Should You Refill Your Ink Cartridge?

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If you use your printer often, it doesn't take long before the cost and inconvenience of purchasing a new ink cartridge every few weeks starts to add up. In addition to needing to be sure you always have a spare cartridge on hand, at $15 to $20 a piece, it can get expensive. One solution to cut back on the costs and avoid throwing that ink cartridge in the trash every time it is empty is to refill your ink cartridge. Is this a plausible solution to your problem? Here is a quick look at some pros and cons of refilling your ink cartridge.

Pros of Refilling an Ink Cartridge

1. You can save money. The cost to refill your ink cartridge is roughly half or less of purchasing a new one. You can either take your cartridge into a retailer who is refill it or you can purchase a kit and do it yourself. Either way, you will save some cash by refilling ink cartridges.

2. Recycle those empty cartridges. By refilling your ink cartridges, you are saving not just money, but you are also saving those empty plastic cases from piling up in the local landfill.

3. Save time and hassle keeping ink on hand. Unless you are ...
... always a step ahead of the game, running out of ink can mean stopping what you are doing and heading out to the nearest office supply store to get more. Worse yet, some brands aren't available through retail stores, or at least through one near you, and you need to order online and wait for delivery. When you refill your own ink cartridge, you can get the job done quickly and conveniently and get back to work.

Cons of Refilling an Ink Cartridge

1. This job can get messy. Refilling your own ink cartridges can be a messy project. If things get out of hand, you wind up with ink everywhere and now you have a clean-up project on your hands. Using a professional ink refill service will help you avoid the mess and still save you money, but it takes you right back to the issue of needing to run out to get your ink.

2. Air bubbles- when you refill an ink cartridge, air bubbles can develop inside the cartridge. While it may still work, the ink may not dispense evenly and your printed page may show gaps in the text or graphics or ink spots in the middle of your page, causing you to have to rerun the project. Now you've lost time and money.

3. Before you use refilled ink cartridges, make sure you take a look at your printer warranty. Some warranties are voided if you use refilled cartridges.

So, bottom line- should you use a refilled ink cartridge in your printer? It's a personal choice. Try an ink refill kit and see if you think the hassle is worth the savings.

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