The best documents feature crisp text, clear printing, and a quality feel to the paper itself. To get these results, one needs a quality printer as well as the right kind of paper. One would obviously not use cheap, white paper for a resume while applying to a Fortune 500 company. In the same way, one cannot use cheap, white paper for photos and expect quality results. Although not labeled quite as simply as “Cheap Paper” or “Printer Ink Paper,” there are ways to pick the proper paper for any printer ink cartridge.

Paper is generally labeled by weight and description. Weight is usually 20 or 24 pound bond. Heavier weight means a thicker paper. This does not necessarily affect quality, though printer ink tends to smudge more on thinner paper since there is less to absorb the ink. Laser paper is best for laser printers and copiers. Ink-jet paper is designed to prevent smudging and will provide better results. Multi-purpose paper will work for any simple job, but shows its limitations when more printer ink is used. For a simple email or memo, any of these may work, but for crisp text, ink-jet paper should be used with ink-jet printers. There is no point getting a high-quality printer only to have the print be degraded by cheap paper.

It is important to note that there are two printer ink types – black and color. Black ink is usually used for text, requiring very little ink. There is a large margin of error for printing text because there is much less ink to smudge. Color, especially for pictures, is a completely different scenario. Pictures require a large amount of ink, and without special paper, will result in smudged ink, poor visual quality, and a paper that feels somewhat damp. Coated ink-jet paper, not just normal ink-jet paper, is recommended for pictures. This paper is more expensive, heavier, and feels like old film photographs. The coating also allows for truer colors, as they will not mix with nearby colors. Sometimes this will simply be called, “Color Photo Paper” or “Inkjet Photo Paper.”

With all these choices, a user must choose paper based on the purpose of the printing. There is no one best choice that will be ideal for all situations. A minimum of two types of paper are required – a less expensive multi-purpose or ink-jet paper for text and everyday purposes, and a coated photo paper for pictures. With these, a user will get the best results for the best price.




There is a lot to consider when thinking about which printer ink cartridge brand has the longest life. First, there is how much you are willing to spend. There is also the medium in which you want to print. Also, there is the ink itself. This guide will help you make an informed decision on what printer ink life is the longest as well as what printer ink brand may be right for you.



Ink, for our purposes, comes in three main forms. Liquid ink is found in printer ink cartridges. Ink contains pigments used to produce an image. Other additives are used in the ink to control flow, thickness and its appearance. Powder ink, or toner, that is found in laser toner cartridges is heated by the printer and then applied to paper where it then cools. Toner is intended for use in color copiers and printers and come in the colors Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.



Ink Cartridges are probably the most expensive and most replaced part of any computer station. When ink runs out, it has to be replaced in order to keep printers working. Consumers have choices between aftermarket, or generic, and manufacturer ink. Most times, compatible inks from a generic brand are cheaper and sometimes have more actual usable ink. If you are a typical consumer or print in small volumes, then this would be the type of ink you would want to look at. Toner Cartridges are mainly used in printers that output higher volumes. Toner cartridges are also used in offices where printing is shared by multiple users or where printers are more consistently printing throughout the day. A toner cartridge’s ink life is much longer than a inkjet cartridge, so the user doesn’t have to change the product as often. We found the best reviews of ink cartridges from Canon, Epson, HP and Lexmark at Consumer Reports, which compares printer ink brands with aftermarket ink. 



The overwhelming opinion of experts say that if quality matters most, then you should use the manufacturer’s brand of ink associated with your printer. They say that the ink was designed for this particular printer and will have the longest life and give the highest quality results. This is suggested even though you can save money by buying aftermarket cartridges online or in specialty stores. As an example, the combination of a Canon, Epson, HP or Lexmark printer and the associated ink and paper most often yield results in photos that look the best, retain higher quality, and last the longest without fading. However, if you are mostly printing text or non-professional graphics, you can definitely save money by buying printer ink from generic brands.

There are many advantages and disadvantages to owning laser and inkjet printers. Inkjet printers require the use of inkjet cartridges, sometimes as many as four cartridges for black, red, yellow, and blue (or cyan), in order to allow for color printing as well as black and white printing. Laser printers normally only print in black and white and require the use of a toner cartridge instead of color inkjet cartridges. It is possible, however, for laser printers to print in color, but these machines cost over a thousand dollars and are best suited for printing businesses because of their size; therefore, the most common laser printers print in black and gray scale only.

Printer ink cartridges do run and smear if not allowed to dry completely, but they usually only take a few minutes to dry. Once dry, however, colors can still run if they get wet. Laser printers, on the other hand, are like copy machines in that they use toner instead of ink to infuse the burned laser image onto the paper. These copies dry much quicker than with inkjet, and will not run if they get wet. Laser printers also work much more quickly than inkjet printers in regard to the quantity of pages that can be printed. Pages that require color printer ink take longer to print than those that use only black ink because of the additional complexity for the machine to print the proper shading of each individual color.

Laser printers are most commonly found in businesses and home offices because of the quality and speed of the printing they provide, whereas inkjet printers are most often found in artistic studios and for general home use. Many people prefer the inkjet printer over the laser printer for personal use because they can print home photographs and other graphics and text in color for much less than with a laser printer.

