Buyers ‘should seek out cheap ink deals’

Printer owners have been encouraged to seek out cheap ink cartridges in order to combat increased prices by some manufacturers.

It was noted by PC World that brands such as Epson, Kodak and Lexmark have increased the cost of their consumables over the last three years, with most ink prices climbing faster than the rate of inflation.

Therefore, the website said: “Regardless of which printer you own, it never hurts to shop around for the lowest-cost source for replacement inks.” It also suggested third-party inks may be a better option for some people, though it added users should do research before going down this route.

PC World noted Kodak remains among the cheapest options for ink supplies, despite the fact it has raised prices across its range in the last year.

However, the publication’s Melissa Riofrio suggested people should look at all the factors involved when choosing a printer and not focus solely on the base price of replacement ink.

For example, while the cost of Lexmark ink has increased recently, she observed the quality of the company’s machines has improved as well.

She also highlighted the case of HP, as although some of its prices for Officejet machines have gone up, the number of pages a person can expect to print per cartridge has also risen, “so the cost per page remains essentially unchanged from generation to generation in this instance”.

It was also noted Canon machines could offer people a good deal, as its prices have remained comparatively stable compared with other manufacturers, while it keeps costs down by using the same ink cartridges across many of its models.

Previously, it was stated by PC World that individuals should think about how often they intend to use their machine when making a purchase, as heavier users may find it is cheaper in the long run to purchase a more expensive device that can offer more economical ink replacements, while occasional users could be better off with cheaper hardware.