Article discusses ways of solving common inkjet printer problems, with third-party and refilled cartridges suggested as alternatives to OEM-branded products.
Philip LeRiche of social enterprise The Restart Project wrote an article for The Guardian in which he gives readers tips on “how to mend an inkjet printer” and “give your printer a longer life” after recognising that people frequently encounter issues such as error messages, ink running out too quickly and chip-related problems.
LeRiche noted that, due to the current OEM business model whereby profit is made from consumables sales rather than the printers, it is “very unlikely that a professional [printer] repair will be cost-effective”; and so he listed ways in which the consumer can prevent their printer from needing to be repaired and get the most out of their device.
Included in his advice is the use of third-party or refilled cartridges instead of OEM cartridges as they “can save you money and be more environmentally friendly”; although he stated that “compatible ink quality varies” and so “it’s worth researching the best options for your specific printer model”. He added that “a compromise might be to use branded ink during the warranty period but thereafter only for colour if you want top-quality colour photos”.
However, he goes on to say that while “you may receive premature low-ink warnings” when using refilled or compatible cartridges, it is often best to “ignore them if print quality is still good” as “some manufacturers chip their cartridges to discourage refilling or third-party alternatives”.
The article also covers solutions to problems such as the print head drying out and needing to be cleaned, paper jams, and software issues such as error messages; as well as “kill chips” which can cause printers to stop working altogether