OT: Mertline R800 ink VS Epson ink

donp wrote on 6/17/2004, 7:37 PM

I hann't had to change any ink cartriges yet but I would like to know If anyone has used the $7.00 R-800 or other compatible ink cartriges from Meritline and how do they compare to the $14.00 cartriges from Epson.

I'm still on my original Epson cartriges but I see I need to get new ones soon and need to know if there is a marked difference in quality.

Thanks,
Don

Comments

riredale wrote on 6/17/2004, 11:02 PM

I came across this site the other day, and it has lots of great trivia about inks.

Bottom line: if you want permanence, use the vendor's ink and the vendor's paper. If you use aftermarket inks, not only will the color balance be different, but it can start to fade, in some cases, in a matter of months.

I use Epson ink in my C80, but refill the cartridges in my Canon multifunciton printer.

craftech wrote on 6/18/2004, 3:31 AM

Try here. They have genuine Epson cartridges for that printer for $11.49.

John

donp wrote on 6/18/2004, 5:36 AM

OK, I that was my thinking too. Craftech, thak's for the link, I'll be ordering today.

wcoxe1 wrote on 6/18/2004, 7:59 AM

I keep two sets. One for photos, and one for trash.

Jsnkc wrote on 6/18/2004, 8:35 AM

I've used the meritline refilled cartridges in my Epson 900 and I would NEVER use them again. The print quality was terrible, you have to clean the print heads all the time. I only stick with genuine Epson cartridges now.

dvdude wrote on 6/18/2004, 8:52 AM

I've been running my Photo EX on third party ink for about three years now with no adverse effects. I only use it for non-critical work though, I have a Stylus Photo 2200 for more important stuff that I only run on Epson ink (even if there was a choice, I'd still use epson ink in it).

riredale wrote on 6/18/2004, 9:46 AM

By the way, it's true that the printer manufacturers basically give their printers away and make all their money on ink, just like the razor blade industry.

BUT, there is still fierce competition in the industry between HP, Canon, and Epson. From what I've seen, the Epson cost per page is significantly lower than HP's, so HP is probably limited in their ability to raise prices. Unless you believe there is a giant conspiracy between the printer makers, then good old competition between them and with the aftermarket ink suppliers will keep prices in check.

I can't speak for Epson or Canon, but I know a little bit about HP. I once worked for the company and a few years back my job involved calling on the Corvallis, Vancouver (Washington), and San Diego divisions, which are the ones deeply involved in inkjet printer development. They spend a huge amount of money and effort on ink development. The HP situation is especially complex, because the HP cartridges fire ink by literally "boiling" the ink inside with tiny heating pads mllions of times a second. The pads reach a temperature of thousands of degrees momentarily, so the ink chemists have to figure out formulations that are immune to such temperatures.

Here is one site that goes into this stuff in some detail.

Jay Gladwell wrote on 6/18/2004, 10:49 AM

With my Canon i950 I've been using Carrot Inks and been very pleased. Looks great, no clogs (yet), and is half the price of Canon brand inks. So why pay more?

J--