The Myths of Replacement Cartridges

It's not surprising that there are many myths surrounding compatible printer ink cartridges. After all, the "big guys" had us paying a fortune for printer cartridges for years. Is it so shocking that, when we were suddenly able to get cartridges at a fraction of the price, we had our doubts? Even though time has passed, these myths persist, and a few of them may actually stop people from taking advantage of the huge savings offered by discount replacement cartridges. Let's take a few moments now to set the record straight.

Myth #1 - Sure they're cheaper, but the quality isn't as good: This belief is, in a word, wrong. Most people who try out these less expensive replacement cartridges find the quality to be just as good. As long as the company that makes the cartridges uses good quality ink (and most do) the quality of your printouts should be just fine. In fact, in one study, the investigators found that people actually preferred prints made with discount cartridges to those produced with the much more expensive, brand name cartridges.

Myth #2 - I have to use cartridges made by the printer manufacturer or I will void the warranty: Under United States law, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act to be specific, it is illegal for a company to require you to use products manufactured and produced by them if those products are considered consumable parts (which printer cartridges are). The only way companies can get around this act is to provide consumables (in this case printer cartridges) free of charge, and we all know that won't be happening any time soon. Finally, if you're really worried about this, all you have to do is remove the discount cartridges before you ship the printer off to the manufacturer.

Myth #3 - Those discount cartridges will damage my printer: This is another popular belief. Fortunately, it's not true. Most replacement cartridges are high quality products. They are manufactured with care and contain high quality ink. Like brand name cartridges, however, the occasional one might be a dud. But, if the cartridge did happen to leak and ruin your print head (not likely), you always have your warranty to fall back on (see Myth #2).

Myth #4 - I won't really save that much money: This sounds like a myth that may have been started by the companies that manufacture expensive, brand-name cartridges. The truth is that the costs can be substantial, particularly if you frequently use your printer. Often, buying a discount cartridge can save you from 30 to 60%, which will definitely add up fast. Those who hold this opinion are ignoring one painfully obvious fact - it just doesn't make any sense to pay more if you can get a product of equal quality for a much lower price.