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Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

I recently got this lexmark printer/scanner/copiers/fax machine for about $110, thinking it was a good deal.  And I will admit the machine works does all those functions well.  It even prints decent quality photos.

That is where the customer satisfaction ends.  Today I went to Wal-Mart to purchase new ink Cartridges for it, both black and color, and was horrified by the price.  About $100 for a kit containing both.

So my question is twofold:

1.  Do those "knock off brand" Cartridges work decently?
2.  Can lexmark Black 16 and Color 26 Cartridges be refilled.  Does it actually work when you try those do it yourself refill kits?

Thanks

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #1
I'm not too crazy about refill stuff.
Personally I've seen my friend's hand after he refill his printer's cartridges.:giggle:

I've order stuff from this seller.
excellent stuff and it works flawlessly.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZetonersupplyQQhtZ-1

give them a shot. you will not be disappointed.

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #2
Its one of those pay me now or pay me later things. Lexmark may have low prices on printers, but they screw you on the cartridges. I only buy HP now, the cartridges are around $25 and you get a quality printer. THe Lexmark I had broke after a year of normal use, the paper feed always screwed up.
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Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #3
I bought replacement cartridges on line and actually got more prints than the name brand ones. For awhile I was buying printers instead of ink cause it was the same dam money, now we own 6 printers and only use 3.

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #4
In my experience the 26 (colour) can be successfully refilled, but every time I tried to fill the 16 the ink nozzles would plug. Lexmark uses a proprietary ink (and has successfully sued against "knock-off" manufacturers, preventing clones). I got sick of paying for Lexmark ink and bought a Canon for colour  (ink tanks are $10) and a Samsung laser for B&W (toner cartridges are $90 but last 5,000 pages)
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #5
I got sick of dealing with ink jet printers, so I splurged a bit and got a laser.  Amazing quality and far less costly supplies (well actually they cost more but last a ton longer, but you get what I mean)
 
I got a Konica Minolta magicolor 2400W for ~$200.  Got a good deal and for the money it's an amazing printer.
 
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1747981,00.asp
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Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #6
How's that colour lazer for photographs? I've been toying with the idea of replacing the Canon with a colour laser but have heard that they can't couch an inkjet for quality photo prints...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #7
From the sounds of that I think I may look into a lazer printer (probably the black only type) because the majority of the stuff I print is black and white.  I do like the lexmark for the scanning and faxing ablilties but if prints fairly slow and seems to guzzle ink, when printing long dospoogeents.

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #8
Well a high end injet will outdo this laser, but its not bad.  With good paper and high quality settings, I'm more than impressed with it.  You have to study it carefully to see the difference.  Tigerdirect has this particular model for $170 right now (factory refurbished I believe)  As for pure B/W you can't beat the quality and speed.  The only thing is, if you only print 1 page, the laser probably won't beat a speedy inkjet because it has to warm up first.
2000 Jaguar XK8 Convertible - 4.0L DOHC V8 (AJ27)
2018 Ford Explorer - 3.5L DOHC V6 (Duratec 35)
1999 Mercury Grand Marquis - 4.6L SOHC V8 (Modular)
1987 Mercury Cougar LS - 5.0L V8 (Windsor) [SOLD in 2009]

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #9
Quote from: merccougar50;108014
I recently got this lexmark printer/scanner/copiers/fax machine for about $110, thinking it was a good deal.  And I will admit the machine works does all those functions well.  It even prints decent quality photos.

That is where the customer satisfaction ends.  Today I went to Wal-Mart to purchase new ink Cartridges for it, both black and color, and was horrified by the price.  About $100 for a kit containing both.

So my question is twofold:

1.  Do those "knock off brand" Cartridges work decently?
2.  Can lexmark Black 16 and Color 26 Cartridges be refilled.  Does it actually work when you try those do it yourself refill kits?

Thanks

Answers

1. yes if not better!
2. don't try the refill kits. they are messy and !

I worked at staples and pretty much sold printers and ink all day every day trust me, I know! Also, HP makes the best printers and fills their ink the best.

btw the company will not give you a full cartridge that comes with the printer. Think of those as starter cartridges. The new ones will last a great deal longer than the ones that came with your printer.

but if you can GO WITH OFF BRAND! Works just as good man!
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1986 Cougar XR7 5 Speed.  (sold)

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #10
I had to buy ink the other day,and found a "generic" brand at Wal Mart for almost half the price of the HP brand I have always bought.I was a little skeptical,but it works just as well.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #11
It also depends on the printer brand. I've been running Epson printers for about 7-8 years and have generally had good luck with them. But I've also bought nothing but genuine Epson ink for replacements. Now I have a C80 model that just went nuts on me a little over a year ago. The ink head clogged, somehow, when I changed cartridges and it has never fully recovered. I've been slowly working on it, trying to nurse it back, for what reason I don't know--I just hate throwing out electronic stuff though. So for the first time I'm going to buy off-brand ink cartridges for it, and see if they make a difference. If they clog--hell, it's already clogging, so I'll be no worse off. It was the C80 model that was the first for Epson's DuraBrite inks (archival quality, lightfast, smear-proof, etc.). That's sort of why I'm attached to it. I also have a C84 that's been flawless, and use an R200 printer in the office at work that prints on CD's/DVD's (handy for the CJ06 DVD's LOL), both with DuraBrite inks. A trick to Epsons is that they MUST be used at least once every week or two.

With HP's (and some other brands), the ink cartridge is also the print head. So if something isn't working, pop in a new ink cartridge and that usually solves the problem. That's one major drawback for Epson inkjets. I love the quality but hate the fact that everything is designed for obsolescence.

Outrageous Printer Ink Prices

Reply #12
My C80 would not stop clogging cartridges. It got to the point where it was only printing magenta :( Made me so angry. This was my third inkjet in like 5 years. HP stopped printing one of three colors and it apparently was an internal electrical problem since new cartriges wouldn't help. IBM model worked for 6 months and died, then the stupid C80 that wouldn't work properly for more than 3 months at a time.

I bought a Dell color laser that came with 4000 page cartridges for $320 shipped & have been happy as a clam since. Watch out for the lower priced color lasers as they come with less than half the toner I got & it costs the price of the printer to replace the toner. One thing I've learned, the printer market is quite the scam.
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