Why is it cheaper to buy a new printer than ink??????

[theweave3162]

I have a nice wireless HP Officejet 8100. It prints good and since I only have a laptop, it is handy to print wireless. I am starting to run low on ink so I have been looking for how much it would be to get new ink. It is more money than to buy a new printer!

So I thought, why not just refill them? Answer is, HP now puts in a chip with the cartridges and you CANNOT do that! I can buy remanufactured ones but it is still cheaper to buy a new printer! I don't have money to buy a new one. I guess that is how the printer companies get you. You would think they would want you to buy the ink refills than a new printer, they can make more money no? No wonder the environment has gone to you know what!

If I wasn't a starving student, I would be able to afford it, but not right now!

[BC Gal]

I didn't know about the chip thing, thanks. My HP printer is so old the software is not really compatible and the scanner stopped working but I can still refill the ink cartridges so maybe I'll keep it a while longer.

I looked up if it was possible to try and refill that model and did find a video; here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrSPiJ_8mk4 If you're going to trash it, might as well try and see if you can refill the ink first

[MrsSunshine]

wish I knew Weave.. however try taking out the cartridge taking a qtip and wetting it with alcohol i believe and touching the area lightly. i believe thats how you get the ink to go again. something about the area drying up. worth a try.

[cinpow]

the same goes for the Lysol no touch system! you can get the system for free with MIR, but they made the refills expensive and never goes on sale! Tassimo machines, they gave them out for almost free at Tims but after realize their discs never goes on sale. sigh....

[Natalka]

So just go buy a cheap printer. They don't come with full-size ink, though.

[ancarett]

We saved up and bought our college-bound kid a laser printer. Faster and it's still on the first cartridge after a year, despite a whole bunch of printing! Labs, papers, reports, essays, bus tickets: her printer just keeps on going.

If you can find a good deal on a laser printer, it can be better in the long run, although the cartridges are still extremely pricey!

Also, take a look. If you're not printing a coupon to use, but just something to read or refer to briefly, see if you can tweak your printer settings on those occasions to print in draft quality or draft mode. It uses less ink!

[bargain_hunter_lola]

I used to run into this problem with my last printer so when it died I did a lot of research before buying my current one.

I went with the Kodak All-In-One. The ink is fairly cheap (around $33 for both black and colour). It was expensive to buy the printer originally but it has been worth it to spend a bit more up front and save on ink over the past 2 years.

I've loved this printer! Just hope it lasts for awhile because I don't think Kodak is making them anymore.

[Lyssia510]

I used to always buy new printers and send my old ones to the thrift store, way cheaper than buying ink. It seems the cheaper the printer the more expensive the ink is.
Not sure what printer we have now, it's wireless and does air print, I think Dh paid around $150 for it but ink is only 19 bucks a cartridge,

[LunchLady]

Go on ebay and check out the price of brand new ink cartridges. It is crazy how cheap they are. We bought a toner cartridge that was $129 at Staples for less than $25. For our colour printer we bought 2 boxes of each colour for less than 1/2 price of 1 colour. The guy was from out west. I think Alberta somewhere.

[Decaf]

I remember when I bought my HP printer many years ago...cost over $600 (it was when printer first available for home use). Same problem couldn't afford the inks, printer broke in a year (with light use). And the real kicker is every time I try to print something, the printer would force an "alignment test" basically you wasted time, a few pages of paper and your precious inks. Inks runs out fast because of that and the constant printer head clean. Never buy an HP printer after that. Definitely research ink cost before buying a printer.

[Insane]

The cartridges that come with the printer are not full. Only a 1/4 I do believe.

We've had a laser for years. On boxing day we bought a wireless colour one. It's been great. And I love that we only need to replace 1 colour when it runs out, not all of them. Used to drive me crazy when the inkjet would run out of yellow (or whatever colour) so I'd have to buy a whole new cartridge.

[tjthemanto]

So just go buy a cheap printer. They don't come with full-size ink, though.

And the Eco fees also kill you .

best is to refill the cartridge or get no name cartridges.

laser printers are the best and most economical in the long run, refill the toner when they get over.

[Natalka]

We have an HP all in one we've had for years - because it works perfectly and is awesome on ink usage, I don't mind the cost of the ink - I buy the HP XL refills and they last more than a year, and I do a lot of printing! I print on grayscale whenever I get the option to.
Frankly, the cost for us is negligible when you work out less than $45 over a year for ink.

[walkonby]

laser printer is what works for us. Two in University here printing plenty.

[super807]

The cartridges that come with the printer are not full. Only a 1/4 I do believe.

^^^^This. It's not a full ink cartridge that comes with the printer. Depending on the printer, it will be about 1/4 to 1/3 full. So a full cartidge is actually less expensive per page than buying a new printer. Plus of course all the waste of buying new printers.