Alternatives to HP 21/22 ink cartridges

[Adam]

Greetings, printer experts! My previous inkjet printer (Canon i550) had
died, so I pulled out the HP Deskjet D1430 from the back of my closet
and set it up. It had come free with my system, and stayed unopened in
the closet for the past two years. Setting it up was no problem.
However, it uses the HP 21 black and HP 22 tricolor ink cartridges,
which apparently are infamous for their high cost per page.

So... I have two questions. One, since the printhead is part of the
cartridge, does that mean that if I manage to wreck a printhead, all I
have to do is buy a new cartridge?

Two, what alternatives would you recommend to reduce ink costs for this
printer? I gather my choices are (a) buy remanufactured cartridges, (b)
refill cartridges myself, (c) install continuous-feed ink supply, and
probably (d), (e), and (f) that I don't even know about yet. I'll
consider anything. Even methods with somewhat lower print quality, as
long as I can put quality cartridges back in for critical printouts.

I'd especially like to hear people's experiences with various methods
and vendors, such as which methods have worked or failed and how much
trouble they were. Also which vendors that are reputable (and
preferably inexpensive), or which should be avoided. I'm in the U.S.,
if that makes any difference.

This Deskjet would be used along with my HP Color LaserJet 5 (yes, there
are still a few in use), which is OK but slow, and cheap on consumables
but expensive on power.

Thanks VERY much in advance for any enlightenment!

Adam

 

[Jonathan L. Parker]

Greetings, printer experts! My previous inkjet printer (Canon i550) had
died, so I pulled out the HP Deskjet D1430 from the back of my closet
and set it up. It had come free with my system, and stayed unopened in
the closet for the past two years.

Just out of curiosity, how much did they try to con you into thinking it
was worth? My similar D1420 cost me all of $38 at Walmart. I could
never help but laugh whenever I saw an ad with one like it thrown into
some package deal and described as being "a $69.95 value."

Setting it up was no problem.
However, it uses the HP 21 black and HP 22 tricolor ink cartridges,
which apparently are infamous for their high cost per page.

So... I have two questions. One, since the printhead is part of the
cartridge, does that mean that if I manage to wreck a printhead, all I
have to do is buy a new cartridge?
Yes.


Two, what alternatives would you recommend to reduce ink costs for this
printer? I gather my choices are (a) buy remanufactured cartridges, (b)
refill cartridges myself, (c) install continuous-feed ink supply, and
probably (d), (e), and (f) that I don't even know about yet.

I've never tried (a), but from what I've seen your savings will be
somewhere in the area of $1-$2 per cartridge for the 21 and maybe $3 for
the 22 if you go the brick-and-mortar route. You'll likely do better
online.

Personally I prefer (b) using generic refill kits but that's probably
because I'm not picky about quality and really don't print as much as I
used to. In the couple of years I've had my printer I think I may have
saved myself the cost of maybe three or four 22s (I'm still using the
original 21 I bought; refilling a black cartridge yourself is a lot
easier and safer than doing a tricolor because you can't screw up and
cross-contaminate the sponges, which is what usually does them in). Be
forewarned, however, that successful DIY refilling requires patience and
attention to detail, and it can get messy. Something else you might
want to consider along this line is having the cartridges refilled for
you if anyone nearby offers this service. The Walgreens drugstore chain
often runs specials where they'll fill them for perhaps $10.

Frankly, I just can't see the justification for going to the expense and
trouble of (c) even if such a system were available for such a low-end
printer. Besides, if you're printing enough for this to make sense, you
probably ought to be using a laser printer in the first place.

As for (d), (e) and (f)...well, you could always try your hand at
shoplifting, but that's likely to prove untenable given its big
downside: Getting caught tends to negate all your savings.

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[Adam]

HP Deskjet D1430 [...] It had come free with my system

Just out of curiosity, how much did they try to con you into thinking it
was worth? My similar D1420 cost me all of $38 at Walmart. I could never
help but laugh whenever I saw an ad with one like it thrown into some
package deal and described as being "a $69.95 value."

Hi Jonathan! I can't find the sale flyer from two years ago, but $59.95
or $69.95 sounds about right. The deal was that for $25 above their
regular price on this bottom-end Compaq desktop, they'd include a
printer and a monitor (17" CRT, "value" over $100), neither of which I
really needed, but it was the best deal at any of the local stores that
week. I think the $38 you paid sounds about right.

Yes.

Good, that removes the worry about non-OEM ink wrecking everything. My
previous inkjet had a separate printhead which had a replacement cost
almost as high as the printer itself. OTOH ink was a lot cheaper for it.

Personally I prefer (b) using generic refill kits but that's probably
because I'm not picky about quality and really don't print as much as I
used to.

