# Ink Jet Printer Users **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 20, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813 "2013-01-20T17:16:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813/21 "2013-01-21T18:17:10Z")
> [@steviep24](#): > > When you run low on ink do you buy new ink cartridges or do you buy a completely new printer/all in one unit? In many cases replacement ink cartridge sets (color and black) cost more than half of a new printer/all in one unit. To me, it would be wasteful to replace a printer that’s still working well, if all it needs is more ink. If it’s not working well, OTOH, I can understand going for the new printer. Our current printer (Epson) uses individual color cartridges, so we just replace the one that’s low, and we usually get the XL (we did the same with its predecessor, an HP). Our current XLs were installed shortly before we moved in June, and the one that’s currently lowest is still over half. I am puzzled by why the cyan is the one that’s lowest, when the majority of printing is B&W, and we do have it configured to only use black ink for B&W printing. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813/22 "2013-01-21T18:19:00Z")
I worked at a company where the primary color on the logo was yellow, and the background color for the PowerPoint slides was yellow, so we used a lot more yellow ink than others. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813/23 "2013-01-21T18:19:49Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I almost always buy cartridges, but twice now I have bought a new printer when I hadn’t planned to do so. Both times were just unpassupable deals, so the printer actually came out to be \*cheaper \*than new cartridges, buy quite a bit. > > I couldn’t bear to send the old, perfectly functional printers to the landfill, though, and my local thrift store doesn’t want 'em. So they still sit on a shelf, sulking, looking at me forlornly, like those shelter animals in fundraising ads… Have you tried offering them on FreeCycle? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813/24 "2013-01-21T18:58:25Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Have you tried offering them on FreeCycle? Y’know, I haven’t, but that’s a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813/25 "2013-01-21T20:20:44Z")
I’ve found that the more expensive the ink jet printer, the cheaper the cartridges. The very cheapest printers (the horrible HP ones) have single color cartridges, which means that you throw away a lot of ink when one color runs out. Give me an Epson or Brother printer with separate color cartridges and I’m a happy man. I’ve been using the same Epson ink jet for five years and replace a single cartridge every other month or so, running me $10 each time. ---
**Author:** ![AlienVessels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@AlienVessels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlienVessels)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813/26 "2013-01-21T20:24:37Z")
Check the cartridge capacity. In some cases the printers come with “starter” carts that have much less capacity than the replacements. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813/27 "2013-01-21T21:13:35Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > (of FreeCycle and old printers) Y’know, I haven’t, but that’s a good idea. At least in my area, working electronics that are reasonably modern get scooped up quickly. Another idea, know of any non-profits, schools, etc., that might be able to use the ones you don’t want any more? ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813/28 "2013-01-23T00:47:40Z")
I’ve had good luck with the generic cartridges from Amazon for my Canon Pixma MP500. $7 for all 5 (2 black, a cyan, a yellow and a magenta ), vs $15 each for the official Canon cartridges. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ink-jet-printer-users/647813.md?page=1)