top of the cartridge you will find holes to insert the ink - make sure to locate those before you begin. Each hole will correspond to a color - for color printers, there will be a magenta, cyan and yellow hole in addition to the black ink found on gray scale printers. Pay close attention to the diagram included in your kit and your printer so you make sure you are filling the colors properly. Next, use the needle to draw ink and insert the proper amount into the holes - be careful to insert only the amount needed. Once you have reached the right amount, slowly remove the needle and clean any excess ink. Once you have properly filled each hole, cover it with just a small amount of clear tape to ensure there will be no leaks; also make sure to wipe the cartridge itself on a paper towel to clean up any residual ink.

Verify Ink Was Refilled Successfully

Make sure to eye the cartridge and visually check for any leakages before you insert it back into the printer. You'll want to print a test page in full color to make sure you've installed it properly, and then pat yourself on the back for saving a lot on your ink.

Where To Buy Remanufactured Cartridges

When purchasing remanufactured ink, make sure to buy from a qualified producer and double-check to ensure that it will be compatible with your printer. The most common brands of cartridge from companies such as Dell, HP and Canon are readily available in these formats, you are less likely to find Epson options because of their use of proprietary electric technology. Since most brands use a common heat-transfer inkjet technology, most mainstream models have alternative options from full price, store bought ink refills.

A wide variety of quality online providers (some shown below) can match up your exact printer with a substitute cartridge at a fraction of the original price. Additionally, you can often find compatible remade toner for use in laser printers at a much reduced cost when compared to buying an entirely new toner. You can also send back your original units for a discount to many of the refill companies, further saving you money on your ink costs.

Qualified Remanufactured Cartridge Suppliers

#1. 123Refills

123Refills uses a high-quality remanufacturing and testing process on all their products. Customers are protected by a no-risk 30-day guarantee. Over the years, 123refills has grown into a major player in the ink business mainly by positive customer word of mouth.

#2. 4Inkjets

All 4Inkjets remanufactured cartridges meet and exceed strict ISO manufacturing standards. In addition, your purchases are protected by a 1-year no questions asked moneyback guarantee.

Overall, buying reconfigured ink can save you a lot, especially when compared with brand new, store bought ink options. Compared with buying your own refill kit, buying an entire compatible cartridge can be easier and, when you are buying for a small business, requires less manual work to replace multiple printer sources. Despite warnings from printer producers, well-made remanufactured cartridges can be fully compatible with your printer, as long as you properly match up your exact model number. Also, these options are fully legal and can provide a high quality source of affordable ink that will save you on your printer costs over the years.