Anyone Tried Those Aftermarket Printer Cartridge Fill Kits?

Gene · Feb 3, 2003

I've got an old Lexmark color jetprinter and it works good enough for me but I'm tired of buying new cartridges at $25.00-$30.00 a pop. Do the filler kits work okay?

Ming65 · Feb 3, 2003

Yep there fine. After a while you'll have to replace the cartridge as the nozzles get clogged and the print quality suffers. But depending on the brand this will take a few cartridges. If you are doing high volume printing switch to a laser, they are more economical and better quality.

PointyReckoning · Feb 4, 2003

We got one of those fill kits, it didn't work at all. Used a needle to fill the tanks with ink, but it still wouldn't print. We took it back and bought a real ink cartridge.

probably due to a clogged tip or something, but that tends to happen to ink cartridges.

Ming65 · Feb 4, 2003

Need to soak the nozzles in warm water to unclog them

cpk · Feb 5, 2003

I was told that some printers have a chip in them that prevents them from using refilled cartriges. Check with a computer store, they probably know the brands. The manufactures always figures a way to slow down the consumer and make him pay.

John Andrews · Feb 7, 2003

We tried the cheap refill in our Lexmark Z12.Cheapo wouldn't work,seemed to plug it up.MY advice,spend the extra $.

Brian E · Feb 10, 2003

John Andrews, I have to agree with you. What I have found is that spending the money for the cartridges tends to limit what all I "think" I need copies of, especially for stuff in color. The refillable cartridges sound good but if they are that much of a pain to deal with, I think I will pass on getting them.

Revolvergeek · Feb 11, 2003

For years I would refill printer cartridges with fountain pen ink and an insulin needle. Never had any trouble at all with Sheaffer Skrip or Parker Quink ink. I really kinda liked the look of printing everything in blue/black ink.

First thing to try if they won't print is to take a q-tip dipped into rubbing alcohol and gently clean the contacts and the jets on the bottom. A lot of times the ink dries up and clogs the jets, and a little soak will get them printing again when just refilling them with ink won't.