Looking for toner or ink for your printer?
Over the years, many people have asked about supplies for their printer. It is a fact that the cost of your printer itself is a very small proportion of your “cost of ownership”. Always buy the most expensive printer that you can justify provided that you can obtain low-cost ink or toner for it.
I run a big printer with big toner cartridges. If I bought the manufacturer’s own brand, I would be paying upwards of £1,500 for a complete set of four. Ouch!!
That works out at a theoretical 3.16p per page.
What I buy are refilled cartridges. They work perfectly well and they do not invalidate any warranty. (And even if they did, the money I save would more than pay for a new printer!) I’ve just bought a new set of four. They cost me £255 and work out at 0.5p per page.**
Those figures may be a bit eye-watering but the proportions stay the same. One small inkjet printer can be fed with “genuine” cartrides at around £21 each – or for £3.74 for a remanufactured one. The printer costs about £70 so every five cartridges, you have saved more than the cost of your printer!
When buying remanufactured cartridges, go for a reputable seller.
For many years I have used a firm called Internet Ink who have supplied reliable materials. They have become a bit pricier recantly (for me!) and I have recently transferred my alleigiance to a firm called (officially) Solar Electronics Ltd, though they trade as Stinkyink.com.
(Why the name? Well it’s memorable isn’t it? Enough said!)
I’ll keep reporting back – but so far so good. (And they support their local parish church!)
** Cost per page is worked out on a standard test print – it often gives a slightly rosy view of what you can expect, especially if you start printing photographs!