Everything You Need to Know About Ink Refilling - Part 2

Refilling ink cartridges was how Men In Ink started. It was a new concept way back then and it took off wildly! Pretty much everything could be refilled, and with a little expertise we kept our customers printing and saved them bucket loads of cash. Fast forward to now and it's a bit of a different story. We still refill everything we possibly can (and you'll still save money!) but the industry has changed quite a bit. Here's part two of the most frequently asked questions we've answered just for you!

My cartridges are refilled but my printer says they’re still empty.

What do I do?

Refer to the information sheet you received with your refilled cartridges for more specific instructions to help you continue printing. Remember, ink levels shown are always an estimate and never 100% accurate. It's not necessary that they work for you to keep printing.

How long can I store my refilled cartridges?

Be sure to let us know you'd like to store your cartridges when you drop them off for a refill. We’ll prepare them properly and give you the information you need to keep them in good shape. Our capping system is one of the best in the industry, allowing cartridges we’ve sealed and packaged for storage to be used months after they’ve been refilled!

Will refilling damage my printer?

We only replacing ink that already existed in your cartridge - nothing we do can damage your printer!

Will using refilled or compatible cartridges void my printer warranty?

Printer companies want you to believe this, but it’s simply not true! We have laws in Canada and the USA to prevent companies from selling you a product (a printer) and then forcing you to buy further products (ink cartridges) from them to keep your warranty valid. This practice is called tied selling and it’s illegal. You should be aware that printer companies make very high profit margins from their cartridges and function on such a business model. Bottom line? Don’t be scared off when you see phrases like “might void your warranty.” 

We wrote more in depth on this top in our blog “What Printer Manufacturers Don’t Want You To Know”

Why do I need to run clean cycles after I get my ink tank style cartridges refilled?

Any time an inkjet printer sits dormant, the printhead can clog and require some clean cycles to get up and running again. If you get your refills done quickly, you might avoid having to do so! Print head style cartridges shouldn't need any clean cycles - we refill and print test them (wherever possible) so they're good to go.

What if my refilled cartridge isn’t working properly?

Get in touch so we can help you sort out the problem! We guarantee our services and will absolutely do our best to remedy any situation. 

I did a software update on my printer and now I'm having trouble with my cartridges. Why?

Printer manufacturers can use software updates to make your current refilled or compatible cartridges suddenly obsolete. This has nothing to do with the cartridges themselves, but everything to do with the cartridge computer chips and how they interact with the printer's updated software... a somewhat forceful encouragement to use only their name brand cartridges. If this has happened to you, get in touch and we'll do whatever we can to help.

IMPORTANT: Don't give your printer permission to do automatic software updates. Instead, allow it to prompt you when a software update is available and then you can choose when to allow it the go ahead, hopefully avoiding this whole issue.

Are refilled cartridges and re-manufactured cartridges basically the same thing?

No, definitely not. Remanufacturing means that used cartridges are shipped to China (or similar) where they are refilled, repaired and repackaged and then sent back to Canada for resale. If coming from a reputable retailer who will guarantee performance, they can work well. Refilling avoids further use of resources, packaging and transport, having a much smaller environmental footprint.

Can you refill my cartridge with edible ink?

Yes, it's possible! We don't have edible ink on hand, but if you bring us the ink and your empty cartridges, we can clean them out and fill them for you.

Do you recommend continuous ink systems for printers? 

No, we don't recommend these systems for home users. They're prone to clogging and other issues, and could even become unattached and leak a large quantity of ink. As an alternative, there are many high capacity cartridges now that can print thousands of pages per refill. If you're dead set on it, be sure to do some research beforehand like reading reviews and looking at ink & product quality. For certain businesses these systems can be a good option, but again, research into a particular product is key. Feel free to get in touch with us if you have further questions or concerns about continuous ink systems.

Can I refill my own ink cartridges?

Yes, often you can refill your own ink cartridges. However, there are many variables to consider, like cartridge type, chip technology resetting or replacement, using the correct ink, doing the right procedures and getting the right tools. We usually don't recommend it because we'd rather use our tools and experience to fill your cartridges for you! The additional savings usually don't justify the grief, but we do sell bulk ink and can help you give it a try if you're determined.

We hope that helped answer some questions you had or perhaps didn't think to ask about ink refills. We're always around to answer further questions and give sound printing advice, so feel free to get in touch. Please share or comment if this helped you or might help someone else you know.