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Printer Ink
- Best printer ink for quality and reliability Canon, Epson, HP and Lexmark printer ink *Est. $0
- Best retail alternative ink Cartridge World *Est. $0
- Best online alternative ink CarrotInk.com *Est. $0
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Best online alternative ink
- Good ink quality for Epson and HP
- 10 to 15 percent savings over OEM cartridges
- Photo quality not as good as with OEM cartridges
According to tests, cartridges sold by the online retailer Carrot Ink (www.carrotink.com) produce very good photo and text quality, especially on Epson printers, and some reviewers say Carrot Ink cartridges also work well with HP printers. Generally, Carrot Ink cartridges produce acceptable results in all printing tests, and this company also earns a respectable level of customer satisfaction. Carrot Ink offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee and a "no-questions-asked" return policy; even better, one study cites cost savings of 10 to 15 percent with Carrot Ink cartridges compared to printer manufacturers' OEM cartridges.
The online ink cartridge retailer CarrotInk.com is included in comparative tests by Consumer Reports, PC World, and Gizmo Richards. We also found helpful data comparing OEM and aftermarket cartridges at Wilhelm Imaging Research.
Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports tests hundreds of store brand, third-party and generic replacement ink cartridges for this report, including cartridges from CarrotInk.com.
Review: Printer Inks, Editors of Consumer Reports, July 2006
Wilhelm Imaging Research "conducts accelerated light exposure and dark aging tests to determine the comparative life expectancy of inkjet and other digitally printed photographs, as well as that of traditional black-and-white and color photographs." The data here show differences in permanence between cartridges and brands.
Review: Test Results from Wilhelm Imaging Research, Henry Wilhelm and Editors
PC World purchases inks for printers from three aftermarket sources and compares them with the manufacturers' inks. Carrot Ink is found to produce comparable-quality output with an HP printer.
Review: Cheap Ink Probed, Dan Littman, Aug. 6, 2003
4. Gizmo Richards' Support Alert Newsletter
This newsletter reviews and rates 47 Internet sellers of inkjet cartridges, including CarrotInk.com. Richards compares prices, describes the relative ease of finding and ordering what you need, and addresses customer service issues, such as returns.
Review: Review: the Cheapest Inkjet Cartridges Sites, Ian "Gizmo" Richards
