Third Party Refillable Inkjet Cartridge Solutions: I recently purchased an Epson Stylus Photo R3000 inkjet printer for printing out my photography to a wide range of materials up to 13...

gtdworak Loc: Central New Jersey

I recently purchased an Epson Stylus Photo R3000 inkjet printer for printing out my photography to a wide range of materials up to 13 x 19 inches in size. At close to $300 for a complete set of ink, I'm researching third party solutions for ink. One solution I came across looks promising. InkOwl inkjet ink and refillable inkjet cartridge kits: http://www.inkowl.com/index.php

I'm looking for feedback from anyone who has used this product and if the product delivered as advertised. Are the prints indistinguishable from prints made with Epson brand ink cartridges? Did the printer function normally and without any glitches using InkOwl's refillable ink cartridges? Does the ink refill chip reset automatically as stated in the literature and show the cartridge as full after refilling it without any glitches? At nearly a third of the cost of the Epson inks, this almost seems too good to be true.

Please let me know if any of you have used this product and your opinions to the questions I've posted and if you were satisfied with the InkOwl solution. Any feedback is much appreciated.

Zebra5 Loc: Area 51

I did try refillable once on my epson. They didn't work. they were from a company named Cartridge World. They were very nice when I returned them for a full refund. They said I'm the only person who ever had a problem. They also said maybe it was an "off brand" printer.

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

gtd
I have used Carrot Ink to re-supply my cartridges I have an Epson R-1900, and while the cartridges are not as expensive as yours they always seem to work well
http://www.carrotink.com/epson/stylus-photo/stylus-photo-r300-ink-cartridge.html

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

gtdworak wrote:

I recently purchased an Epson Stylus Photo R3000 i... (show quote)

You can buy ink kits and refill the OEM tanks your self. There are refill tutorials on the net.

blue64 Loc: Washington, Pa. USA

I always use the brand inks. Third-party inks smudge, clogg the print heads and etc. Then again I only print a few pictures on my printer and the rest I send to a photo lab. Using the right lab it's really cheaper and the pictures are great looking...

bobfitz Loc: Kendall-Miami, Florida

Given the price of ink cartidges. The maufacturers should give us the priters for free!! I feel your pain.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Zebra5 wrote:

They also said maybe it was an "off brand" printer.

Now that's a term I've never heard. :D

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

bobfitz wrote:

Given the price of ink cartidges. The maufacturers should give us the priters for free!! I feel your pain.

Printers are like razors and razor blades. The charge a cheap price for the printer (maybe just enough to cover the ink in the printer) and then make their money on the refills. (they have you locked in). I used to tell people to just go buy a new printer when the ink runs out. They are getting all new hardware and ink that way and paying about what the ink would cost.

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

I've been using LD Products ink for several years for my Canon printers. They guarantee their product and have a great tech dept. When one of my printers finally died I had several tanks of ink, LD allowed me to trade them in for cartridges for the newer printer. www.4inkjets.com

NikonEd Loc: Miami,Fl

Only HP print heads are part of the cartridge, why would you ruin a print head in a Canon or Epson printer to save a few bucks.My feeling is, if your gonna refill get a printer whose print heads are part of the cartridge.

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

I do not refill cartridges, I buy them just like I would a brand cart. I've been using them with out ant problems for about 4 years. I ve compared them to brand carts and can't see any major difference. I was a R & D chemist in the O/S printing industry for 36 years. Inkjet ink is much different (dye based, water based etc..) It all boils down to quality control, that where the difference is.

Crwiwy Loc: Devon UK

boberic wrote:

You can buy ink kits and refill the OEM tanks your self. There are refill tutorials on the net.

I always use third party cartridges in my HP printer and never had any problems.
The only problems i ever had was when I tried refilling a cartridge myself - it was messy to do and was incontinent afterwards.

Some third party companies also sell refilled cartridges and give you money back on your empties against a refilled or their own cartridges.

Bram boy Loc: Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

dcampbell52 wrote:

Printers are like razors and razor blades. The charge a cheap price for the printer (maybe just enough to cover the ink in the printer) and then make their money on the refills. (they have you locked in). I used to tell people to just go buy a new printer when the ink runs out. They are getting all new hardware and ink that way and paying about what the ink would cost.

the ink that's in a printer when you buy it will only last for a couple of pictures
I ran out after about three 8x10 and about six smaller ones . went to buy some refills . and when I heard the price , I told them to shove it , its less costly to buy the electronic picture frame viewers . and hang on the walls or place on desk . I use rechargeable batteries . or the wall out let power . you can also view them on your 50inch TV. watch them on slide show or what ever you want . you can leave them on or turn them of . with remote control on the
the ones that have it . or pul the plug at night if you want . there a lot nicer to look at than a picture . besides if you must have a picture made , take your card in and get one made . the only printer I have now is a black and white lazzer

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Bram boy wrote:

the ink that's in a printer when you buy it will o... (show quote)

I agree up to a point. I use the printer to print a pic or two that I want to give to someone but do NOT want to send in for processing. I no longer use Walmart, CVS, etc as the results are unpredictable. I use Adoramapix or a good digital printing outfit that I have had good experiences with. Walmart's photolab quality varies from store to store as does CVS etc. (Please understand, I am not saying they are all bad, just that quality varies).

Bram boy Loc: Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

dcampbell52 wrote:

I agree up to a point. I use the printer to print a pic or two that I want to give to someone but do NOT want to send in for processing. I no longer use Walmart, CVS, etc as the results are unpredictable. I use Adoramapix or a good digital printing outfit that I have had good experiences with. Walmart's photolab quality varies from store to store as does CVS etc. (Please understand, I am not saying they are all bad, just that quality varies).

well every one I know has a computer and printer . when I send them a pic they can photo print it out , save it tell they get enough to put on a disk or what ever .