We know that the cost of HP ink is too high. We know that Lexmark and Dell will sell you a printer at a very low price and then charge you around $60 to replace both cartridges. We know that when measured in cost per ounce, printer ink is one of the most expensive things around (more expensive than 1985 Dom Perignon, according to the BBC). We know that it takes a pretty significant amount of oil to manufacture ink and toner cartridges. We know that hundreds of millions of cartridges are thrown out every year - estimates range from 200-350 million.

We know all these things because we are supposed to know them. This is our industry so we’d better know them. But not everybody is aware of all these facts, which is why it is good that articles like this appear every so often.

The article does a good job showing both the monetary and the environmental benefits of using refilled or remanufactured cartridges. It brings up important facts like the ones we mentioned above, while also noting things like this:

And there’s really no need to throw them out. Laser toner cartridges are reusable, and most inkjet cartridges can also be refilled and reused a half-dozen times or more.

The printer manufacturers try to discourage this, by issuing dire warnings of the risks of using other inks in their printers, frequently changing the cartridge technology and even taking remanufacturers and refillers to court.

They are correct with both statements. There is really no reason to throw away inkjet or laser cartridges, even if you have no interest in refilling them yourself. You can always find some way to recycle them, either through some type of recycling fundraiser at a local school or just by dropping it off at Staples. Also, they are correct in saying that the printer manufacturers do whatever they can to discourage people from using anything but their products. They used to threaten that using refilled products would void your warranty, but they seem to have backed off that in recent times. These days they just tout the superiority of their cartridges and find different ways to say that anything else is just not as awesome.

Refill, don’t replace [The Seattle Times]

Canon announced yesterday that they are introducing a new line of multifunction printers, the MF6500 series. This group includes the MF6530, MF6550, MF6560 and the MF6580, all of which have the same basic features; printing, copying, faxing and scanning. All these machines are laser multifunctions which are rated at 23 pages per minute for printing and copying. The MF6530 is the entry level model and the MF6580 is the deluxe, although it would probably be pretty hard to tell them apart just by looking at them. The MF6560 and MF6580 feature more advanced faxing features than the other two models, including a 1000 page memory (versus a measly 256 page memory for the MF6550). All machines feature a 500-sheet front-loading paper tray and all have a resolution of 1200 x 600 dpi. The MF6580 has built-in networking while the other machines are “network capable”.

The prices:

ImageCLASS MF6530 - $599
ImageCLASS MF6550 - $699
ImageCLASS MF6560 - $899
ImageCLASS MF6530 - $999

According to Canon, these machines should hit the market in May.

New Canon imageCLASS MF6500 Series Laser Multifunction Devices Offer Desktop Solution for Small and Home Offices [Press Release]

These two printer giants are in court over HP’s hiring of Bruce Dahlgren, a former manager at Lexmark. He left the company in January, and Lexmark believes that his going to work at their rival violates a non-compete agreement he signed with them in 2000. Lexmark believes that he could share all their secrets with HP and that he would be directly competing with the company he just recently left. HP counters with the fact that Dahlgren doesn’t have any secrets and that he only knows about products that are already on the market. They say that Lexmark’s rules are too restrictive, while Lexmark states that Dahlgren kept his imminent employment at HP secret until the last minute. Juicy stuff.

The whole thing is being complicated by the fact that California, home of HP and now Dahlgren, has different non-compete laws than Kentucky, where Dahlgren worked at Lexmark and where he signed the agreement. The article notes that this is a big deal to Lexmark because they believe that Dahlgren can help HP in selling “printing solutions”, which means helping big companies with their printing needs.

During an investor conference call in January, Lexmark’s chief financial officer, John Gamble, said the company has a competitive advantage in managing large accounts, known as the enterprise market.

“Our ability to service the enterprise market with very high-end market products and extremely good solutions offerings is very, very good,” said Gamble.

That same area is one that HP hopes to grow.

To imagine Lexmark competing with HP may seem strange, since it seems like HP easily dominates them, and in reality they pretty much do. But if Lexmark feels they have an advantage over HP in any area, it is wise for them to fight to protect it.

Lexmark non-compete clause contested by HP [Lexington Herald-Leader]

One of Dell’s black inkjet cartridges is the black T0601 cartridge, which works in their J740 printer. If you print a lot and are tired of buying new cartridges, here is a list of all the options you have to replace the T0601, including some alternatives:

Remanufactured T0601 - this is a cartridge that we sell at a price that is lower than Dell’s retail price. A remanufactured 7Y743 cartridge is one that has been refilled to capacity with ink and fitted with a new print head. So you get a refilled cartridge with a recycled outer casing.

Dell OEM T0601 - an OEM cartridge is the one that comes with your machine and the one that you would buy directly from Dell. It is the one your printer’s software tells you to buy when you are running low.

Refill kits - although these are usually available for Dell cartridges, currently we do not carry a kit for the J740. Basically, there just isn’t one on the market at the moment.

Refilling service - there is another refilling option, though, and that is to have someone professionally refill your cartridge for you. We offer Renew as our refilling service and it works like this: you purchase the service, you then receive a mailer and then send away your empty cartridge. The about 7-10 days later you received a refilled one that’s ready to go. This option works for people who are interested in recycling or conserving, but don’t have the time.