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.

These printer cartridges must meet OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) specifications. In other words, they have to meet the original manufacturer’s standards in order to make the grade.

So just what are the advantages of using remanufactured printer ink cartridges? The price would have to be a major factor. These printer cartridges can be significantly cheaper than new non-recycled printer cartridges.

Another important advantage would be the fact that these printer cartridges have been recycled. This must make a huge difference to the environment over time. One can only imagine the number of empty printer cartridges that have been thrown out over the years.

A word of warning however – ensure that if you choose to buy remanufactured printer cartridges that you study the market carefully. Unfortunately even though standards are in place some companies do not necessarily follow them so you may end up buying inferior merchandise. Look for a quality merchant who sets high standards in their work practices such as the merchants on our Shop 4 Printer Ink page.

Click Here to shop for  printer ink cartridges

The earliest versions of ink jet printers and their ink cartridges used a print head that contained the ink nozzles and the elements that heated and fixed the ink. The print head was separate from the printer ink, making it easy to change the ink. A fairly common occurrence was for one of the ink jet nozzles to become clogged with dry printer ink or dust, resulting in smearing or just not printing from that jet. While the nozzle could be cleaned, more often than not, it was easier to replace the printer head than it was to clean it.

Since the mid-90s, most printers use an ink cartridge that contains the printer ink, the thermal head and all the parts needed to actually deliver and fix the printer ink on the paper. If a print nozzle in the ink cartridge becomes clogged, all that’s usually necessary is to carefully wipe it clean (though most manufacturers recommend that you not touch the actual print surface). It’s far less expensive to replace the print cartridge than it was to replace the print head if that happens.

Printer manufacturers reasoned that since the part of the printer was most likely to wear out, it made sense to replace the printer head every time you replace the ink cartridge. The inclusion of the print head in the ink cartridge is part of the reason that that ink cartridges are so expensive – especially if bought directly from the manufacturer. In many cases, manufacturers sell the actual printer at cost or even at a loss, counting on the sale of supplies for their profit.

The companies can count on your business for supplies because ink cartridges are designed specifically to fit a particular model (or line) of printers. Generally, the ink cartridge that fits your Canon printer will not fit your Hewlett Packard printer. There are ways around that built in profit margin, though, and they include ‘compatible ink cartridges’, remanufactured ink cartridges and ink cartridge refill kits.

Compatible ink cartridges are  made by third-party distributor that are designed to fit printers made by one of the major manufacturers. They’re brand new with all new parts, and are manufactured to meet the specifications of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts. Think of them as ‘designer knockoffs’.

Remanufactured ink cartridges are made from OEM ink cartridges. They are disassembled, inspected, reassembled and refilled, then resold at considerably lower prices than new ink cartridges.

Click Here to shop for all your printer ink cartridges

Are you considering buying your next ink jet cartridge online? Not sure whether to buy an OEM or remanufactured ink jet cartridge? Well look no further. This little guide will give you the information you need to help you make an informed decision.

Firstly, some of you might be asking what an OEM ink jet cartridge is exactly. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. This is a printer ink cartridge that has been produced by the original manufacturer of your printer.

Obviously what this means is that if you have purchased an OEM ink jet cartridge, you have purchased the exact printer ink for your printer. This is the printer ink the manufacturer of your printer will often stipulate you should use for best quality printing and using any other will not only cause bad quality prints but will also void your warranty.

But is this correct? In a word, NO! Using an OEM ink jet cartridge will create the best quality printing for your printer but so too can compatible or remanufactured cartridges. Assuming you buy from a reputable merchant who sells quality products you can get the same quality as an OEM cartridge.

As for voiding the warranty by using a non OEM ink jet cartridge, this is no longer the case. Legislation known as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act was introduced which basically states that you can use third party products.

And the biggest bonus of all is that remanufactured or compatible cartridges are cheaper than OEM ink jet cartridges so you can make huge savings.