Printer Ink Scams: Outsmart Deceptive Practices & Save Money
| Jul 19, 2024
Is printer cartridge scam?
In today’s busy world, printers have always been our companion, either for personal or professional use. But do you know that printer companies use some hidden practices you might not know of? For instance, have you seen your prints having colors when printing black text only? Or does your printer give you low ink warnings when the cartridges are not truly empty? These examples make many people question whether ink cartridges are a scam.
So today, let’s tackle all about printer ink scams to help you avoid falling for them in the future. We’ll also provide helpful tips on how to protect yourself and save on printer ink costs. Now, let’s begin!
In this article, we will discuss:
- Printer Ink Scams: The Dark Side of Printing
- Low-cost Printers, High-cost ink
- Printer Ink Consumption: What You Didn’t Know
- Tactics to Limit Ink Choices
- Intentional Product Aging
- Ink Subscription Services: Value or Waste?
- Ink-Based Scanning
- Printer Cartridge Scam: Tips To Protect Yourself
Printer Ink Scams: The Dark Side of Printing
A printer ink scam occurs when printer manufacturers or sellers use dishonest tactics to make you spend more money on ink. These tactics include selling low-price printers but high-cost ink, limiting the use of cheaper compatible or remanufactured cartridges, and even ink subscription programs. These scams take advantage of consumers, leading to unnecessary expenses and frustration. So, let’s discuss each of these printer ink cartridge scams so we can know how to avoid them.
1. Low-cost Printers, High-cost ink
Printer manufacturers often attract customers with low printer prices. But here’s the twist: the real cost lies in those ink cartridges. This ‘razor and blades’ business strategy involves selling printers at a low upfront cost while generating profits from selling expensive ink cartridges.
So, how expensive are printer ink cartridges?
These ink cartridges can be shockingly expensive, sometimes costing more than luxury items like Russian caviar when you think about their weight. In fact, they can even surpass the price per gallon of a bottle of 1985 Krug vintage champagne.
In Austin McConnell’s YouTube video ‘Ink Cartridges Are A Scam,’ he shared his experiences from his previous job in technical support. He pointed out that a set of ink cartridges used to be priced at $59.95, while it only cost about $0.23 to produce one ounce of ink. This shows that printer ink cartridges have been sold to consumers at a much higher price than they’re actually worth.
2. Printer Ink Consumption: What You Didn’t Know
Did you know that you might be getting less than you bargained for when it comes to ink? Printers have a surprising ink consumption pattern. Yes, they use ink for printing documents and images – that’s the obvious part. But there are some aspects that many people aren’t even aware of.
A. Printer Maintenance Cycle
We all know that keeping our printers in good shape is essential, but most people miss how much ink these necessary tasks can use. According to Rich Sulin, who leads CR’s printer-testing program, most people aren’t really aware of the maintenance needs of inkjets. What might surprise you is that it’s pretty typical for an inkjet printer to use as much ink during maintenance as it does for actual printing, as revealed in the Consumer Reports investigation.
In addition, some printers initiate printhead cleaning when you power them off and on, and in some instances, they run a cleaning cycle for every single page you print. This has been tested and confirmed in Fstoppers’ YouTube video, ‘Printer Ink Scam Myths Tested.’
These maintenance actions contribute to higher ink consumption, even if you don’t use your printer often.
B. Color Mixing in Black and White Prints
(Image Source: YouTube Video “Printer Ink Scam Myths Tested”)
One reason you may receive fewer pages than the advertised yield is the deliberate use of “cyan color mixing” by printers, even when printing in black and white. This technique involves adding a small amount of cyan ink to enhance the print quality, resulting in deeper and more defined black text. However, this also means that your cyan ink is being used up even when you think you only print with black ink.
As we can see in the picture above, the print was meant to be black and white, but you can see a blueish color that looks like a shadow behind the letters. This happens because the printer uses some cyan ink along with the black ink.
