Cheap Printer Ink Buying Guide
Replacing the ink in your printer is easy to do, but few things are as expensive as ink cartridges from the original equipment manufacturer, whether it be Canon, HP, Epson, or another printer brand. So-called OEM printer ink can cost $20 to $30 for a single color or black cartridge. If you print a lot of photos or own a particularly thirsty printer, you'll need to replace the ink cartridges fairly often. To save money, some consumers opt for remanufactured or compatible printer ink from an established online retailer or office supply store. Remanufactured cartridges are OEM components that have been cleaned, refilled, and tested. Compatible printer ink cartridges, on the other hand, are manufactured and marketed by third-party brands and not endorsed by the printer manufacturer. Either way, the prices are lower than OEM printer ink, but there are tradeoffs, consumers say.
Our Top Pick


4inkjets Review
Pros:
- 2-year return/exchange guarantee.
- Responsive customer service, reviewers say.
- Large selection of ink, toner, paper, and 3D-printing supplies.
- PayPal and Amazon Pay accepted.
- Orders accepted from U.S. and Canadian addresses.
Cons:
- No overnight shipping; UPS 2-day is the fastest option.
- Free shipping only for orders over $50.
Takeaway: No online printer ink vendor earns more positive reviews than 4inkjets. We found far fewer complaints about cartridges that malfunction or leak than for other retailers, although negative reviews do exist. We also found a handful of complaints about shipments that didn't show up, were incomplete, or took a long time to arrive. To their credit, customer service representatives have responded to most negative reviews we saw. Prices aren't always the cheapest, but 4inkjets is usually within a couple dollars of the lowest-priced competitor, and most consumers seem perfectly happy to pay a little more for ink they say they can rely on. Customer service is available seven days a week by phone or online chat. Note: Inkcartridges.com is owned by the same parent company, and both sites sell the same replacement ink cartridges. Prices are similar (slightly higher at Inkcartridges.com, although shipping is free), so we give the nod to 4inkjets for better customer service, based on reviews.

123inkjets Review
Pros:
- 2-year return/exchange policy on all products.
- UPS overnight and 2-day shipping options available.
- Ships to the United States and Canada.
- PayPal and Amazon Pay accepted.
- Very good selection of ink and toner, plus paper and 3D-printing supplies.
Cons:
- Scattered reports of unsatisfactory customer service.
- Prices tend to be slightly higher than competitors'.
- $55 minimum for free shipping.
Takeaway: 123inkjets gets generally positive reviews from consumers, but buyers are not as enthusiastic about this replacement ink vendor as they are about 4inkjets. Reviewers are more apt to complain about receiving defective cartridges, and we found more incidents of poor customer service, as well. Prices vary by printer and brand, but the fact that 123inkjets tends to be a few dollars more expensive than competitors doesn't seem to be an issue with reviewers. It also has the highest free-shipping threshold among the sites we researched. Still, most of its replacement ink cartridges get very high ratings from owners.

Carrot Ink Review
Pros:
- Prices tend to be lower than competitors'.
- UPS overnight and 2-day shipping options available.
- 1-year "no questions" warranty on all products.
- Free return shipping.
Cons:
- No ratings for individual ink cartridges.
- No paper or 3-D printing supplies available.
- $40 minimum for free shipping.
- Ships only to U.S. addresses.
Takeaway: Like 4inkjets and 123inkjets, Carrot Ink has been around since the late 1990s, and in the past it has been a reviewer favorite. But recent online reviews of Carrot Ink are harder to find. The reviews it does get from consumers are largely positive, and prices are lower than other retailers' for the sample inks we compared. An added bonus: Carrot Ink pays for return shipping, something not all retailers do. The company offers customer support by email and by phone Monday through Friday.