Compatible ink cartridges provide significant cost savings.

A great way to save on your printing costs is to utilize compatible ink cartridges rather than full-price brand name ink. Original Equipment Manufacturer, or OEM, ink is found in office supply stores and sold by the original printer manufacturer in glossy boxes at a high price. Usually, you will hear claims about how OEM cartridges are of the highest quality and will produce better results than any competitive products. In truth, however, compatible cartridges can produce a high quality of output at a much lower cost basis than brand-name manufacturer ink, if you purchase them from reputable online suppliers.

OEM cartridges do often come with warranties and guarantees, but it's much more likely that any defects will occur due to the printer hardware than with any ink refill. The relatively high frequency of cartridge replacement will mean that you'll likely use up your ink before you have any mechanical problems with the cartridge itself; in the rare cases that there is a defect, you will be able to tell upon your first print from the cartridge, and, in those cases, you can usually just exchange the product.

Buying Compatible Ink Makes Sense

Even when OEM ink supplies have a longer life, when adjusted for per unit cost, compatible cartridges are still much less expensive. For example, a black ink OEM cartridge for the HP Officejet 7210 printer currently retails for $22.99 in office supply stores. Online, at retailers like 4Inkjets or 123Refills, a compatible black cartridge can be had for almost three times less, at only $9.95, a savings over close to $13 per cartridge. The savings only multiply when one considers the need to replace separate color cartridges.

Buy Cartridges From An ISO-Compliant Supplier To Ensure Quality

Original manufacturer claims about better quality are often overstated. Contrary to any of these claims, compatible cartridges are capable of working well with nearly any printer model, in nearly any printer line by meeting level of standards required by the printer manufacturer. Simply buy from a retailer that complies with ISO manufacturing standards like 4Inkjets, and you will be safe.

Rest assured that your compatible ink clears the bar needed for working with the printer, and if you buy the right cartridge for your model, you should be able to get great results at a lower price. Additionally, compatible cartridges can often be purchased at bulk discounts that are not available for original OEM products, which are sold at high retail prices.

When choosing your next cartridge, keep in mind that there a number of alternatives to high OEM ink prices, and compatible cartridges can be found for most printer models at affordable rates.