Everyone needs to purchase printer cartridges, and buying them online is a good alternative to buying them locally. Here are a few tips to consider before purchasing cartridges for printers.

Buy remanufactured cartridges. When recycled, ink cartridges are taken apart and all of the components of the cartridge are checked, including the corona wire, drum, wiper blade and roller. Any damaged components are then replaced with new ones. Once this is done, the cartridge is cleaned, new ink is added and the printer heads are installed. Remanufacturing ink cartridges is excellent for the environment, since all of the reusable parts are used instead being buried in landfills. Contrary to popular misconception, remanufactured ink cartridges are not inferior -- if you buy from a reliable supplier, you are still guaranteed a cartridge that meets standards stipulated by OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Ink cartridges can typically be remanufactured many times before requiring replacement.

Expect to spend more for your color inkjet cartridges. Color ink typically costs about 30 percent more than black ink, regardless of the store you buy them from. The reason for this is because black ink cartridges have only a single ink cartridge, whereas color cartridges that have three reservoirs for yellow, blue and magenta colors. To save money (and ink), buy a printer with a separate cartridge for each color.

Purchase your printer cartridges in bulk. You can get discounts on some sites by purchasing your ink cartridges in bulk. Other stores sell their cartridges for printers in bundles at discounted prices.

Generic cartridges versus brand name. Most printer manufacturers also manufacture their own cartridges. But this does not mean that another generic compatible version cannot be used in your printer. It is true that manufacturer's cartridges often contain higher quality ink, but the difference between their ink and that of a generic cartridge is minimal. In reality, lower prices are the main difference between the two.

Many consumers believe that they are obligated to buy expensive manufacturer's ink cartridges to avoid the printer's warranty from being voided, but using compatible replacement cartridges usually does not result in a voided warranty. Many big manufacturers including Hewlett Packard, Canon, Apple, IBM, Epson, Brother and Xerox all have generic compatible versions.

Unfortunately, buying brand name printer cartridges is sometimes the only option available to the customer. This is especially true if they are using a newer printer with computer chips embedded in the ink cartridge. In this case, using a generic cartridge will result in a breakdown of communication between the cartridge and the printer, so be cautious and informed when purchasing.

You can get more information about Buying Printer Cartridges by visiting Canon Ink Calgary