Reply #1: I have been using them for years. [View All]

[Osamasux]

The cartridges themselves wear out, but they easily last one or two refills. I stick with name brand refills, like Dataproducts. DP is an old, reputable name in commercial printers, making everything up to huge line-printers. You are already saving a lot - don't cheap out on the quality of the refill.

A good kit will come with a frame you clamp to your empty cartridge, then screw down to drill a hole in the case. Clean the jets thoroughly first. I like to use the edges of those postcards that always fall out of magazines. Rest the cartridge in the holder they provide. You refill the cartridge, purge the air, then put a seal on it. The seals used to be rubber, but now they seem to be using adhesive plastic disks. Make sure you Seal it properly. The vacuum this creates keeps the ink from leaking out inside your printer.

It's not too messy and not too difficult. I get two full refills for about 60% of what one new cartridge costs, so the total cost is 1/3 that of a new cartridge.

By far the main reason manufacturers discourage it is profit. They make much more on continuing ink and toner sales than on the printers themselves. There are some issues, however. Black ink doesn't have a compatibility issue. With color cartridges, the formula is going to be different, so the color will be different. If you are printing photos, stick with OEM for the color cartridges, but feel free to refill the black.