Case Study 5: OEM vs Refilled Cartridges

What are the relative costs of OEM versus refilled cartridges for a typical printer?

When discussing parts it's important to remember that OEM parts are always going to be more expensive.  We currently utilize the HP 4014n series printers in most of our departments.  New OEM cartridges on average cost about $150.00, occasionally they will cost a little more or less depending on who we purchase them from.  A refilled or generic cartridge can normally be purchased for less than $100.00.  With the amount of printing we generally do these savings can add up greatly over time

What factors other than cost should be considered in making a decision about OEM versus refilled cartridges?  What are the pros and cons in this decision?

It is important to remember that the OEM cartridges are manufactured specifically for optimal use in their designated printers and the refilled or generic cartridges can come with some risks as they are not the exact product intended to work with that specific unit.  One of the biggest factors when dealing with refilled cartridges is the quality of the ink and the lifespan of the cartridge that is being refilled.  If the ink is of lower quality the internal components of the printer run the risk of being damaged.  Rollers and fusers can become damaged or dirtied to the point where they are unable to be used or repaired.  It can also cause the printouts to be illegible or easily smeared.  Another factor to consider is that many refilled units tend to leak due to the way they must be refilled, and they usually do not carry any performance guarantee.

OEM Pros 

Quality of ink tends to be higher

Comes with a service guarantee

Intended specifically for use in your machine

Has new, clean components that makeup the cartridge

Quality of prints tends to be higher

OEM Cons

More expensive

Refillable Pros

Relatively inexpensive

Comparable quality to OEM cartridges

Environmentally friendly

Refillable Cons

Usually do not have a service guarantee

Ink tends to leak

Potential damage can be caused to the printer

Do some printer manufacturers discourage printer users from purchasing refilled cartridges?  How?

Most printer manufacturers discourage the use of refilled cartridges.  HP, Cannon, and Lexmark all do not recognize refilled cartridges.  The microchip sensors that communicates the ink levels with the printer are unable to be reset once the cartridge has been expended the first time these leads to the printer not recognizing the cartridge as full and constantly giving errors warning the ink is low.  Most manufacturers also state that the use of refilled cartridges void the manufacturers warranty of the printer due to the potential harm than can come to the printers internal components by using lower quality ink.

How might the purchase and use of refilled printer cartridges impact the work of the support team?  Are users in book production likely to experience increased problems with refilled cartridges that will result in more incidents for the user support team?

Refilled printer cartridges have the ability to create many potential problems.  Ink spillage in the printer or lower quality ink on the internal components can cause the rollers and fusers to become damaged or dirtied to the point where they are no long able to be used.  The holes put into the cartridge to refill it can lead to plastic pieces in the ink that can damage the cartridge and the printer.  The bottom line here is that OEM cartridges are safer and come with fewer potential problems.  When problems do occur they can usually be fixed by the support team quickly or they are covered under the manufacturers warranty.  By using refilled cartridges the problems become more complex, time consuming, and generally won't be solved by the manufacturer.

Users in book production are likely to experience problems with cartridges that are refilled due to the quality of the ink and the cartridge in tandem with the amount of printing taking place.  To cut down the potential for incidents that require the user support teams attention it would be in the best interest to continue using OEM cartridges.