National Park

The last time I bought a complete set of Epson ink cartridges for my Epson XP-830 printer it set me back $100. $100!!! Comparateandsave.com offers compatible ink cartridges for this printer for only a little more than half that price. Has anyone had experience buying ink jets from this business and, if so, how do they work? Does anyone have a suggestion on another place to buy ink jets?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I feel your pain.
XL tanks for my Canon are about $80 a set.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Poor thing, everytime I buy a set for my Epson printer, it set's me back $500, but I don't mind, because its well worth it!

nikonbrain Loc: Crystal River Florida

Consider yourself lucky my printer uses 750 ml or 350ml ink tanks The 750ml Canon ink tanks are around $270.00 dollars ea. The 350ml ink tanks are around $165.00 ea it uses 12 different colors ,blacks and greys. I wouldnt even consider third party inks....I have ruined the heads on1 Canon printer and 1 epson with ink from a third party source It was precision colors on the canon and sawgrass on the epson . Both of these were consumer grade a Canon pixma 9500 and a epson R1900....both printers died 6 months after using 3rd party . inks.. just sayin...

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I have a Xerox ColorQube printer that uses solid ink. It's a wax that gets melted and operates as an ink jet. There is no liquid to dry up and clog the jets and the printer goes through an automated cleaning cycle occasionally. Maintenance is minimal and I've never had a problem with clogged jets that the printer couldn't clear using its own cleaning cycles. The first printer ran for 12 years with only one service call. The second one is only 3 years old now.

The ink is moderately expensive, there are 3 colors plus black and the complete set costs around $400, but it lasts a long time (I don't do a lot of printing). One advantage of this type of ink is that it's waterproof (the ink doesn't run if it gets wet but the paper will wrinkle). I originally got the printer for my business and it was very useful there since on a farm stand things get wet occasionally. When I retired I kept the printer.

The printer does pretty well at photos but the ink does fade if exposed to sunlight for long periods of time. If you look closely you can see the dots from the printing process. If a photo is sandwiched between transparent films or glass and subjected to high heat the ink can get smudged. I suspect that a good photo printer would do better but I don't print enough photos to make it worth maintaining a liquid ink printer.

When I want good prints I send them to Costco. Other print services probably provide similar quality at reasonable prices. Much cheaper than trying to maintain your own color photo printer unless you do a LOT of photo printing.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Tempting as it might be, stick with OEM cartridges. You're only asking for problems with after market stuff.
--Bob

richandtd Loc: Virginia

i use an Epson 4750 ink tank printer came with 2 years worth of ink no cartridges to replace ran about $450.00 at Best Buy and prints up to 8 1/2 x 11 doing a pretty good job for my D810. I bought the extra set of refill bottles about $52.00.

sandiegosteve Loc: San Diego, CA

I see too many stories about aftermarket ink fading or gaming up the printer's jets. So, I haven't tried any. I think some do use Costco to refill their cartridges.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Wow. I have an inexpensive printer model (only use YCM plus a small & large black tank.)
Glad I send my stuff to Costco for printing.
(I won't use third party ink either!)

pbcbob Loc: Delray Beach, FL

Try Inkjets.com or Carrot Ink. They are related companies. $54.95 for your five cartridges. I have been using their ink for several years on my Epson 837 photo printer with excellent results.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

A piece of advice:
Always look at the expiration date printed on the box before purchasing! Many retailers don't care if they sell their customers old ink cartridges, I've noticed.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Wow. I would think they moved faster than that. Good to know.

DAN Phillips Loc: Graysville, GA

All you have to do is go with a quality HP printer and sign up for their ink replenishment program. I pay $9.00/month. They ship free, I never run out and it works GREAT!

johnst1001a Loc: West Chester, Ohio

I have two Canon printers, the MX920 for general work, not photos an the Pro100.
I have used non-OEM cartridges in both. Two weeks ago, the PRO 100 would not recognize a couple cartridges, the non OEM ones, specifically cyan. It tried another non CANON one, and it would recognize it. I had a Canon one and it would not recognize that one either, Called Canon, and after trying several things, They replaced the printer,
Then yesterday I changed the yellow cartridge in my MX920, a non Canon one and the printer would not recognize it. I put a new Canon cartridge in and it would not recognize that one either so a second printer bites the dust. bTW, i have a second MX920, and the Canon cartridge worked.
Coincidence, maybe, but from here on out only Canon cartridges.

Interestingly, and perhaps a plug for the Pro 100.
Cost of printer at B&H $359. Rebate $200m free shipping, net cost $159. Comes with full cartridges. A new set of CANON cartridges $127. So the printer cost a net $32. I am not a heavy printer user, only a hobbyist. I use maybe 2 complete sets a year equivalent some cartridge colors less than others. Given the 1 year warranty I think I will just get a new one printer ever year, buy some individual colors in between, like black, in between. that way if something breaks on the new one it will be under warranty.
Another plug, though the printer the replaced was 14 months old, Canon honored the 12 month warranty.

National Park

Thanks for your very helpful comment. Maybe someday I’ll be able to afford a printer like yours.