Manufacturers claim this technique enhances the quality of black prints, but YouTuber Fstoppers conducted a test and debunked this claim in their YouTube video ‘Printer Ink Scam Myths Tested.’
The result? Your cyan ink runs out faster, and you get fewer pages from your cartridges.
3. Tactics to Limit Ink Choices
Printer manufacturers often use strategies to ensure their printers can only use their brand of ink cartridges. One common tactic is frequent firmware updates to maintain this exclusivity.
Typically, firmware updates address bugs and crashes to fix issues and improve a printer’s performance. However, these updates serve a different purpose when using remanufactured or third-party ink cartridges. The updates are designed to block non-OEM cartridges, forcing you to buy the manufacturer’s more expensive ink options. That’s why this is another printer cartridge scam you might not know about.
But if you have updated your printer firmware, you can still use your cheaper ink cartridges by downgrading the firmware. To learn more, check How to Downgrade HP Printer Firmware or Epson Printer Firmware Hack: Reset and Downgrade Tips.
Interesting Fact:
- In 2018, HP had to pay $1.5 million in a court settlement because their printer updates caused fake error messages when people used third-party ink cartridges.
- In October 2019, Epson faced a class action lawsuit because their printer firmware updates blocked the use of compatible cartridges.
4. Intentional Product Aging
Another reason why printer ink is a scam is planned product aging. Below are some of them:
A. Printers Built to Fail
Imagine buying a printer, thinking it will last for years. But it starts breaking down often after a while and stops working with the latest devices. This makes you buy a new printer or invest in repairs, making the ink cartridges you already bought useless and costing you more money.
B. Forced Printer Halt
Chips on the cartridges can force the printer to stop operating when any color runs out, even if other colors are available. Your printer will only work once you replace the empty cartridges.
C. False Low Ink Warnings
Have you ever received an error message from your printer claiming that you’re low on ink, only to replace the cartridge and find that it still has plenty of ink left? This happens because some printers intentionally provide inaccurate low ink warnings, prompting premature cartridge replacements. But is there a solution to this issue? Absolutely! Learn how to bypass this by checking our low ink level error guide.
Interesting Fact:
- HP faced three class action lawsuits in 2010, involving issues like inkjet printers incorrectly indicating low ink levels, cyan ink being used when printing with black ink, and ink cartridges disabling due to false empty cartridge alerts. This legal battle ended up costing them $5 million in settlements.
- Back in 2006, Epson found itself in a similar situation with a class action lawsuit. This time, it was about their inkjet printers and cartridges causing printer functions to halt due to incorrect “empty cartridge” notifications. Epson resolved the case by providing $45 e-coupons to people who had purchased their inkjet printers and cartridges between 1999 and 2006.
- In 2017, several major companies, including Brother, Canon, Epson, and HP, faced allegations of Planned Obsolescence in France. This practice intentionally shortens the lifespan of both printers and ink cartridges, essentially pushing consumers to spend more on their products. While these companies received a relatively modest fine of €15,000, but it was considered a small victory in a long journey.
5. Ink Subscription Services: Value or Waste?
Is HP instant ink a scam? A recent development in the world of printers is the rise of subscription-based ink services like HP Instant Ink. HP claims ink cartridges can be hacked, so using ink subscriptions is safer.
Here’s how HP Instant Ink subscription works: you pay a monthly fee for a set number of pages. While it can be convenient for heavy printers, it might seem like you spend on ink you don’t need if you print infrequently. It’s a fine line between assistance and quietly emptying your wallet.
For instance, imagine subscribing to a $20-per-month service that covers 200 pages. If you regularly print close to or exceed this limit, it’s a good deal. However, if you only print 50 pages monthly, you might pay for unused ink, making it less cost-effective.
What’s surprising is that if you cancel your subscription, HP disables the cartridges, even if they’re full. Some users liken this to needing HP’s permission to use their own printer. So, isn’t this another printer scam?
