Compatible ink

Compatible ink is an alternative to getting genuine ink for printers. Often, they are known as "non-branded" or "generic" ink. Basically, compatible inks are stored in brand new cartridges made by generic manufacturers, as oppose to refilled or remanufactured ones. The packaging and quality of compatible inks are said to be not far from the branded ones, but they are sold at a much cheaper price. However, the question whether compatible inks are at par with original or branded ones depend on certain factors. There are times where compatible cartridges have more ink than the original counterpart, or they may not duplicate the same quality of the branded ink at all.

What's the Difference between Compatible Ink Cartridge, Genuine Ink Cartridges etc.?

•  Genuine Cartridges (Original, OEM)

Genuine cartridges are made by the same manufacturer as your printer. They are also known in the market as original equipment manufacturer or OEM products. While it is often regarded as the best ink to use for the same printer brand, it is also the most expensive type of ink. Manufacturers claim that getting genuine inks means you get longer ink life, best print quality and more output prints than getting other types of inks. Getting genuine inks and cartridges are very crucial, especially if one is into printing colored images. By getting a genuine ink, you are ensured of precise color matching for your images. One might expect to encounter less problems, or none at all, with genuine inks such as clogging, smears, uneven prints, etc.

•  Compatible (Generic Brand, Non-Genuine)

Compatible cartridges are those made by third party manufacturers, designed as an alternative to the genuine ones. They are new cartridges, designed to be used as substitute for a specific cartridge of a well-known brand. Compatible ink manufacturers claim that their cartridges perform the same as genuine ones but are priced for a much lower amount. Hence, the consumer gets the same quality and quantity of prints for a smaller cost should they choose to use compatible than genuine inks. These manufacturers market that ink cartridges are generally the same, the only reason why genuine cartridges are pricier is due to the "branding," since consumers are led to believe that getting a well-known brand promises better quality.

•  Remanufactured (Compatible, Refilled)

Remanufactured ink cartridges are genuine cartridges which were used up or emptied then refilled with inks by another company. To be "remanufactured," a used genuine cartridge undergoes these process before being sold in the market: collection , thorough cleaning , refilling and repackaging . This kind of ink cartridge is being resold for a much lower price than genuine ones. The biggest advantage of remanufactured ink cartridges, aside from price, is waste reduction. By recycling used cartridges, the amount of collective waste from these products are reduced. The quality of remanufactured ink cartridges are said to have greatly improved over the years and found to be comparable with genuine inks.

•  Refilled

Refilled ink cartridges are said to be of the least quality among the ink cartridge types. The used up cartridge is basically refilled and reused. One can choose from either getting a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Ink Refilling Kit which is available in most office supplies stores or avail of ink refilling services . Consumers often encounter more problems with refilled cartridges than in other cartridge types such as leaks and clogging.

One major issue is ink compatibility, especially in terms of color. Inks in DIY refill kits and those used in refilling services are not the same as that of the genuine ones. Manufacturers of refill inks do not have the precise formula used by genuine ink makers. It takes a great deal of "trial and error" with different refill brands or services to find the one which resembles most your preferred ink brand.

It is discouraged to attempt refill of completely empty cartridges since this could mean dried up residual ink in the nozzle which could affect the output quality of the refilled ink.

Another problem with refilling is not all cartridges may be refilled successfully.

Ink Cartridge Refills vs Brand New Cartridges

The number one advantage of ink cartridge refills is the price. For example, DIY refill kits cost half or more than half the price of a new cartridge. Second, recycling used cartridges and refilling them is more environmental friendly. The advent of refilling cartridges is said to reduce plastic waste greatly since bulk of the ink cartridge is made from plastic, among other non-biodegradable materials.

However, the primary issue with refilling cartridges is quality. Tests would show that genuine ink cartridges are still far superior than refills in terms of color matching and print quality. For companies which highly rely on ink on their nature of business, the savings from getting refilled cartridges might not be enough if it would mean sacrificing their products' quality. That's why most of the consumers who prefer refilled cartridges are those who use printed matters for personal, home or everyday document use.

Basically, ink cartridge refills are best for consumers who:

•  are not particular with color precision in their printouts or those who mainly print texts or in gray scale/ black and white

•  print documents which do not require print longevity, as oppose to printing books, important documents for future reference or archiving, etc.

DIY Or Not DIY - Ink Cartridge Refills

DIY Ink Refilling

This is the most economical choice for refilling your used ink cartridges. You just need to purchase a refill kit from the store and refill the empty cartridge yourself. A kit usually includes the ink bottle and syringe. The ink bottle is usually good for more than 1 refill, hence, a kit may go along way. The syringe is used to deliver the ink into the cartridge. Some kits have a device called air balance plugs or clips to balance the air to ensure proper ink flow. Instructions on how to refill your cartridges on your own are readily available in the internet. While this procedure seems to be a no-brainer, it can be quite tricky and messy. One must be very careful in refilling cartridges in order to prevent bubble formation or air gap formation while injecting the ink as this would greatly affect the quality of your prints.

Ink Refilling Services

Availing this service is slightly more expensive than refilling your cartridges by yourself, but it is still cheaper than getting remanufactured, compatible or genuine inks. Companies who offer ink refilling services does the dirty job, literally, of refilling your used cartridges with ink.

Compatible Ink Brands

Generic inks are grouped according to the brands it is compatible with. When purchasing compatible ink cartridges, one has to take note of the following details:

•  The brand or manufacturer of the printer
•  The printer model or the cartridge number

Once you have the above information, you can select among a wide variety of compatible inks suited for your printer. Usually, these inks are marketed by including the brand name as reference then adding the word "compatible" after it. This is to inform the consumer that they are not getting the genuine but only a compatible ink. For example, if you want a compatible ink to replace your genuine black Brother cartridge No. LC01, you may scout for inks which say "Brother-compatible ink for LC01 black" or "Brother LC01BLK compatible."