That sounds reasonable to me, especially since I can temporarily put
back the HP cartridge if I need a "quality" printout. What brands (or
suppliers) of refill kits have worked better for you? Are there any I
should avoid?

Be
forewarned, however, that successful DIY refilling requires patience and
attention to detail, and it can get messy.

I did it a few years ago with a cheapo Lexmark, so I have some idea.

Something else you might want
to consider along this line is having the cartridges refilled for you if
anyone nearby offers this service. The Walgreens drugstore chain often
runs specials where they'll fill them for perhaps $10.

I hadn't heard of that, but there is a Walgreens not too far from here.
OTOH if they can do it for $10 and make a profit, I can probably do it
myself for less.

Besides, if you're printing enough for this to make sense, you
probably ought to be using a laser printer in the first place.

I agree. I do have a laser printer, an HP Color LaserJet 5. It's 13
years old, the size of a window air conditioner, weighs 102 lbs. empty,
noisy, takes about five minutes to warm up, and for color can be as slow
as 0.2 ppm. OTOH I got a good price on it (free), consumables (thru
eBay) are ridiculously cheap, and for b/w is fast enough once it warms
up. I'm planning to use that for most of my b/w printing, and use the
Deskjet mainly for photos, those few things where color really matters,
and I suppose an occasional quick b/w page here and there.

As for (d), (e) and (f)...well, you could always try your hand at
shoplifting, but that's likely to prove untenable given its big
downside: Getting caught tends to negate all your savings.

I noticed that at the local Staples (office supply chain), of all the
ink cartridges only the HPs were in those theft-resistant clear plastic
boxes. Apparently shoplifting is a bigger problem with HP carts than
any other brand.

Thanks again for your valuable suggestions on this!

Adam

 

[Jonathan L. Parker]

Adam wrote:

What brands (or
suppliers) of refill kits have worked better for you? Are there any I
should avoid?

In recent years I've pretty much gone with what I can find locally.
Since they're generic it's pretty much six of one, half a dozen of the
other as far as quality is concerned. I did prefer Nu-kote to NCR not
only because it was cheaper but also because Nu-kote's bellows-like
syringe bottles were easier to handle than NCR's plunger-type syringes,
especially if you wanted to try sucking a little spilled ink back into
the syringe after an accident. Actually you can do this with NCR's
syringes too if you fashion a hook from a paper clip to pull the plunger
back up but this just doesn't work as well for me. Sadly, Walmart
doesn't carry refill kits anymore, at least not around here, so NCR is
all that's available to me right now.

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[Arthur Entlich]

If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

Greetings, printer experts! My previous inkjet printer (Canon i550) had
died, so I pulled out the HP Deskjet D1430 from the back of my closet
and set it up. It had come free with my system, and stayed unopened in
the closet for the past two years. Setting it up was no problem.
However, it uses the HP 21 black and HP 22 tricolor ink cartridges,
which apparently are infamous for their high cost per page.

So... I have two questions. One, since the printhead is part of the
cartridge, does that mean that if I manage to wreck a printhead, all I
have to do is buy a new cartridge?

Yes, but they don't come cheap, as you know.

Two, what alternatives would you recommend to reduce ink costs for this
printer? I gather my choices are (a) buy remanufactured cartridges, (b)
refill cartridges myself, (c) install continuous-feed ink supply, and
probably (d), (e), and (f) that I don't even know about yet. I'll
consider anything. Even methods with somewhat lower print quality, as
long as I can put quality cartridges back in for critical printouts.

I don't think continuous ink systems are a real option for printers
which have a cartridge/head combo cartridge. The reason these heads are
replaced with each cartridge replacement is because they are not
designed to last very long. People report anything from one to ten
refills with HP cartridges. They use a thermal nozzle design, which
tends to break down with use, due to the continual heating and cooling
process. Although Canon and HP both developed more robust versions
which are separate heads which can last up to a couple years of use,
unlike Piezo ink head which work mechanically, they all eventually fail.

The ones which are integrated into the cartridge are simply not designed
for longterm use, so attaching a system for continuous ink is a losing
battle, unless the CIS provides a different head design with it.

There aren't too many remanufactured options with these printers. HP has
"discouraged" retailers from selling them, although a few big box stores
may still carry some. There are kits for home refilling, but try to get
one that qualifies the ink as specific to your printer if possible
rather than a generic ink, as the formulations do vary a fair amount.

Some refill services will warrant the head/cartridge so if you get a dud
they will either refund your money or replace it. Because of the
design, there isn't a lot to go wrong with a refill which can damage
your printer. You may get some poorer quality print results, or less
accurate color rendition, but with this type of cartridge and head
design, there is little a bad cartridge can do to your printer to harm
it, as long as it doesn't explode or something silly like that.

Most refill services either return your cartridge or offer an exchange
service.

