Save Money on Inkjet Printer Cartridges

The average price of an inkjet printer dropped another 13% last year according to the NPD Group, which good news for consumers, but the razor-and-blade pricing strategy used by most manufacturers, shifts cost concerns from the hardware to the supplies. Inkjet printers are frequently sold at or below cost, with revenue made up by inkjet cartridge purchases over the life of the printer.

Inkjet cartridges account for 50% of the total inkjet market, that’s an estimated $30 billion spent each year on ink worldwide according to a 2007 study by The American Consumer Institute, Inkjet Prices, Printing Costs and Consumer Welfare. Your inkjet cartridge replacement cost may exceed the purchase price of the inkjet printer in a few short months. It makes sense to look at ways to save money on inkjet cartridges whether that’s through conservation or replacement alternatives. Savings may be significant.

1. Consider recycled or remanufactured inkjet cartridges. Look for inkjet cartridges that are guaranteed to provide the same quality, and are compatible with your inkjet printer. You may save as much as 75%.
2. Refill your inkjet cartridges by purchasing a refill kit. For more information, see our related article, Can I Refill My Ink Cartridges?
3. Compare inkjet cartridge prices before you purchase the printer. Kodak is one manufacturer who doesn’t subscribe to the razor-and-blade pricing strategy, setting a precedent for higher priced printers and lower priced ink. In the long run, you’ll save.
4. Check to see if generic ink cartridges fare available for the inkjet printer you have or the one you are purchasing. You may save as much as 75%.
5. When possible, change your computer’s print setting from best or normal quality (both modes use an equal amount of ink) to draft mode, which uses significantly less ink.
6. Proof before you print. Yes, it’s often easier to proof on paper, but you can train yourself to do it online.
7. Install ink optimizer software, which allows you to control the amount of ink used by your inkjet printer.
8. Limit print head cleaning by turning your printer off if you won’t be printing for more than five days. Some inkjet printers automatically clean the print heads in between print sessions, so you may want to override this function.
9. Stop printing. If it’s not necessary, don’t print it. Think about reminders or information you want to share with someone else: Use your calendar/task program for reminders and share documents electronically.
10. Can’t stop printing? Reduce printing. If you need a printed copy of electronic material, select printer friendly version or better yet, just copy and past the essential information into a Word document.

If you are in the market for a new inkjet printer, see TopTenREVIEWS top ranked inkjet printers ranked by overall score including critical features, value, expert reviews and user reviews. At TopTenREVIEWS—We do the research so you don’t have to.™