Printer Ink

Post by **Mike Jackson** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:02 pm

Hi all,
I was doing some research on printers last week, trying to get a feeling how many color photos I could print with a fresh set of ink cartridges. In the process, I found several sites reporting that as much as 40% of printer ink is discarded before the cartridges are really empty. The printers are set to start flashing with the low ink lights just after it is half used. In most printers, the printer will continue to print until it is completely empty, or at least until at least one color of a multi-color cardridge is used.

You can read more by doing a Google search for "printer efficiency". The bottom line... don't change your ink cartridge when the light starts flashing!

Mike Jackson

Kent Smith · Post by **Kent Smith** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:36 pm

Good Advice. I never change the ink until it won't print anymore.Considering the price of ink it is worth wasting one print versus throwing away the cartidge before it is really empty. The last printer I brought, I specifically chose because it has seperate cartridges for each color and black and it has the Xtra size as well. I have replaced the yellow more often if that is any indication of anything significant. I also have found that the photo papers use more ink than others.

Dale Feicke · Post by **Dale Feicke** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:04 am

I think it's a good step forward, Kent, for printers to have separate cartridges for each color. It seems so stupid and wasteful to have to replace a color cartridge just because one color is gone. Of course, that's what the printer companies want to happen; but I believe this new idea is a good one. My next printer will be that type. Isn't it Epson that's doing this now? I expect the others will follow suit.