Risks of Alternative Inks

Risks of alternatives with inks

OEM cartridges have planned obsolescence. They are not made to last long enough to survive repeated refilling, although they often do. That's an ugly strategy from consumer and environmental standpoints, but consumers attempting to beat this system should understand that cartridges are not made to be reused. According to experts, cartridges that are described as "remanufactured" are usually just refilled.

Printer manufacturers initially implied that use of aftermarket ink would violate printer warranties. They have subsequently backed down from that strategy, but damage caused by aftermarket ink will violate warranties. Of course, this is only a concern if your printer is still covered by a limited warranty. HP will not honor its warranty for breakage caused by non-HP, refilled or expired ink cartridges. Epson won't cover damage that's attributed to any non-Epson component. Canon and Lexmark policies are similar.

Counterfeiting is rampant when it comes to ink cartridges. Experts say that if you find a great online deal for OEM cartridges, you should avoid them. The odds are high that they are counterfeit knock-offs. Be wary of cartridges sold through online auctions. In addition, always check the expiration date on OEM cartridges (printed on the box). According to a PC World article, the cartridges are programmed not to print after that date.