While ink cartridges are relatively cheaper than laser printer cartridges, they usually end up adding more cost to the monthly bills. That’s mostly because consumers often do not choose the right one considering their overall usage. Modern high- end printer ink cartridges are designed to be as efficient as their laser counterparts in terms of productivity as well as cost efficiency. And then, ink cartridges offer unmatched print quality which is a factor that can just not be denied.

All said, choosing the right ink cartridge for your printer is absolutely necessary to get maximum productivity out of it. Let us look at some key factors to consider before buying ink cartridges.

Printer Compatibility
A good number of consumers buy printer cartridges in Canada without checking up on its compatibility with the printer that they own. Not all ink cartridges are similar and checking with the supplier for its compatibility with your printer model is absolutely necessary. While some printers may require individual cartridges, others may need multiple.

Cartridge size
This is again a factor that is commonly overlooked by most buyers. Ink cartridges are available in both standard and XL sizes. A good number of buyers often get an impulse to go for the standard version, considering the lower prices. That said, for a scenario where bulk printing is required, XL, proves to be more cost efficient in the long run. XL with its ability to produce a higher number of pages not just saves money (otherwise spent in buying multiple refills) but also saves on time and effort.

Whereas XL printer ink cartridge is suggested for office uses where regular bulk printing is required, standard versions are best suited for home use that’s limited in quantity.

Ink options
Two versions of ink cartridges are available when it comes to choosing colors. You can opt for individual color cartridges or go for a tri-color cartridge. While a tri-color cartridge is easier to assemble, individual color cartridges have multiple advantages to offer. Tri-color ink cartridges, as the name suggests, have three basic colors which are mixed to create multiple shades and hues.

That said, even if one color (out of the three) runs empty; the entire cartridge needs to be replaced. This means wasting/letting go off the other ink portions and ditching the entire cartridge which is a huge negative in terms of money/cost efficiency. In an individual cartridge, however, a single color cartridge can be replaced as needed which makes it a more cost-efficient solution.

Final word
While most buyers prefer going with brand names and OEM tags, it is important to understand that a good number of reputed companies also offer high quality recycled ink cartridges which are not just budget friendly but eco-friendly too. With modern technologies and high-end versions, various recycled printer ink cartridges can work at similar quality as well as efficiency levels as a branded one.

Finally, when buying ink cartridges, it is important to ask for the manufacturer’s warranty which comes handy if the printer cartridge fails to work as promised.