6. Ink-Based Scanning
Some printers won’t let you use their scanning features if the ink levels are low or empty. Louis Rossmann talks about this problem in his YouTube video, “HP sued over scanner that requires ink.” Imagine needing to scan important documents, but your printer refuses because it says it’s out of ink, even though scanning doesn’t require ink. This frustrating situation is a sad reality for many printer users, and it might even happen to you.
Printer Cartridge Scam: Tips To Protect Yourself
Now that we know about these printer ink scams, how can we protect ourselves from falling victim to them? While avoiding these sneaky tactics entirely is hard, you can still make your printer more efficient and save on ink costs. Here are some practical tips to reduce ink consumption and improve printing experience.
1. Research Before Buying
When looking for a printer, check how efficiently it uses ink during maintenance tasks, as this impacts your overall expenses.
For example, compare the Brother MFC-J775DW XL and the Epson Expression Photo XP-8500, both priced at around $250. Consumer Reports found that the MFC-J775DW XL costs about $27 per year for ink, while the XP-8500 sets you back nearly $280 annually.
Another option is ink tank printers like the Epson EcoTank series. These allow you to refill the ink tank when it’s empty, saving you more money in the long run than replacing entire cartridges.
2. Consider Laser Printers
If you don’t need high-quality photo prints, a laser printer is the best route to save money and avoid printer ink issues. Laser printers use dry toner instead of ink and don’t require toner for maintenance, making them more cost-effective.
3. Proper Printer Placement
Keeping your printers in a cool, shaded location is also essential. Exposure to drier and hotter environments may increase the chance of clogged printheads. When this happens, you’ll have no choice but to clean the printhead, which can lead to unnecessary ink usage.
4. Manually Clean the Printhead
Cleaning the printhead manually when you experience clogged printhead issues or dried ink cartridges helps save a lot of ink. Follow the steps in our printhead cleaning guide for more information on how to do it quickly.
5. Monitor Ink Usage
Don’t rely solely on the printer’s indicator to decide when to replace cartridges. Instead, physically check the cartridge to see if it really needs replacement.
Sometimes, the printer may give a false low ink alert even when there is still ink in the cartridges. In such cases, you can reset the ink cartridges to continue using them. If you have an Epson printer, you can refer to this guide on how to reset Epson ink cartridge without resetter.
6. Subscription Considerations
Before you commit to a subscription, consider the downsides. These drawbacks are usually highlighted less than the benefits. To get a better understanding, just check out what people are saying on the internet.
If you plan to consider an HP ink subscription, check this guide to learn more: ‘What is HP+ Program? Everything You Need To Know’.
7. Power Management
Consider leaving your printer on when it’s not in use to prevent automatic cleaning cycles, which can use ink unnecessarily and contribute to ink wastage.
If you’re concerned about the potential increase in your electricity bill, you can rest easy. According to Sulin, who leads CR’s printer-testing program, modern inkjet printers consume very little power when idle.
8. Disable Printer Firmware Update
If you use cheaper third-party ink or intend to use non-OEM ink cartridges, disable printer firmware updates so you can continue using non-OEM cartridges without any issues.
For those HP printer users who use these ink cartridges, you can check these guides to disable your printer firmware: HP 962/910, HP 58A/X, and HP 63/65.
9. Consider Refilling Your Ink Cartridges
Take advantage of ink cartridge refilling services offered by businesses like Costco or Walgreens. Alternatively, you can opt for a DIY approach by refilling them yourself.
Just ensure you are refilling an original empty cartridge, using a universal refill kit from a trustworthy supplier, and have a guide on how to refill ink cartridges. This eco-friendly practice helps reduce waste and can lead to significant savings compared to purchasing brand-new cartridges.
10. Check for Third-Party Alternatives
Consider trying third-party ink cartridges; they are more reasonably priced, eco-friendly, and work like the original ones.
Some of the most common affordable options are:
They’re made from durable OEM cartridge materials, cleaned, inspected, and refilled to match the performance of the new original cartridge. Choosing remanufactured cartridges saves money and reduces landfill waste, promoting sustainability.
