Inkjet Cartridges

Inkjet cartridges

The inkjet cartridge is a vital component of an inkjet-type printer. Simply put, it is the mobile reservoir that not only holds the ink, but also sprays the ink onto the paper. Generally, there are two types of inkjet cartridges: black and white, and color. The color cartridges don’t contain every color, but rather, the three primary colors, which are mixed during the printing process. Color cartridges are more expensive than the black and white.

Inkjet cartridges, whether color or black and white, can be organized into three categories:

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) ink cartridges: OEMs are produced and sold by the same companies that manufacture and sell inkjet printers. OEM cartridges are usually the best quality on the market, because each cartridge is designed for its particular printer from the very first blueprints. However, OEMs are also the most expensive option out there.

Compatible ink cartridges: These cartridges are the off brands in the printer world, sort of like the store brand products at the supermarket. They’re called ‘compatible’ because they are not manufactured by the same companies as the printers. Rather, they are made by a second party, to the specs of the OEM cartridge. Many compatible brands of inkjet cartridge are as good as the OEMs, but they are all a lot less expensive.

Remanufactured inkjet cartridges: This is the third category of inkjet cartridge. You’ll usually find these available in the bigger names, such as Canon, Lexmark, or HP. These companies have patented their cartridges, and so there are few compatibles on the market. To fill the need for a less expensive option to OEM cartridges, some companies will recycle used ones. The empty cartridges are taken back to the factory, refurbished, and refilled. While they are returned to as-new specs, they cannot be sold as-new, and so are much less expensive than OEM products.

Ink used in inkjet cartridges

Inkjets use two basic types of ink in the cartridges: dry ink, which is usually used in monochrome printers, and pigmented ink, which is usually used in color printers.

The dry ink types will print in color, but they require a separate ink for every color; they are unable to mix inks. These ink cartridges are prone to drying out if they are not maintained properly.

Pigmented inks are more water resistant, and less prone to fading on the paper. They also dry very quickly after printing, allowing the image to keep its original quality. Pigmented inks provide an excellent combination of color mixing and sharp picture quality.


About Voltexx.com

Voltexx.com is becoming one of the Web’s more popular printer accessory sites. With their great deals and superior customer service, Voltexx is recognized as an industry leader in the printer-parts market. The immediate benefit to customers is two-fold: first, Voltexx, by its sheer size, has just about any printer ink or toner cartridge you could need, and second, because of the volume of business, Voltexx is able to pass along the best prices. Finally, Voltexx stands behind every product they sell. Check them out at www.voltexx.com.