Why no one is using Megatoners Canon cartridge?

[tygger]

Sorry to bring back an old thread. I just bought a new Epson Workforce 310 AIO and was shopping around for inexpensive ink.

I saw that Ebay had a bunch of replacement cartridges for this printer for only about $2 shipped, but everyone here warns that using cheap ink will kill the printer. My buddy said he orders generics from megatoners for his old Canon printer and has been happy. Said that for the amount he saves from generics vs oem, he could buy another used printer.

I'm contemplating about ordering from them vs ebay also, but are the megatoner cartridges the same cheap ink that everyone here dislikes? Their reseller rating is horrible: http://www.resellerratings.com/store/MegaToners

I don't need high quality prints or the need to have the prints last for years. Most of my printing will be for school papers, etc. I just don't want to destroy my new printer in the process.

Thanks

 

[websnail]

I think you pretty much answered your own question with this:

My buddy said he orders generics from megatoners for his old Canon printer and has been happy

It's a different printer, brand and it's old... It's like getting a friends opinion of your new Honda car when they ride a motorbike to work and hate cars.. Not overly applicable.

Probably more telling though is this:
How could a decent ink supplier sell cartridges (including shipping) for $2 a piece... Something has to give so is it:
- labour
- quality of parts
- quality of inks
- quality of aftersales service
- all of the above.

I know nothing of this particular company but based on the pricing, I'd run for the hills..

 

[tygger]

I thought my friend's experience would be applicable because wouldn't a generic replacement for his printer be of similar quality as one for my printer? He said one thing I should be worried about is that mine has a chip in the cartridge and he's not sure if my printer would recognize it.

 

[websnail]

I thought my friend's experience would be applicable because wouldn't a generic replacement for his printer be of similar quality as one for my printer?

In a word "No".

Most of the experienced folks on here generally shudder whenever queries about "Universal" or "Generic" inks are posted...

Whilst many of the HP printers being released now are actually rebadged Canon designs, so many things have changed (and continue to change) with printers and inks that anything generic is like playing russian roulette with your printer... You might get lucky, as was your friend, or you might not... and, as you said yourself, you don't want to kill your printer.

There are plenty of reasonably priced alternatives to Generic inks that would be tailored to your printer so I wouldn't assume that just because this option isn't recommended, that other 3rd party options are untenable as well...

 

[pharmacist]

Tried almost every brand of aftermarket cartridge and none was as good as genuine Canon cartridges refilled with an outstanding refill ink (Hobbicolors UW-8, Image Specialists, Inktec). I throwed away my aftermarket cartridges in the dumpster.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Too bad you don't have Staples in Europe. I never throw away cartridges because different chain stores offer different $3 rewards for recycled cartridges at different times.

 

[siusiuenen]

Before i have epson printer and been used aftermarket cart for awhile and here is my stories:
-Colors: colors shift is so off sometime is unbelievable unless you found a good brand have filled with good ink but it's change by the times and it's not for $1 as i believe.
-Defective cart and chips: i don't know how many times i have to return back to seller. Some happily to take care of their job, some don't but i wasted lots of my times. Before that, i don't know what going on and ran some cleaning cycles and end up to buy another set of cart because all the ink is gone after then.
I have try the ciss but no luck.
When i found this forums and jumped on refill cart with all issue's covered by forum's member here and i happily since then.
I think aftermarket cart is good for someones just need a printer to print something like document... in generals. All they need to do is just pop the cart in the printer and print.

And another story of my, I'm able to get the canon i9900 almost brand new for only $40. on craiglist. I expected to get junk but when i saw the printer and very surprised that it's like brand new and the guys have used aftermarket cart. He said he paid about $500 for the printer at that time . He so upset with the print out and think his printer is broke. I'm feel so sorry for him and try to explain what's happen. I even point this forum to him but he so frustrated and want to get rid of it. I'm end up to pay $100 for him. I'll feel like a robber if i'm not doing like that. Still get a good deals.


@ghwellsjir:
Do Staple still get recycle cart on any brand? I heard they only take Hp' oem for now and i not sure if it corrected. I still have a lots of empty aftermarket left.

P.S: Ops, i just saw a thread that's talking about it. Thanks anyway.

 

[leo8088]

You may want to try Hobbicolors UW8 ink set on your i9900. Had the seller used it I don't think he would have wanted to sell his printer. What's good about Hobbicolors UW8 inks? Well, number one feature is it will not clog your print head. Many of my Canon printers are 4 to 5 years old now. I have used UWb ink on all of them and never had any clogging issues. I had an ip8500 which is essentially a smaller ip9900 with a same print head. I printed hundreds of 8x10 photos for about 3 years. It worked just perfectly with Hobbicolors UW8 inks. Well, one day when I turned on the printer the light on the printer kept on blinking. According to the Canon's manual the printer could not recognize the print head. I found it is cheaper to buy another printer than trying to fix it. So it was gone at that point. I have got a Pro9000 now and once again I am totally enjoying the fabulous photos this printer prints with the same Hobbicolors UW8 inks. I may try to put the print head of my Pro9000 in the dead ip8500 to see if it will fix the printer. If it does I may buy a new print head and put my ip8500 back to work again. But I am concerned there may be too much a risk to try a good print head in the ip8500. If I can find a used i9900 for $50 I may try it. LOL.