They are made from brand-new parts manufactured by third-party factories to meet OEM specifications. These cartridges undergo meticulous research, production, and testing processes, ensuring quality and performance at par with the original.
CompAndSave is offering both and ink refill kits. Our remanufactured and compatible ink cartridges have been filled with ink formulations that replicate the original, ensuring exceptional quality and performance, all at a fraction of what you would pay for OEM cartridges.
To know more about how much you can save with CompAndSAve, check the table below:
OEM vs. CompAndSave Prices
*Note: Prices mentioned are subject to change without notice.*
The choice between OEM and CompAndSave ink ultimately depends on your priorities. If you’re environmentally conscious, budget-minded, and unwilling to compromise on quality, CompAndSave offers a more cost-effective alternative. When making this decision, it’s crucial to consider your requirements and budget.
Parting Words
So, is printer cartridge scam? Based on what we have uncovered above, the printer ink industry can be seen as a scam because of its high prices and tricky practices by manufacturers.
Some of the sneaky tactics involved in printer ink scams include:
- Printers are cheap upfront, but profits come from overpriced ink.
- Printer maintenance uses a lot of ink, giving you less than the advertised page yield.
- Printers mix cyan ink in black and white printing, forcing early cyan replacement since the printer will not function even if only one ink cartridge is low or out of ink.
- Printer programs and firmware updates are designed to limit the use of non-OEM ink cartridges.
- Printers are designed with limited lifespans, rendering purchased ink useless when it breaks or becomes outdated.
- Cartridge chips can halt your printer if one color runs out, requiring cartridge replacement for it to work again.
- Some printers deliberately give false low ink warnings, leading to premature cartridge replacements.
- Subscription may help save money for heavy printers, but infrequent users may pay for unused ink. Canceling the subscription can disable cartridges.
- Some printers won’t scan if ink levels are low or empty, which can be frustrating when you only need to scan documents.
To help you make the most out of your money, remember to:
- Research before buying to find printers with efficient ink usage during maintenance.
- Keep your printer in a cool, shaded location to prevent issues.
- Physically monitor the ink left in ink cartridges in addition to relying on indicators.
- Manually clean the printhead when necessary to save ink.
- Explore third-party ink cartridges and refilling services for cost savings.
- Disable automatic printer firmware updates when using non-OEM ink.
- Use grayscale printing and high-quality paper when appropriate.
- Choose between OEM and budget-friendly ink based on your needs and budget.
Following these strategies can extend your printer’s lifespan, reduce ink consumption, and save money. Don’t let printer manufacturers take advantage of you; take control of your printing costs today!
Need help with ordering ink? Have questions or need assistance? Reach out to our toll-free helpline at 1-833-465-6888! Our dedicated support team is available Monday to Friday, 6 am-4 pm PT. Get the support you need for a happy printing experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a printer ink scam?
A printer ink scam involves deceptive practices by printer manufacturers or sellers to maximize ink-related profits at the expense of consumers. Examples include not informing consumers proactively that printer maintenance uses a significant amount of ink, false low ink errors, etc. Check the guide above to learn more and save yourself from falling from these tactics.
2. Can I use third-party ink cartridges without voiding my printer’s warranty?
Using third-party cartridges should not void your printer’s warranty. It is strictly ILLEGAL for printer manufacturers to do so. Use of remanufactured or compatible cartridges does not void your warranty as stated in the MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY IMPROVEMENT ACT, United States Code Annotated Title 15 Commerce Trade Chapter 50, Consumer Product Warranties 15 Sections 2302.
3. What should I do with empty ink cartridges?
You can refill them, which is cheaper than buying new ones. If you are not up for it, consider recycling your ink cartridges. Many office supply stores and manufacturers offer recycling programs to reduce environmental impact. You can also check this guide on where to recycle ink cartridges based on brands.
Related Articles:
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HP+ Program: How to Check If It’s Activated On Your Printer?
What is HP Instant Ink Program: Is It Worth It?