Printer ink comes in a wide variety of brands and prices. It is important when purchasing ink and toner to know what the make and model number of the printer is in order to buy the correct ink or toner for the printer. Often, people bring the flap from the old printer ink package in order to ensure the correct purchase is made. Many office supply stores will accept returns as long as the returned item is not opened.

Inkjet printers are often outdated before laser printers. Attaining quality service personnel and replacement parts for outdated printers, either laser or inkjet, often costs far more than the initial purchase. By ensuring that a quality printer that will best meet printing needs is initially purchased, the owner can easily save money in the long-term.

There are countless ink cartridge suppliers on the Internet, who entice visitors with lucrative options, such as discounts, money-back guarantees and free shipping. Hence, buyers need to prioritize their needs before they select the right online retailers for their printing requirements.

How to choose online Ink Cartridge Suppliers?
Remember to check the following factors while selecting ink cartridge suppliers online:
• Credible certifications
• Word of mouth publicity
• Whether the company can be contacted directly, i.e. through phone or email
• Security and overall credibility of the website
• Website should be user-friendly and up-to-date
• Availability of free shipping facility

List of the Top Ink Cartridge Suppliers Online
Here are some of the best ink cartridge suppliers online:

4inkjets: Started in 1999, the company, incorporated as LD Products Inc, has grown to be a certified Yahoo 5 Star merchant. The company’s two offices are located in Spring Valley, NY and Long Beach, CA. Today, it is one of the biggest online ink cartridge suppliers, catering to printers brands such as HP, Canon, Brother, Lexmark Apple, Dell, Epson, IBM, Kodak and NEC.

123Inkjets: 123Inkets, based at Simi Valley, California, started its operations in 1999. Amazingly, the company has sold over five million ink cartridges in the last decade. The company effectively manages 100 percent product fulfillment and actively screens its suppliers before making a deal. The company’s printer supplies are a perfect fit with different printer types, such as Canon, Epson, Dell, HP and many more.

Inkgrabber: Established in 2003, Inkgrabber.com is one of the leading ink cartridge suppliers today. This Simi Valley, California-based company offers a variety of printer supplies, which include OEM ink cartridges, compatible inkjet, remanufactured inkjet, refill kit, toner and fax cartridges. Most of these are certified ISO9001 products, a mark of quality.

InkSmile: Located at Santa Ana, CA, InkSmile deals in printer cartridges, refill kits, photo paper, labels and printable media. The company’s printer consumables are shipped only within the US. Payments are accepted through Visa, American Express and MasterCard.

123 refills: Established in 2003, 123 refills offers a range of printer consumables, which include inkjet cartridges, laser toner cartridges, toner, ink refills kits and toner refills kits, fax film and paper. These products fit perfectly well into all leading printer models, including Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, HP, Kodak, Lexmark, Okidata and Samsung.

PrinterInk.com has partnered with the finest online ink cartridge suppliers to serve you with excellent product quality and impeccable customer service.

There are so many ink retailers online, which is why it makes sense to refer to printer ink reviews before making a purchase. That will help you determine the best options that are available online.

Best Printer Ink Reviews

The following are succinct printer ink reviews of our top five rated online retailers:

4inkjets: This user-friendly website features a variety of printer supplies. Spanning four consecutive years, this website has been accredited by BizRate with Platinum Circle of Excellence for Customer Service. It also ranks first on the printer ink review website, PrinterInk.com. According to printer ink reviews, it takes only two minutes to find the required ink on 4inkjets. Customers have rewarded this retailer with a five-star rating for its on-time product delivery.

123inkjets: Shopping at 123inkjets can add many advantages for customers, such as saving up to 80 percent off retail prices and timely delivery of orders. According to printer ink reviews, 123inkjets offer excellent ink quality and the ink lifespan is also longer than Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) ink. This five-star customer-rated website also helps you find your ink in less than two minutes.

Inkgrabber: The advantages of shopping at this BizRate-certified supplier are many. These include free shipping for any order over $55, money-back guarantee of 90 days on every inkjet cartridge, and a saving of 92% off retail prices. Printer ink reviews also focus on the website’s comprehensive inventory and takes that into account before recommending the website to buyers. The site also boasts a five-star customer rating.

InkSmile: InkSmile ranks fourth in the printer ink reviews list. According to the reviews, this user-friendly website allows customers to complete their selection in not more than 4 minutes. The supplies are designed to fit into leading printer brands, which include HP, Konica-Minolta, Dell, Epson and Panasonic, among others. Certain lucrative features offered include free shipping, satisfaction guarantee of one year, speedy delivery and excellent customer service. This site has a four-star customer rating.

123 refills: Save up to 85% on OEM prices by shopping at 123 refills. It is also possible to avail of the 30-day refund policy which aims to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. Besides, the 123 refills website stands out for its great navigation and easy-to-use search module. The site also has a four-star customer rating.

You can check printer ink reviews to find reliable printer ink retailers online. Your best resource is PrinterInk.com which makes your task easier.