Best Printer Inks and Cartridges 2022
Whether you have a printer at home that you want to fit with high-quality ink, or you’re looking to purchase an inkjet printer cartridge, you could be interested in learning about some of the best printer inks on the market.
At InkStation, we believe the best printer inks and cartridges are those made by the manufacturers of the printers themselves.
Finding the right ink for your printer is largely a personal thing, depending on a number of factors. For example, the best printer ink for you will likely be different to the best printer ink for another person. Factors for choosing printer ink can include the type and brand of printer you have, your budget, and what type of prints you’re looking to create. On top of this, there are both printers that require a new cartridge each time and printers with refillable ink tanks.
Below, we explore some printer inks and cartridges currently on the market, along with some methods to help you choose which printer ink to buy.
Is ink cartridge the same as inkjet?
Ink cartridges are designed for use within inkjet printers. In most cases, ink cartridges are sealed, pre-filled containers that work with a specific brand of printer. You may see the terms “ink cartridge” and “inkjet” used interchangeably.
How to choose your printer ink
There are several factors that can come into play when choosing the best printer ink for your needs. These include:
Price point
When it comes to choosing the best printer ink, you’ll want to consider your budget. You can buy several different types of ink – such as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and compatible cartridges. OEM cartridges are those made by the printer company themselves, while compatible cartridges are those that do not come from the same manufacturer as the printer. Compatible cartridges are usually priced lower than OEM cartridges.
Using compatible printer ink will save you money, but sometimes OEM manufacturers work to improve their products and provide more warranty cover. It’s important that you weigh up how much the potential savings could be against the risk of installing non-quality ink in your printer.
Print volume
If you print a lot of documents, then you’ll probably want to buy a cartridge that can provide enough ink for multiple loads of printing. However, if you’re only planning on printing occasionally, perhaps just one document at a time, then it may be worth buying smaller cartridges for each printing session. This will help to reduce waste.
Print quality
Printer ink comes in different hues, and this can affect the way your photos and documents look. For instance, printer ink that spans a wide range of hues may be best suited to photo printing, while ink that only has two or three hues may suit other purposes better. You’ll also want to consider whether you need lightfastness in your printer ink, as well as how long it lasts.
Colour variants
Some printer ink only has a single colour variant, while others come in multiple colours. While this won’t affect the print quality, you’ll want to consider whether you need more than one colour for your documents and photos.
Remember: when purchasing cartridges or looking to refill existing ones, be sure to buy from a reputable seller. Quality printer ink is not cheap, but you’ll want to avoid the risk of buying poor-quality products that can damage your printer and affect the performance of your cartridges.
Inks for printers
The printer ink market provides many different options to choose between. Below, we’ve outlined a few of these options. This is just a small selection of the types of inks available on the market. Remember, the type of ink you choose will largely depend on the type of printer you have, along with your individual printing needs.
Epson 212
Epson 212 printer ink contains four cartridges and uses both pigment and dye. It comes in options of standard or XL capacity. This printer ink is compatible for use with a range of different Epson printers, including Epson Expression Home XP-2100, Epson Expression Home XP-3105, Epson Expression Home XP-4100, Epson Workforce WF-2830, and the Epson Workforce WF-2810DWF – among others.
Canon PGI-280/CLI-281 ChromaLife 100
This ink system used five to six cartridges, with both pigment and dye. It comes in options of standard, XL, or XXL capacity. Canon PGI-280/CLI-281 ChromaLife 100 can be used in a variety of different Canon printers, including the Canon PIXMA TS6120, Canon PIXMA TR7520, Canon PIXMA TS8152, Canon PIXMA TS8320, Canon PIXMA TR8550, and the Canon PIXMA TS9150 – among others.
HP 62XL Black Original Ink Cartridge – C2P05AN
This black ink uses dual drop technology and comes in an XL size. The HP 62XL Black Original Ink Cartridge is compatible with a wide range of HP printers, including the HP ENVY 5540, HP ENVY 5640, HP ENVY 5665, HP ENVY 7640, HP ENVY 7645, HP OfficeJet 250, HP OfficeJet 5740, HP OfficeJet 5744, and the HP OfficeJet 8040 – among others.
Epson T46Y/T47A UltraChrome PRO10
The Epson T46Y/T47A UltraChrome PRO10 consists of 10 cartridges in a range of different colours. It uses pigment and only exists in the standard size. This ink is compatible for use in Epson SureColour P900 an Epson SureColour P906.
Canon PG-245
The Canon PG-245 is a black ink cartridge that uses pigment to create prints. It’s available in both standard and XL sizes. This printer ink is compatible with a range of different Canon printers, including the Canon PIXMA MG2420, Canon PIXMA MG2922, Canon PIXMA MX492, and the PIXMA iP2820 – among others.
At InkStation, we stock a wide range of different ink cartridges. Printer inks are generally made to work within specific printers, so it’s important to read your printer’s owner manual and work out what types of ink your machine accepts before you make your ink purchase. Once you’ve learned what type of ink your printer accepts, you can begin researching specific varieties to use. Remember to always take into account your budget and how often you intend to be printing when choosing your printer ink.
