It may not seem obvious, but choosing the right type of office printer can be one of the most important decisions that an office manager can make. Although more and more communication is going the digital route, printers are the mainstay of the modern office. Therefore, a dependable, quick, low-hassle printer can be an invaluable tool for improving office efficiency — and even employee morale. However, many offices tend to buy the cheapest printer available. It seems managers are either unaware of the value of a good printer or they don’t know how to find a “good” office printer that’s fast, trustworthy and simple to maintain. However, this problem can be resolved if they just do a little research before purchasing a printer.

It’s important when purchasing an office printer to keep in mind the type of maintenance they may require on a regular basis. Office printer maintenance can be a major efficiency roadblock — when a printer’s not working, it’s not helping an office function in any way. For this reason, it is imperative that managers invest in a printer whose maintenance procedures are easy for anyone to perform. For example, if a printer ink cartridge runs out and an employee doesn’t feel like he or she knows how to replace it, that ink cartridge won’t get replaced. This causes office efficiency to take a hit. The best printers for offices avoid this problem by providing easy-to-switch out printer ink cartridges and by displaying warning and error messages when they begin to run out of printer ink. Employees are far more likely to take the maintenance steps to keep the printer, and office, running if the procedures to do so are easy.

An office printer also needs to be able to handle large capacity prints in order to be useful in an office. Home printers don’t really work well in offices, because their print heads aren’t built to withstand hundreds of prints throughout the course of a day. Office printers are built to different standards in order to handle heavy workloads. When an office printer is fast and able to withstand the heat and pressure of thousands of prints a day, it allows workers to get their jobs done without worrying about a broken or stalled printer. And, your IT department won’t have to be constantly called to fix your problems. This also provides less frustration for workers who need a working printer in order to get their jobs done.

Ultimately, a reliable printer is an essential office tool. Offices that invest in well-crafted printers that require simple maintenance are able to see huge efficiency jumps that make the investment well worth the money.

Compatibility between an ink cartridge and a printer is a love story as old as Romeo and Juliet — the cost is often high and there are requirements one must follow. Like the Montagues and the Capulets, HP and Epson have very distinct and patented ways for ensuring their printers use the compatible ink cartridge. For instance, there is no such thing as “universal ink.” This is because it is not the ink that makes the printer work, it is the cartridge. Some printer inks will not perform well if used in the wrong printer and can do damage. Because there are two main types of cartridges, you must ensure you are purchasing the correct one or you risk damage to your printer.

The two main types of printer cartridges are sponge-filled cartridges and vacuum retained cartridges. The sponge-filled cartridge is the most common type, used especially by inkjet printer cartridges. Hewlett-Packard mainly develops vacuum printer ink cartridges for their printers. The vacuum printer ink cartridges are Original Equipment Manufacturer, or OEM. OEM cartridges are cartridges that are branded and made by a specific printer manufacturer specifically for their printers. Manufacturers are able to sell their printers cheap because the consumer is required to purchase rather expensive OEM ink cartridge replacements. This is where the manufacturer makes the most profit. To offset the high costs of ink, many manufacturers offer lower cost printers and postage free returns for ink cartridge recycling.

Additionally, printer manufacturers like Epson change the way their printers access the chip on the cartridge. Due to this, a newer cartridge won’t work on an older Epson printer. Even within the same printer model, one cartridge may work with a compatible and another may not. Many times it’s possible to swap out sets of cartridges from various manufacturers in a printer, but you are unable to combine parts of each set for use at the same time. This is due to the patented “chip” or printer head used by the manufacturer.

Finally, there is a huge technological market for printers and ink cartridges. According to CSMonitor.com, Hewlett-Packard spends $1 billion a year on printing and ink research. This is a figure that generic vendors can’t compete with. This heavy investment is why ink costs thousands of dollars per gallon and why the company thinks consumers will stick to high-quality brands.

The ink cartridge is outfitted with a printer head that is read by the printer’s sensors.

If the head is correctly coded, the cartridge is accepted. If not, the printer will not work and damage could be done to it. Like Romeo and Juliet, the printer needs the compatible ink cartridge to work — without the correct one, it dies.

