Refilling Ink Cartridges Or Buying Re-manufactured Cartridges – What's better and why?

Since most of us find Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) cartridges prohibitive in terms of prices, options such as compatible cartridges are typically considered and opted for. There are yet more options for those looking to print on a budget – refilling ink cartridges and opting for re-manufactured cartridges can also be very economical. But you probably asking yourself – if these options are so much cheaper are they good in terms of output and quality?

What are re-manufactured cartridges?

Re-manufactured cartridges are made from recycling exhausted cartridges. Here’s how it works: when your ink cartridge is exhausted, you recycle it by dropping it off at a retail or company outlet. This empty cartridge is then examined for integrity and quality and is then re-manufactured. This is an environment friendly alternative that prevents exhausted cartridges from ending up in landfills. It is also much more economical than buying brand new ink cartridges.

What are refills?

Ink refills or ink refill kits are used to actually refill an exhausted ink cartridge. You can buy these kits and refill the ink that has run out in your existing printer cartridge. Obviously this is also an option that is far more economical than buying new cartridges.

So what’s better – refills or re-manufactured cartridges?

Using a re-manufactured cartridge is much like using a new ink cartridge – the cartridge has been refurbished and re-manufactured by a manufacturer. You typically get good results, enjoy great savings and have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve made an earth friendly choice too.
With an ink cartridge refill, you need to do the refill by yourself or have it refilled by a refill service. It is important to use a good quality ink refill kit and the refilling process should be carefully done so as to get good print results. Some people find the refilling a little tricky and messy to do and prefer to simply buy a compatible or re-manufactured ink cartridge.

Some users also find that using a refill for color cartridges needs to be done a little earlier –so that the cartridge refills before the “Low Ink” indication comes on. That said, many people find that using refills is very convenient, efficient and economical, and many continue to use ink refills quite successfully for years.

So, you really can get good results with both refills as well as re-manufactured cartridges, and both options are very economical too. What decides the matter for you is your personal choice based on what you find convenient and what is more comfortable for you to use.

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