Nickname: Mogambo

Review: Dear CompatibleMan: The big box retailers like Staples and Office Depot do not manufacture their own ink. Instead they source it from vendors like INKCYCLE(which is an independent operator) and resell it under their name. Their prices are much higher than an independent operator's. The independent vendors too guarantee 100% of their offerings. So, I would wait and watch before I prejudge the independent vendors.

Date reviewed: Nov 4, 2005 4:39 PM

Nickname: InkRefillMaster

Review: I have worked for a few companies that do cartridge refilling. I have seen both extremely satisfied customers along with very disgruntled customers. Through experience I believe refilling can work for anyone. If you only have some patience, any ink refilling company will get you a refilled cartridge that will work 100%. I have even had customers that told us that their cartridges print better then the ones they bought from OEMs. A properly refilled cartridge will never destroy a printer. Just make sure your using a legit company.

Date reviewed: Nov 4, 2005 12:34 AM

Nickname: CompatableMan

Review: New build compatible cartridges are widely available. Their cost is significantly less. Their brands are highly regarded, like Staples, Office Depot and OfficeMax. These companies are large enough to back their offerings 100%. Why would anyone pay the extortion to the printer brands when they can source a truly viable, lower cost alternative? I trust Staples, Office Depot and OfficeMax MORE than I trust a company making 80% of its enormous profit by selling a $1.00 item for $30.00 to their loyal customers. Some cartridges must be refilled as they are engineered and patented to box the consumer in. I'd rather source this type of recycled product from a multi-billion dollar brand name company that from an independent operator. The OEMs will always maintain dominant market share. However, the smart consumer will look to escape the economic manipulation and the compatibles industry will consolidate into the megaStores.

Date reviewed: Nov 3, 2005 5:38 PM

Nickname: InkSniffer

Review: Three teaspoons of ink (one for each color) is standard in many new cartridges. Yes, refilling ink cartridges can be a frustrating experience and I've had mixed results. Color is much more challenging than black. If you really want to "send a message" to these guys just go buy a new printer when you need more ink and exchange the cartridges before returning the printer as defective. Anyone who claims refilling can be "dangerous" is blowing hot air. I've never damaged a printer or had any inkies explode or leak. Generally speaking, the older model HP printers have larger quantity ink cartridges and are easier to refill. Even if you ONLY refill the black cartridges you are saving big bucks.

Date reviewed: Nov 2, 2005 6:45 AM

Nickname: oldfart

Review: Remember when "One-hour photo" was the franchise rage? High margins and lots of mom-and-pops signing up eventually caught the eye of giants like Wal-Mart and in the blink of an eye (almost) Wal-Mart took over and the franchised mom-and-pops went belly-up. My advice: get in and get out. Stay with the concept no more than 3 years.

Date reviewed: Oct 31, 2005 8:55 PM

Nickname: Impressed

Review: I'm impressed with what Cartridge is doing and will certainly try it. Why didn't I think of this? Duh. People are kidding themselves if they think they need OEM ink for anything including heirloom photos. They can always be reprinted.

Date reviewed: Oct 29, 2005 6:39 PM

Nickname: Dissatisfied User

Review: To say, "the average inkjet cartridge can be reused as many as seven times" is an exaggeration. Why? They don't tell you that the failure rate in these products is above 10%. HP designs their cartridge to specifically fail after a certain number of inkjet droplets have been released. Ultimately the cartridge will malfunction. And if it's in your printer at the time, you may destroy the entire printer and be left with a mess, as I was several months ago. The process of refilling is much more technical than most consumers think. If all you want is average print results, such as a draft copy, then refilling is the way to go. If you want any type of quality results, then stick with the OEM. Although I hate the prices, I only buy OEM today.

Date reviewed: Oct 28, 2005 6:34 PM

Nickname: destruc

Review: Thousands of non-working printers are discarded with their perfectly good cartridges. The franchises should contact recyclers like my firm to purchase these catridges.

Date reviewed: Oct 28, 2005 10:38 AM