Advice for Different Inks for Printers

[pelliott1954]

Hi All,

After a bit of advice, of late I have been doing a lot more printing (I have started selling Greeting Cards)

I use an Epson R300 Photo machine and although it is a few yers old it still seems to work fine, however a full set of Epson inks is approx £60 for the 6 Cartridges. I have started using Ebay specials at just a few pounds for a set and to be honest I can't tell a difference in printed quality.

I realise I am very much an amateur, but still not as much an amateur as the people buying the cards, and so far everyone has been really complimentary of the quality ( printed on Premium Glossy 250g/sm Tesco paper which I have found also perfectly acceptable.

So my question is, if the quality to look at seems ok, what other difference is there? Is it the longevity of the print, does cheap ink fade drastically quicker, especially if exposed to light.

Any advice appreciated.

Regards Paul

[AndyA]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

I don't know the answer to your question Paul, but I recall seeing something on TV fairly recently and I think they said that printer ink sells for something like £1000 a litre! An absolute rip off!

[2Beers]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

Just compare it to the bottle of expensive perfume you bought er indoors for her birthday and then you'll find that the printer ink is a lot more expensive

[amphil007]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

Ive been using 'cheapo' inks off ebay on my Epson RX685 for quite some time and found the quality very acceptable.
I have been told, as you point out, that the ink fades after time but as yet not found this the case........ask me again in another 10 years

[Muscat]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

From my point of view there are three main reasons why I only use recognised inks in my printer they are firstly if you have a new and expensive printer using third party inks will in most cases nullify the warranty, having said that my 2 main reasons are that with the cheap inks I never found that two batches were the same and I needed to recalibrate the printer every time I got a new batch to keep consistent print colours and that as intimated I found that the cheap inks faded very quickly.

I have installed a continuous ink system on my printer from one of the main suppliers who guarantee consistent ink batches and so far I have not had to recalibrate when I add a new batch.

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

I only use original manufacturers ink.
Cheap copies damaged my printer years ago, so much I had to bin the printer.
I am sure cheaper versions are almost as good nowadays but not for me (once bitten ..)

[digiman]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

I can only speak for inkjets in my Epson DX5000, but I have used both cheap inks, and branded, and in most cases can't tell the difference. I use Internet Ink for my refils. Here's a link for your refills My printer is still going strong, the quality of five year old prints using non branded inks is perfect. I still have a print on my wall of my daughter, taken about 4 years ago. No fading whatsoever. Some of my prints using Epson ink on the other hand have faded, and gone completely pink! Just sharing my experiences!!

Garry

[Guesty]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

The cost of marquee ink its extortionate. If it is possible to produce the third party cartridges for just a few pounds, the mask up must be extraordinary.

I've used cheap inkjet ink for all my photo prints and never had a problem. In fact, as its so cheap, I print more often which helps with flow of ink through the printing head.

[pelliott1954]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

Thanks to all who have replied and been good enough to offer the requested advice.

There are some very interesting points made, Ian mentions having to use Original Ink or maybe invalidate warranty, a point to obviously consider, I suppose it depends somewhat on how much the printer cost, I think my Epson was around £300 some years ago, but when a pack of Ink is £60, if you are using a lot as I am now you would soon spend more than the cost of the printer. Similar thinking I suppose to Stephens reply about thinking/knowing, that using third party Inks ruined his printer.

As a comparison, I am currently using ink from a Batch of Five sets of Six, I purchased from Ebay for £9.99 free postage, quality of the prints appear absolutely fine, for me to have purchased that from Epson would have been £300!!!, the cost of a new printer and also a cost to make the sale of Greeting Cards a Total Waste of Time.

I would love to have a Continuous Ink System for my next Printer as now I have written all this my Printer is bound to Fail on me!!!

Thanks again all.

Regards Paul

[amphil007]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

In fact, as its so cheap, I print more often which helps with flow of ink through the printing head.

Good point Guesty, same goes for me.
Also the money saved on inks (set of 6 is £6.85!) will more than pay for a new printer if, at some point, I need one!

[Dave_S]

Re: Advice for Different Inks for Printers

Paul, I have the Epson R300, and have been using Jetec ink cartridges in it for some years now.

I have many photos printed with the Epson ink, and I can see no difference in those printed using the Jetec ink.

Some of the Jetec prints are a few years old now, and I'm cannot see any degradation with time.

So, IMO, the Jetec ink is just a good as the Epson ink, but a lot cheaper.

I should add that I always use Epson paper.

Dave