Several online retailers offer discounts when buying a cheap printer ink cartridge or a cheap printer ink refill kit. You are likely to be offered enticing options like a money back guarantee or even free shipping. This is because buying Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) printer ink cartridges can burn a hole in your pocket. The best alternative you can opt for is to buy an inexpensive compatible refill kit, and easily fill your cartridges yourself. It is also important to understand and prioritize your printing requirements before you go ahead and select ink cartridge suppliers online.

Precautions to Follow while Buying Cheap Printer Ink cartridge
One should bear in mind the following factors while buying cheap printer ink cartridge:
• The level of compatibility between the cheap printer ink cartridge and your printer should be 100 percent.
• Always look for a certification stamp or seal. This ensures that your cheap printer ink cartridge is quality tested and proven.
• Ask for a money-back guarantee from the retailer of cheap printer ink cartridges.
• Buy cheap printer ink cartridges only from trusted online retailers. This helps avoid printing problems caused by poor manufacturing.

How to Refill your Cheap Printer Ink cartridge
To replenish your empty printer ink cartridge, you will need a cheap printer ink refill kit that can be bought online. Ensure that you buy only a compatible refill kit. This refill kit, comprising ink, needle, syringe and latex gloves, is very easy to use. The instructions for usage are usually enclosed in the kit.
The first step is to put your gloves on and drill a hole in the cartridge. Then, fill the syringe with the required amount of ink from the ink tank. Lastly, insert the needle into the drilled hole and pump the ink into the cartridge.

First-time users may face problems while using the cheap printer ink refill kits. The ink may spill onto your hands, clothes or even the floor. To avoid this mess, keep a cloth rag or a newspaper under the cartridge while refilling it. In case your hands get smeared with ink, wash them immediately with water and soap. This will remove excess oil, if any. Follow it with a mild bleach and water solution and again, with soap and water. This will help remove the bleach as well as ink marks.

To shop for superior quality cheap printer ink cartridges, visit PrinterInk.com. The site features the topmost online retailers of cheap printer ink cartridges and refill kits.

Which Printer Ink Cartridge Do You Need?

Deciding which printer ink cartridge you need depends on the type of printer you buy, and what type of projects you’ll be completing. The three most popular types of printers on the market are inkjet, snapshot, and color laser printers. Once you’ve considered your printing needs, and have chosen a printer, you need to consider ink replacement costs. Some replacement printer ink cartridges can cost about as much as the printer itself. There are some important factors to consider when it’s time to replace your printer ink cartridge.

Inkjet Printers

Inkjet printers provide a variety of functions that are usually suitable to home and small-office users. They can print a small volume of materials ranging from driving directions to vacation photos. Low-end models can still be slow, but the high-end models can be impressively fast. Today’s inkjet models come with features such as larger displays, or touch screens, integrated Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and more paper-handling options.

Laser Models

They offer speed, and produce professional looking documents, especially if you print a lot of text such as letters and business documents. Color or monochrome models are available, but for comparable prices, purchasing a color laser printer will allow you more freedom in your projects.

Snapshot Printers

They are the slowest of the three types of printers, and are designed specifically to make photographs. They are usually portable, and allow the convenience of on-the-spot printing. All snapshots have several things in common: a single paper tray, a color LCD, and media card slots so you can print without a computer. If you need to print anything other than photos, you’re better off buying an inkjet.

According to PC World, before you put down the cash on a printer, you want to find out how much the replacement printer ink cartridges cost, and how many pages each cartridge can print. For inkjets, a three-color cartridge can cost $10 to $40, and $5 to $35 for an individual color or black cartridge. The cheaper the cartridge, the less ink it holds. For snapshot printers, the same rule applies; check out the cost of a snapshot printer’s replacement cartridge, and how many pages each cartridge can print. A three-color cartridge will run you $28 to $38 or more. You can go generic, and save money by buying replacement cartridges made by a company other than your printer’s manufacturer, but beware that you risk losing print quality.

If you want cheap printing for short-lived documents, there are affordable options out there. Further, be sure to check out manufacturer recycling programs as some offer discounts on new printer ink cartridges for returning empty cartridges.