There are no rules to say you have to buy your ink cartridges from the same expensive brand name as you purchased your printer. As a consumer, you can shop and buy your products from wherever you choose, and less expensive ink cartridges are available online. Deciding to buy generic ink cartridges, or remanufactured, will save you a lot of money – sometimes they are up to half the price you would pay for a branded alternative. All the major brands have a compatible variation including the well-known names of Apple, Canon, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Brother, Epson, IBM and Xerox.

The same people who made your printer also manufacture brand name cartridges and so they are guaranteed to be the best option. They are also the most expensive on the market as you are paying for the name, if you have a lot of data to print out then this can work out extremely costly for you.

If you are looking for a cheaper option then the first thing you have to do is check if it is compatible with your printer. If it is a generic version then it will be made by the same company and have exactly the same ink inside, the only difference will be how much it costs. If money is no problem, then go ahead and buy the brand name, however when there is a compatible version available then why would you want to waste your money?

You may be wary about using anything other than a brand name ink cartridge in your printer as you are more concerned with quality, so when you realize that compatible ink cartridges are specifically made to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) terms then you will understand that the standards are just as high as the branded products. They offer the same quality and reliability. These cartridges are manufactured with new parts, the only difference is they are reasonably priced. Compatible cartridges can print just as many pages as the cartridge that originally came with your printer, and brand name ink cartridges.

You may have heard the term ‘remanufactured cartridges’ but not really understand what it means, they are simply cartridges rebuilt from used empty cartridges. The cartridges aren’t just refilled with ink, they are dismantled, repaired or partly replaced if need be, and then they are refilled with ink. The process is followed using the highest standards and the finished product is just as good as the original, quality testing is also an important part of the process.

Buying online can offer you big discounts, also you will often get fast, free delivery and if you order in bulk, then you get them at an even cheaper price. When making your order be careful to choose the right cartridge, whether it is a brand name or remanufactured, you can easily do this by the brand and model type of your printer. Millions of clients buy quality cartridges online saving themselves a lot of valuable time and money.

As with any shopping trip make sure you do some comparison shopping before making any final decisions. The internet is extremely convenient for making comparisons between products and stores as you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to do it.

A reputable online merchant should be able to deliver in a few days and offer you a 100% satisfaction guarantee with your money back if for some reason you are dissatisfied with the product or service. If your product arrives with no problems then you can use the same service each time you need quality cartridges knowing they are reliable and trustworthy.

If buying ink cartridges in bulk then ensure you store them in a cool dry place as they’ll last a lot longer. The length of time a cartridge lasts depends on how much printing you do.

If you are printing everyday documents, cards, or leaflets then compatible ink cartridges should suffice, whereas if you want particularly high quality color photos then you might prefer to use brand name cartridges just for that extra superior touch.