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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 retail alternative ink
- Refills cartridges
- Also sells it's own substitute inks
- Solid ink quality
- Inconsistent quality
- Can't buy cartridges online
- Service can vary by location
Cartridge World (www.cartridgeworldusa.com), a franchise operation with more than 400 stores in the U.S., will refill ink cartridges while you wait, or sell you their own brand of pre-packaged cartridges or the printer manufacturers' OEM cartridges. Reviewers say the output quality of Cartridge World's own-brand ink is just as good or better than HP's ink for HP printers; notices are less complementary for other printer brands, but reviewers still say that Cartridge World is a good alternative, and its prices are cheaper than both OEM and store-brand printer ink from office supply chains. Cartridge World does not sell ink online, so if you don't live within driving range of a store, CarrotInk.com (http://www.carrotink.com) may be a good alternative. Because outlets are franchises, service can vary by location.
The best review of Cartridge World is by Trusted Reviews, which compares these aftermarket cartridges to manufacturers' OEM cartridges. Cartridges from this bricks-and-mortar store are also reviewed by Consumer Reports and PC World.
Our Sources
Trusted Reviews conducts a comprehensive test of inks, using mid-range, all-in-one machines from Canon, Epson, HP and Lexmark. Manufacturer's cartridges are compared with cartridges from Cartridge World, InkTecShop, Jet Tec and StinkyInk. Cartridge World produces the best results.
Review: The Inkjet Investigation, Simon Williams, Apr. 21, 2007
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Using photo printers from three major brands, Consumer Reports tests hundreds of store brand, third-party and generic ink cartridges, including units from Cartridge World.
Review: Printer Inks, Editors of Consumer Reports, July 2006
Bass visits several bricks-and-mortar stores to find cartridges he can use in Epson printers. He says the office-supply chains are more expensive than Cartridge World, and so far, three sets of Cartridge World cartridges have worked fine.
Review: Save Money on Inkjet Printer Ink, Steve Bass, July 4, 2007
