So you have an Epson printer and your Epson cartridge has run out. You know that printer ink is expensive so what do you do? Should you purchase a genuine Epson cartridge or do you look for an alternative?

To answer this question we first need to define exactly what is a genuine Epson cartridge. Genuine cartridges are also known as OEM cartridges. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. In other words, the OEM Epson cartridge that you purchase is manufactured by the company that made your printer – in this case Epson.

If you have an Epson printer and you have purchased an OEM Epson cartridge then you know that you have purchased the exact printer ink for your printer. The only problem with purchasing OEM cartridges is that they can be expensive.

So what are your options? One option is to purchase a compatible Epson cartridge. Compatible cartridges are basically generic branded cartridges that do exactly the same job as an OEM printer cartridge. And there is no longer the problem of thinking that using a non OEM cartridge will void your warranty. This is no longer the case due to legislation known as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act.

Another way to purchase your Epson cartridge, and keep costs down, is to buy a remanufactured cartridge. Remanufactured printer cartridges are empty original cartridges, from companies such as HP, Lexmark, Canon or Epson, that have been cleaned thoroughly and then refilled with printer ink. These printer cartridges are usually then tested and approved to ensure that they provide the same performance as a new cartridge.

We have found that the quality of both remanufactured and compatible cartridges is as good as OEM cartridges. This assumes that you buy from a respected merchant who provides only high quality products. To help you we have provided you with a list of those merchants in our  Shop 4 Printer Ink page.

An inkjet cartridge refill is bottled ink that is injected into an empty ink cartridge.

Refilling an empty ink cartridge is an option you can use instead of purchasing a new cartridge. Buying refill kits can save you quite a lot of money.

Refill kits for your inkjet cartridge are generally purchased in kit form.Depending on the brand, in the kit you should find a set of instructions specific to your printer model. Your kit will also include a bottle and a syringe for inserting the ink.

Refilling an inkjet cartridge can be messy on your first attempt but once you get the hang of it, it will become a simple process. Ensure that you always refill your cartridges over newspaper or a sink to avoid spills. It might also be worthwhile to wear a pair of gloves.

Another important thing to remember is to never let your inkjet cartridge dry out. Try refilling your cartridges before they are completely empty – this will ensure that they never dry out.

You can find refill kits online at great prices. Why spend the time shopping for refill kits when you can do it all on the internet. With savings of up to 80% and in most cases free delivery to your door, shopping is easy.

Click Here to shop for Refill Printer Ink Cartridge Kits

Prior to installing your ink cartridge, ensure that you have placed the cartridge upright for at least three hours. Storing printer ink cartridges the wrong way can cause problems with printing performance.

Once the ink has settled you are ready to install your ink cartridge. The next step is to remove any tabs or tape from the ink cartridge. If left on you could cause major damage to your printer. Place the cartridge in the printer according to your printer manual instructions.

Once the ink cartridge is installed, it is good idea to run the printhead cleaning option at least once but preferably twice. Although this process causes ink to be used it is worthwhile as it will ensure the best printing performance in the long run.

Run a test print to determine the quality of the print. If it is not as good as expected try running the printhead cleaning option again. This should solve most problems.

Follow these few steps to install your ink cartridge and you should achieve optimal printing performance.

If you are looking for a good deal on your next Canon ink cartridge or laser cartridge then the internet is the place to find it. Canon ink and laser cartridges can be expensive but there are alternatives to purchasing from a retail store. Buying online can provide you with great savings.

Most people don’t realise the cost of a replacement ink cartridge when they purchase their printer. The shock comes when they first go out to purchase a replacement and realise they have to pay a small fortune for a tiny amount of ink. A Canon ink cartridge is expensive if you purchase an OEM cartridge. An OEM is a Original Equipment Manufacturers cartridge. It is essentially a new cartridge manufactured by the company that made your printer.

In the past, some companies have indicated to their customers that if they use anything other than an OEM cartridge then their warranty will be voided. This is no longer the case as legislation was introduced in the US which prevented companies from making this type of statement.

A Canon ink cartridge can be purchased online with discounts of up to 80% to what you would normally pay for an OEM cartridge. To get these savings you need to purchase either remanufactured Canon ink cartridges or compatible cartridges.

A remanufactured cartridge is a used cartridge that has been cleaned, refilled and tested. You can purchase a remanufactured Canon cartridge which is simply a refilled Canon ink cartridge that does exactly the same job as an original cartridge.

A compatible cartridge is a new cartridge that is made to the same specifications as an OEM cartridge. You are essentially purchasing a generic Canon ink cartridge. Like a remanufactured cartridge, it does the same job as an OEM cartridge.

The difference between a compatible or remanufactured cartridge and an OEM cartridge is the price. Be wary of unscrupulous merchants who are only out for a quick sell as you may be left with an inferior product. Do your homework and look for a merchant with a reputation for providing high quality products and services.

Click Here to shop for Canon Printer Ink Cartridges

Have you ever had a good look at your Epson print cartridge? Did you notice the microchip on the side? According to Epson, this chip is used to determine how much ink is actually left in the print cartridge. When the printer ink gets to a certain level you can no longer print. Unfortunately however, it appears that the chip actually causes the printer to cease functioning even though  there is more printer ink still left in the cartridge. Some say you can get up to 50 more pages out of what is left.

Apart from any monetary gain Epson might get from doing this there is also another important reason. It is to prevent the print cartridge from going completely dry and thus causing damage to your printer. This is important to note as tools available on the net to reset the chip may result in problems if the cartridge dries out completely. It can also void your warranty so be extremely careful. So keeping this in mind, the following are methods of extending the life of your Epson ink cartridges.

Firstly you can purchase a chip re-programming tool. This resets the printer cartridge chip to when you purchased it so your printer thinks that there is plenty of ink left. Some of these tools require you to remove the print cartridge, however, removing the cartridge can cause air bubbles to occur so you may need to run the cleaning function on your printer a few times to clear it.

The best chip re-setting tools are those that don’t require you to remove the print cartridge. These can be small devices that plug into your printer. When your Epson printer lets you know that you are out of printer ink you just press a button on the device to reset the chip.

There are also software programs out there which do much the same thing however, they are not available for every Epson print cartridge.

You will need to do a bit of research on the net to find the right option for you. There are a lot of different tools available at the moment and most at a price. However, in the end they just might save you some money.

Printer paper may seem a trivial thing but it is important that you use the right printer paper for the job at hand.

Paper for your printer comes in many varieties including high resolution printer paper, photo printer paper, t-shirt transfer paper, graph printer paper, canvas paper and even tattoo paper! And this is far from the complete list.

Our goal is to find you the best deals on printer paper. Why spend the time shopping for printer paper when you can do it all on the internet. With savings of up to 80% and in most cases free delivery to your door, shopping is easy. For most printing jobs the basic white A4 printer paper will suit, but when the job requires something special then a little thought should go into determining the exact printer paper for the job at hand.

High resolution papers will provide vivid colours and are perfect for presentations or reports. Gloss photo paper, on the other hand, will provide brilliant colour and will be most suitable for printing photos. This is great for all those family or holiday shots.

Other more specialised printer paper includes canvas paper which, as the name suggests, allows you to print on canvas. This gives you the look and feel of a real portrait.

Tattoo paper is another type of printer paper that  provides hours of fun for the kids. Just print onto the paper and you have a safe, non-permanent tattoo that can easily be removed.

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