Best Filled Non-OEM Cartridges for Canon ip4000 & i860?

[Photog]

I've been looking for filled, non-OEM cartridges with good-looking ink, and especially ink that won't clog the printhead. I think some bad ink is what toasted my ip4000's printhead, and now I'm really paranoid about avoiding that problem again. (The printer's working now with another printhead)

After lots of searching here, I'm planning to buy some filled cartridges from Alotofthings.com, but they're about to drop their ink line. Who else is out there with reliable filled cartridges?

I know a lot recommend refilling your own, and I might go for that later, but right now I'm looking for the pre-filled non-OEM cartridges.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[tony uk]

cartridge world maybe

 

[Manuchau]

If you live in Canada, I would try the compatibles available under the "coraljet" label

http://www.idiya-solutions.com/blank.html

I have had great performance with these compatibles, and have sold 100s of these in the last year with no complaints from customers, which is rare indeed. Most compatibles are problematic from time to time, but these have been problem-free....so far.

If you do NOT live in Canada, check out the Coraljet availability in your country

 

[Photog]

I'm in the US, but I'll take a look.
Thanks

 

[ajt]

Hi,
I want to start a cartridge refilling business.
What I need to know about starting this business.
Good refilling machines for cartridge and toner refilling
suppliers of consumables like ink, clips, empty cartridges and tonners etc.

thanks
antony

 

[msmart]

ajt, welcome to the forum. I suggest that you read the threads in this sub-forum

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=20

and post your questions there.

 

[pharmacist]

Don't bother: search for empty original Canon cartridges, purge them and refill them with good ink like Hobbicolors UW-8/Image Specialists (Precisioncolors.com/Inktec and forget the fuzz with aftermarket cartridges. It is not worth the money and refill is so easy with the German Durchstich refill method: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/the-german-durchstich-refill-method.php.

 

[Tin Ho]

I've been looking for filled, non-OEM cartridges with good-looking ink, and especially ink that won't clog the printhead. I think some bad ink is what toasted my ip4000's printhead,

It's not just the ink that contributed to the clogging of your print head before. It was very likely the quality of the ink cartridge that deserves the credit for destroying the print head. The compatibility of ink as well as the compatibility, which is really quality a different word of quality, together need to perform a simply task - feeding the print head with a correct amount of ink.

If too much ink is fed to the print head it may cause ink to leak out of the nozzles. This has been a very common problem and the consequence can be from slightly banding to large streaking to all kinds of clogging symptoms. But this is not a clogging. No mistake about it. Frequently ink contamination is a result of more severe leaking of ink.

If the ink /cartridge combined results in feeding too little ink to the print head the print head gets overheated. The the nozzles are really 1 or 2 pico-liter ovens. Such tiny amount of ink can be quickly fried into another form as gelatin which will clog up the nozzles. This is when a real clogging occurs. If you keep printing the print head will likely be destroyed.

There are a lot of cheap inks out there. Check out the reputation of the brand name before buying. You may save a few bucks but the real cost may be the cost of a new print head later. Ebay is flooded with inks made in Asian factories. There are serious doubt about the compatibility of those inks. There are also serious questions about the color performance of the inks too. You can easily identify them by reading the item description. They usually use for example 100 ml rather than 4 oz bottles. There is at least one brand that says 4 oz but also says 110 ml. That's really 110 ml of ink in a 100 ml bottle. It's not really 4 oz. Look at the photos too. If the packaging looks like factory packaging it will be obvious if the packaging is USA or Asian.

Not all Asian originated inks are bad of course. The problem is where to find them. Pharmacist's recommendation of inks is very sound. There are serveral choices. Refilling OEM cartridges may be more work but you will save the most and your chance of success is much higher.