Printer manufactures & re-filling process and issues.

[videobruce]

I'm interested in the manual re-filling process of the latest HP, Canon & Espon inkjet printers.

I have a older HP that uses the 78 & 645 cartridges and since HP has reduced the size of the foam pad inside the color cartridge and cheapened the print head to prevent you from sucessfully refilling them, I'm thinking about going over to Canon.

I understand Canon does have some models that have a repleceable 'cartridge' similar to HP instead of just replaceing the 'tank'. I'm concerned about clogged print heads that aren't easily replaced as the HP version. I really don't like HP, but I don't like the somewhat non-replaceable Canon models. (BTW, I do know about these 'chips' inside the Canon tanks)

With Espon, I haven't really followed them closely as HP & Canon seem to win out on most reviews.

Input please.

[flanzig1]

If you google "ink cartridge refill kits", you will find a lot of sites selling them.
Other alternatives is to buy refilled cartridges or at many malls there refill kiosks that will refill the cartridges as you wait.

[TwoRails]

I don't personally recommend refilling cartridges, but if you are thinking of it, then HP would be a better choice. Why? Refill ink is famous for being inferior, and famous for clogging print heads. With an HP, the print head are part of the cartridge, so if the print heads do get clogged, you just get another cartridge. If you clog the print heads on a Canon or similar printer, you run a very high risk of having to replace the printer... and it won't be covered under warranty.

[videobruce]

I use bulk ink to refill my cartridges. I would never buy those "refill kits" as they are too expensive for the little you get.

Paying $30-$35 for a 2 or 3 month supply of color ink is not on my list of things to do. The HP '78' tri-color cartridge has less ink in it now then it did a year ago. They reduced the size of the 'pad' inside so it holds less ink and I think they somehow 'cheapened' up or did something to the print head so you can't refill it.

I have had color cardtrdges that I have refilled 6 or 8 times years ago (same type cartridge). As for the black '45' cartridge, that fact a good % of the ink dripps out just sitting in the park position sucks also. Amazing how many don't even know it happens as I posted this elsewhere with reference to HP tech bulletins admitting the problem. This includes 'new' cartridges also!

I understand you point about Canon and the print head issue which is why I question getting Canon, but with my experiance with HP, it's a toss.

[clroberts]

That's exactly why I like Laser Printers over Ink Jets. Toner is already Dry so there's no need to worry about waste when the printer is not being used. Granted the Ink Jets with the separate ink wells are much better than the ones that have all the color in one tank. I used to have an HP DeskJet 712C and bought a Canon S9000 and don't have to worry as much about that problem. I recently got a Minolta 2430dl Color Laser Printer and it seems to be pretty good.

[videobruce]

Ok, how about cost for the printer and the refills?
Can those toner cartridges be re-filled yourself?

[TwoRails]

... a good % of the ink dripps out just sitting in the park position sucks also.... I think that is yet more evidence for reason to not refill the cartridges. I currently own 3 HPs that use that cartridge, and have owned many other HPs, and have installed even more: never a problem with any cartridge "dripping."

[clroberts]

Well, with this Laser Printer I can get about 1500 pages with each color with the normal capacity carts and 4500 with the high capacity carts. And yes they can be refilled. If I go to a place called Discount Toner & Ink, they will refill it for about half the price of new.

[videobruce]

TwoRails; That happens with NEW HP cartridges!! It is documented by HP. Have you looked inside the printer in that 'black cavern' where the cartridges park with a flashlight?
Even with the dripping, that's no reason NOT to refill them. Still much cheaper. Black isn't any issue as far as quality. Where it dripps isn't really a issue since it doesn't harm anything as it was designed to drip there.

clroberts; but can they be refilled by yourself?? Can you buy bulk toner as I can for my older Canon copier?

[clroberts]

Don't know if you can refill the toner carts yourself. It's not quite like the big laser printers where all you buy is the toner and fill some bin on the printer. I know that the manufacturer said something about issues with refilling the toner and the counters that help determine when it is time to refill. You're likely going to get empty cart messages if you don't reset something in the cart such as an electronic counter.

[glc]

Ink/toner is part of the cost of doing business. If you can't afford to do it right, examine your business model. Trying to cheap out will invariably come back to bite you in the butt one way or another. Using bulk ink in a printer that's not designed to use it is like using drain oil in the crankcase of your car.

[secrecyguy]

After reading some articles, it's always best to buy the real brand name ink cartridges instead of the compatible ones.

But if you still want to buy compatible ones, the ones I buy my ink from is at http://www.123inkjets.com/