Is it a good idea to refill your own printer ink?

Best answer: No! The inks used in kits are of subpar quality, and trying to push button ink into cartridges with a tiny syringe is a messy nightmare. A better alternative to OEM inkjet printer cartridges is to put your coin toward 3rd-party remanufactured or generic cartridges.

Best pick: Due east-Z Ink ($17 at Amazon)
Eco-friendly: GREENBOX ($30 at Amazon)

The nitty-gritty on refillable ink bottles

The hard truth is that refillable ink quality is awful. Many inks are watered down to the betoken that printed materials come out illegible. Inks as well oftentimes smear easily and tin can't be used for anything of importance like, say, work documents. Ink refill bottles likewise do a terrible task of colour matching. They won't come shut to looking similar the accurate colors your OEM cartridges produced. That means that printing photos and color documents are most impossible.

And have we mentioned this is a messy job? Even the smallest spill can ruin your printer, clothing, rug, and stain your hands for long periods.

Add to that the fact the cartridge you're refilling has a burnt-out printer caput and it's all a recipe for disaster. Unless you're printing for your ain employ at home, refilling ink cartridges is a colossal waste of your fourth dimension.

Better options for your printer and your wallet

If you want to lighten the load on your wallet while investing in good quality ink, compatible ink cartridges or remanufactured ink cartridges are your best bet.

What's the difference? Well, compatible ink cartridge replacements are manufactured by contained companies that produce generic cartridges that await and operate only similar the OEM variety. Y'all won't notice a difference in appearance or impress quality, but you volition run into a difference in cost.

Remanufactured cartridges are just what they audio similar: original OEM units that have been taken autonomously, cleaned, fixed, refilled, inspected, and so resold. Since the printer cartridge heads are cleaned and most parts replaced, investing in these is pretty much the same every bit buying a new OEM cartridge, but at less than half the toll.

Our pick

EZ-Ink

A dream replacement for Canon

E-Z Ink ink cartridges wait and office simply like OEM cartridges but for a fraction of the cost. Everything from installation to ink output is spot-on and works as it should. These are a must-purchase for Canon owners.

Eco-friendly

GREENBOX

Relieve money and the planet

These remanufactured cartridges have the same page yield, performance, and vibrant colors as new cartridges. They've been given the once over, repaired, and refilled. If you ain an HP inkjet printer and want to stay eco-friendly, these are the cartridges for y'all.

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Upgrade to a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation printer for less than $300

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