Ink Cartridges (Aftermarket)

Printer ink cartridges are components that add black and white or color to paper during the printing process. They're one of the most critical parts of printing, and you should replace them when they run out. The number of cartridges needed depends on the type of printer that you have. Generally speaking, you will need roughly anywhere between two and twelve cartridges depending on your printer and whether you're printing black and white or color files. Each cartridge contains at least one sectioned-off ink reservoir with different colored ink inside it.

After-Market Ink Cartridges Are an Affordable Option

Third-party manufacturers refill and refurbish after-market ink cartridges and sell them at a much lower price than OEM ink cartridges. These cartridges go through a single cycle of use before being taken apart and thoroughly cleaned. They replace the broken parts before refilling the cartridge with ink, then they test it and send it to the market. The ready-built shell and already-existing internal parts mean that there are fewer components needed to create a "new" cartridge. Refurbishing and refilling ink cartridges results in a cheaper final product for the consumer. These after-market products are also good for the environment since they're a recycled product. These cartridges generally work in most laser and inkjet printers but make sure to check the manufacturer's recommendations.

OEM Cartridges Are Considered the Best in Terms of Quality

The brand that made your printer make the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cartridges. These cartridges are the most expensive types of cartridge due to their high-quality printing output. They also have the highest page yields since the manufacture built them specifically for the printer that you have. They're more durable, and they can often print page yields totaling nearly 20 thousand pages. These high-yield cartridges deliver crisp, clean imagery and text on paper with sharp, vibrant colors. However, many non-OEM options provide similar yields and excellent quality printing at a lower cost. Just make sure that your printer accepts non-OEM cartridges. Some manufacturers create updates that won't let your printer read printer ink cartridges that are not from the original maker.

Compatible Ink Cartridges Offer Savings

Compatible ink cartridges are essentially the "generics" of ink cartridges. These cartridges are brand new cartridges that are built specifically for your printer but by a different company. The process is similar to the way companies create nearly identical versions of a specific medicine but call it by a different name or the way that the generic cereal is similar to the name brand option minus the name. They may have slight design differences from the OEM models, but compatible ink cartridges fit perfectly into their respective printers. They cost less because they don't have to go through the research and development process that the OEM manufacturers have to go through, which helps keep costs down. These cartridges are available in high-yield and traditional outputs, ensuring you have plenty of ink to meet your demands.