TipstoBuyPrinterInk
In case you're buying printer ink for your personal use, hereare a few helpful tips tomake sure you get themost from your purchase. Among the tips are to keep an eye on how you use your printer, avoid third-party inks, and adjusttheresolutionofyourimages.
Monitoryourprinter'susage
Youcansavealotofmoneybymonitoringyourprinter'susage.Manycompaniesspendupto3%oftheirrevenue onprinting.Bytrackingtheusageofyourprinters,youcanidentifywastefulprintingandchangeyourhabits.
You may have noticed that your printer is using more ink than necessary. The printer is either producing too much ink, or the cartridge is breaking down. Printers may also have a low-ink sensor that triggers an on-screen messagewhentheinklevelislow.
Installing a printer monitoring application is a great way to monitor printer usage. These applications can track the printing behavior, including color and black and white printing, and generate reports. They can also share reportswithotherusers.
Someprintersincludeaninkreference cardintheirbox.Thiswilltellyouthepriceperblackandwhitepageand thepricepercolouredpage.
Another good tool for tracking printer usage is PrintVisor. PrintVisor monitors your printers in real time and provides data about how much ink and paper you use. It sends requests to your printers, responding with the appropriateinformation.
You can check the ink level in your system preferences using a Mac. Otherwise, you can download a free HP Print andScanDoctortoolandgetmustacheink.
For iOS, you can download the HP Smart app. Once installed on your device, you can view the ink level of your HP printers.
Canon'sIJStatusMonitorisagreattoolfortrackinginklevels.Toopenthemonitor,double-clicktheprintericonin yourtasktray.
Fillyourcartridgesonyourown
Refilling your cartridges can save you money and time. However, refilling them can also be a messy process. Using thewrongmethodcanresultinuneveninkdistributionandblurryprintouts.
Whether you refill your printer's ink or buy a new cartridge, it is important to ensure that the print quality of the new ink is asgoodas theone you are replacing. Having a clean and well-maintained printer head can help prevent this.Ifyourheadisdirty,youmayneedtoprintoutafewtestpagesbeforeprintingyourdesireddocument.
Fortunately,inkcartridgesare notasdifficultto refill as some peoplemightthink. To start,you will need to buy an ink refill kit. These kits include a syringe and a mini drill tool. They are not very expensive and should only take a fewminutestocomplete.
Before you begin, you will need to clean the area around the ink cartridge. This is not only for safety reasons but alsotokeepthesyringefromdryingout.Youwillwantpapertowelsandadisposableplatenearbytohelpyouwith this. You should use an ink refill kit from a reputable store for the best results. This is because the manufacturer of the inkyouareusingmightnotsupportorapproveofrefillingyourprinterink.
Another drawback to refilling your ink is that some manufacturers restrict the quantity of ink that can be refilled. ThisisaviolationoftheMagnuson-MossWarrantyActof1975.
In addition to being messy, refilling your ink can also leave permanent stains on clothing and surfaces. So, make suretospotyourhandsafterhandlingink.
Adjusttheresolutionofyourimages
Thequality of yourprint photosdependsonmany factors. One of themost importantisadjusting theresolution of yourimages.Alow-resolutionimagewillprintfuzzyorjagged.Byadjustingyourimages'resolution,youcanensure thatyourprintsarecrispandclear. You can get a quick glimpse at the resolution of an image in Windows by right-clicking on the image and selecting "Properties".InthePropertieswindow,youcanviewtheimage'spixeldimensionsanddot-per-inch(dpi)value.
Changing the resolution of an image is a great way to increase the size of your prints. However, you must first find the correct pixel conversion. Luckily, several programs allow you to easily change the pixel count of your digital images. There are two main options: enlarging the image or reducing the resolution. Increasing the resolution of your imagewillincreasethesizebutdecreasethequality.Ifyouwanttosavespace,youcanalsocompressyourimages.
Pixel dimensions are how many pixels are from top to bottom in an image. These dimensions determine the amount of data displayed in the final printed version of the image. For example, a 400 x 400-pixel image has a resolutionof100pixelsperinch.Thisisconsideredtobeadecentresolution.
Similarly, you can reduce the pixel count to a low amount to increase the image's resolution. Changing the resolutionofyourimagesisnotonlyagoodidea,butitcanbeanecessityifyouhavelimitedstoragespace.
Resampling an image is another way to change the resolution of the image. Although it is not as accurate as the abovemethod,itisaquickandeasywaytoboostthequalityofyourimage.
Avoidthird-partyinks
Whenbuyingprinterink,someconsumersturntothird-partybrands.Whiletheymaybecheaper than name-brand products,theycandamageyourprinter.ThebestchoiceistogowithOEMink.
There are several factors to consider when choosing the right brand for your needs. These include the printer model,thetypeofink,theprice,andwhetheritwillbecompatiblewithyourprinter.
Inks produced in South East Asia have been accused of using low-grade pigments and stabilizers, which cannot producevibrantcolor.Theselinksarealsoknowntoemittoxicchemicalsatalarminglevels.
A recent Consumer Reports survey found that 63% of respondents thought aftermarket cartridges were just as goodasname-brandones.However,thecompanyrefusedtocommentonthestudy.
If you want to use third-party inks, avoid anonymous online sellers. Typically, these vendors do not provide productguaranteesandareunwillingtoreplacecartridges.
Another consideration is whether the brand you are looking at can be recycled. Many third-party brands do not offerthisservice.Thismeansthatyourcartridgesmayendupinlandfills.Otherbrandsrecycleonlyasmallamount oftheircartridges.
Finally,lookforinksthatareregulated.Somecounterfeitinksemitharmfulchemicalsatalarminglevels.Choosing anISO-certifiedselleristhebestwaytoguaranteethatyoubuyaqualityproduct.
Printer inks come in a range of colours and formulas. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. Some are better suited for certain projects, while others work best for other purposes. So, it's a good idea to experiment before makingapurchase.