What Are Cheap Printer Cartridges?

By Todd Stevens

Depending on your printer model, replacing your ink cartridges can be very expensive. Finding cheap printer cartridges is important to anyone who owns a computer, especially anyone who has a lot of printing to do on a regular basis.

It is possible for you to find some decent and chap printer cartridges if you look hard enough, though your best bet will be searching online. Many cheaper options are low quality and will not give you quality print outs, so researching your options is important when looking to save on the cost of replacing your printer cartridge.

Finding the best deal on cheap printer cartridges usually means purchasing the cartridge online. Online retailers have the best deals on nearly any type of cartridge, whether you are looking for an inkjet or laser printer cartridge. Because many of the online retailers who offer great deals on printer cartridges have no storefront, they do not have to charge more to cover their overhead and they pass this savings along to the customer.

You must know your printer model and manufacturer before purchasing any ink. You will also want to determine whether you want to buy a cartridge that is original equipment (OEM), compatible or remanufactured. OEM cartridges are made by the company that made the printer. Compatible cartridges are new, but are made by another company. Remanufactured cartridges are refurbished from old, spent cartridges.

Original equipment manufacturer cartridges tend to be the preferred option because they are made in-house by your printer company. These are also the more pricey options, which means that finding cheap printer cartridges that are OEM is incredibly difficult. In fact, many people find that their color printer cartridge is often more expensive than the printer itself.

Compatible cartridges are those that are produced by companies other than the original manufacturer. You could consider these cartridges to be the generic version of the OEM that came with your printer. Without the big name, many compatible versions are the cheap printer cartridge option that you have been looking for. Most of the compatible cartridges on the market are good quality. You're just avoiding paying for the brand name, but still getting a quality product.

A remanufactured cheap printer cartridge is one that has been used and then recycled. Do some research on one of these companies before purchasing one of their products to ensure that you get a good product.

About the Author: