Genuine Vs Compatible Printer Supplies

Ever since the first compatible cartridge was released, a great debate has raged over genuine vs. compatible printer consumables. Which is better? Which gives better value over all? How will non-genuine affect my printer?

Choosing to buy genuine or non-genuine comsumables depends on a few factors. The main factors that we've seen from our customers are:

Price

Compatible printer inks are cheaper, and normally a good deal cheaper. If you do a lot of printing then the cost difference will be a major consideration for you.

Quality

The difference in quality between genuine ink cartridges and non-genuine consumables is, at most, slim. Don't be fooled though, there is still a difference. Most genuine consumables are produced by the same company that designed and built your printer, so they know better then anyone else just how the ink needs to be produced to give you the best quality and finish. Most high-quality compatible consumables emulate the genuine product very very well.  Under normal use it will be hard for a person off the street to tell the difference. From tests that we have conducted, the choice of paper makes a much greater impact on your print quality then the brand if ink that you use. Of course, if you are after the best results possible, then genuine consumables and the recommended paper should always be used.

Economy

Most compatible consumables just don't last as long as a genuine product. The difference can be from a few pages up to around 20% for some high-end toner cartridges. This makes it sound like you should always use genuine, but that isn't true. If a compatible cartridge gives you 20% less printing time, but costs 50% less, then you've really saved money. If a compatibe cartridge gives you 20% less printing time, but only costs 10% less, then you are better off with a genuine product.

Warrenty

One of the biggest concerns that we have heard from our customers is that they are worried that  using compatible inks will void the warrenty of their printer. From our research we have found that most manufacturers state in their warrenty terms that substituting inks is allowed and will not void your warrenty. Although this has been the case so far, we urge you to check your printers warrenty information carefully because this might not be the case for your printer.

So what have we found?

When we take into account all of the considerations that we hav ethought of, we have found that for normal use, a compatible product will be suitable for most people and may help out your budget. Of course the choice is up to you, but remember to always look for the facts before you make up your mind.