I'd especially like to hear people's experiences with various methods
and vendors, such as which methods have worked or failed and how much
trouble they were. Also which vendors that are reputable (and
preferably inexpensive), or which should be avoided. I'm in the U.S.,
if that makes any difference.

I don't own and HP printers, so I can't comment.

This Deskjet would be used along with my HP Color LaserJet 5 (yes, there
are still a few in use), which is OK but slow, and cheap on consumables
but expensive on power.

Good for you for trying to use your stuff "up", rather than leaving it
to dwindle in the back of your closet.

If you are interested in trying to get your Canon printer functional
again (it may have a blown head, in which case the only fix is a new
head), I do have a free head clog manual you can ask for. It isn't as
complete as my Epson version, but some people have succeeded with the
information to get their Canon printer working again.

You can get the manual by emailing me at:

e-printerhelp(at)mvps(dot)org

(at) = @
(dot) = .

Make sure to mention the problem you are encountering and the printer
brand and model in your email.

Art

 

[Adam]

In recent years I've pretty much gone with what I can find locally.

Thanks for your advice, Jonathan. It sounds like it boils down to
availability and personal preference (and, as Art mentioned, type of ink).

Adam

 

[Adam]

[The HP Deskjet D1430] uses the HP 21 black and HP 22 tricolor ink
cartridges, which apparently are infamous for their high cost per page.

So... I have two questions. One, since the printhead is part of the
cartridge, does that mean that if I manage to wreck a printhead, all I
have to do is buy a new cartridge?

Yes, but they don't come cheap, as you know.

Well, that depends on how often I have to buy one. ;-)

The reason these heads are
replaced with each cartridge replacement is because they are not
designed to last very long. People report anything from one to ten
refills with HP cartridges.

I didn't realize that, but that's something important to remember. That
means I'll still have to buy an occasional HP cartridge. Well, at least
they're easy to find, and I suppose I'll want to use one for the few
things that require the best print quality.

There aren't too many remanufactured options with these printers. HP has
"discouraged" retailers from selling them, although a few big box stores
may still carry some.

The only likely stores around here would be Staples, Office Depot, or
Best Buy. Maybe Wal-Mart. I'll have to check them. I wouldn't expect
to find any at, say, Target or K-Mart. I should check their websites --
if it's not on their website, there's no way it would be in their store.

There are kits for home refilling, but try to get
one that qualifies the ink as specific to your printer if possible
rather than a generic ink, as the formulations do vary a fair amount.

It sounds like home refilling will be cheapest, and it should mostly be
a matter of shopping around online.

Good for you for trying to use your stuff "up", rather than leaving it
to dwindle in the back of your closet.

I think, even allowing for power consumption, the laser will be a lot
cheaper per page than the inkjet. My strategy (unless anybody can
suggest a better one!) will be to use the Deskjet mainly for things
requiring photo- (or near-photo-) quality, or double-sided, or quick
(under one page) b/w documents because of the LaserJet's substantial
warm-up time.

If you are interested in trying to get your Canon printer functional
again (it may have a blown head, in which case the only fix is a new
head), I do have a free head clog manual you can ask for. It isn't as
complete as my Epson version, but some people have succeeded with the
information to get their Canon printer working again.

Thanks, but I think the biggest problem was the ink waste tank. (And my
"attempts" to repair that.) I don't think the print head was clogged.
And the printer was 7 years old, so I figured it probably wouldn't last
much longer anyway. It's already been discarded, except for the ink
cartridges which I can turn in for store credit at a local Staples or
Office Depot, and the printhead. BTW, does anybody here want the
printhead from my late Canon i550?

Incidentally, what they say about HP printers being Linux-friendly and
Canon printers being unfriendly was certainly my experience too. It had
taken considerable effort to get the Canon working correctly under
Linux, but the HP practically installed itself, along with some helpful
utilities, on my Mandriva 2010.0 system.

Thanks VERY much for your help with this, and with everything in this
newsgroup!

Adam

 

[Roland6]

My HP F2280 uses the 21/22 cartridges. I basically watchout for who ever is running the best promotion; which isn't always online.
If I have to purchase HP I get the XL versions - the capacity of these is broadly equivalent to the remanufactured variants. Over the years, I've had very few black cartridges fail, but a higher incidence of colour cartridge failure hence I try to ensure I always have a spare set in stock - just in case they are needed when doing an important midnight printout.

If you wish to replace your printer then I would suggest you look at other printer manufacturers, the Lexmark Professional range seem to have good Total Cost of Ownership. From personal experience I would avoid the HP Officejet Pro 8500 ...

Once you have your shortlist, it may be worth talking to the sales/floor staff in PC World/Staples et al. as there are often unpublished trade-in deals over and above the public offers I've disposed of several printers in this way.