Can I use an HP 61 ink instead of an HP 63

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in HP 61 Ink, HP 63 Ink, HP Ink Cartridges — No Comments ↓

Printers are very useful products. But to retain their usefulness, we need to maintain them and use the right specification of consumables and ink cartridges.

Even though different cartridges might be similar in build, have the copper contacts placed in the same area of the cartridge and fit into printers that they have not been specified for. This is not a guarantee they will work with a printer they have not been specified for, or even if they work, the non-specified cartridge will not damage the printer

This is because each type of cartridge has been designed and manufactured to work with a certain specification of printers.  Apart from the physical features which are visible to the eyes, ink cartridges have software embedded within them, and this embedded software expects to interact with a particular specification of the printer software. They also might come with different types of ink designed to work with a particular printer head

HP 61 Ink

A classic example is the HP 61 ink, which is one of the workhorse inkjet cartridges from HP that works with over 30 different types of HP printers. For reason of cost – the original HP 61 ink is one of the inexpensive inkjet cartridges from HP – some users believe they can substitute it for printers requiring HP 63 ink because both have similar construction and fit into the same size of cartridge holders within the printers.

HP 63 Ink

Please do not attempt this. As HP 61 ink and HP 63 ink cartridges are intended for the different set of printers.  Going ahead with this switch will usually cause the printer to give an error notifying you of the incompatible cartridge.   If you are able to override that error or the printer does not give the error, you stand the risk of damaging your print works or the printer or both.

If cost is a concern, the better option is getting a remanufactured inkjet cartridge from 123ink.ca.  Offered on this site are the Remanufactured HP 63 XL Ink F6U64AN F6U63AN Cartridge Black and Color Combo High Yield from Moustache® and the Remanufactured HP 61 XL Ink cartridge Combo High Yield also from Moustache®.  Both are high yield cartridges currently going for the special promo price of $49.99 and $39.99 respectively.  And give the same quality as the original HP inkjet cartridge.

Tagged with: , ,

Why do my sharpies dry out so quickly?

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in Markers — No Comments ↓

We all love our sharpies.  They allow us to write on all types of materials like nylons, books, ceramic, wood, plastics and concretes.  They work in most weather conditions where other permanent markers will not work. They allow us to write on oily surfaces, wet surfaces, and even dry surfaces! They do not spill out ink.  They even allow us to write upside down or vertically.

Most of the time, they are very reliable, except when they dry out!!

And they seem to dry out often, even when we think the ink within should not have run out.

Markers

There is a simple explanation for this.  More importantly, there is also a simple remedy for a dried out sharpie.  And this solution will save you the money that you might have gone to spend on another sharpie when you really did not have to.

Sharpies use a form of alcohol-based ink different from other markers, like kids markers whose ink is water-based.  While alcohol-based ink allows you to write on many more surfaces under adverse conditions.  It does have a drawback.  Alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water. And because of this, if you use your sharpie often or do not cap it back after using, the alcohol at the tip of sharpie will evaporate quickly leading to the sharpie drying out.

Markers

The remedy is quite simple.  You will need a small container filled with rubbing alcohol.  Put the sharpie tip down into the alcohol (you might need to rest the sharpie against a vertical surface to keep it upright). Allow the sharpie stay in the alcohol until you see ink running into the alcohol.  Remove the sharpie from the alcohol and cap it back.  Wait for 15 mins before using it again. The sharpie should be working again after 15 mins.

This method will usually revive a dried out sharpie, but if you use the method several times on a sharpie and the ink keeps drying out, it might be time to get another sharpie from 123ink.ca

 

This link provides more information on the method described for reviving a dried out sharpie.

Tagged with:

What is the difference between inkjet and toner cartridges?

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in Cheap Ink Cartridges, Cheap Toner Cartridges, Ink Cartridges, Toner Cartridges — No Comments ↓

 

As a buyer and user of printers, either in your office or in your home, understanding the differences in the printing technology available arms you with the information required to make choices on what type of printer to purchase and what type of consumables (and their associated cost) will be needed to keep the printer running.

The key consumable for a printer other than the printing paper is the replacement ink cartridges or toner cartridges that supply the “ink” required for the printouts.  Both the aforementioned cartridges do the same thing but do it differently with different classes of printers.

The inkjet cartridge works with an inkjet printer to print out jobs.  As its name implies, a jet of liquid ink is squirted from the ink cartridge through print heads within the printer onto the paper sheet forming images and texts.  Software within the printer precisely controls the movement of the inkjet while the paper sheet is fed through the printer.

While the toner cartridge contains a fine polyester powder which is capable of being electrically charged and attracted to an opposite charge.  The required opposite charge is created on a photosensitive electric drum (also known as printer drum) by a laser. Then the toner cartridge deposits polyester powder on the outline formed on the charged printer drum. The printing paper is then charged as it passes through the printer, and with the aid of a hot fuser, attracts and appends the polyester particles from the printer drum to itself forming smudge-free prints.

Apart from the different technologies behind the ink cartridges and the toner cartridges, one other key difference is you cannot use an ink cartridge in a laser printer nor can you use a toner cartridge in an inkjet printer.

Ink cartridges typically have a lower upfront cost but their page yield is typically lower leading to a higher print cost per page. While toner cartridges typically have a higher upfront cost with relatively high page yield leading to a lower print cost per page.  If you envision that you will need to print only hundreds of pages in a year, then an inkjet printer might be the better option.  But if your print needs are in thousands per year a laser printer with toner cartridges will serve you better.

Laser printers using toner cartridges on average have a faster print speed than inkjet printers using ink cartridges.  While both of them give quality prints, laser printers are better suited to printing text, and inkjet printers are more suited for images.

Tagged with: ,

Do HP564 black ink cartridges expire?

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in HP Ink Cartridges — No Comments ↓

 

Ink cartridges like other manufactured products have a useful shelf life during which the product is expected to perform at its optimal level.  The HP 564 Black Ink, like other inkjet cartridges, has ink whose composition can transform over time. Air can also get into the cartridge and work its way into the ink carrier.  Both of these issues lead to the ink being transformed into a sludge rather than liquid resulting in sub-optimal print quality.

HP 564 Black Ink

For these reasons, and to protect the printer, manufacturers set an expiration date on their cartridges. This typically ranges from 18 – 24 months from the date of manufacture or installation of the printer cartridge.  This expiration date is inbuilt into the printer cartridge. And on reaching that date, if there is still ink in such a cartridge the printer will automatically shut down.

HP 564 Black Ink

 For some models of printer, you will be able to override this shutdown by the following instruction on the printer or the computer monitor connected to the printer or by following the printer’s instruction manual.  But know this is at the risk of permanently damaging the printer.  This override option is typically available for the lower end printers.

Especially useful for bulk purchasers of HP 564 Ink cartridges is knowing there is the option of purchasing the Remanufactured (Compatible) HP 564XL CB321WN CN684WC Black Ink Cartridge, which is currently on a special offer price of $9.99 on 123ink.ca for the 1/Pack.  Compared to $20.99 for the Original version.  You get the same page yield and ink quality as the HP Original.

And you do not have to choose between damaging your printer (by overriding the shutdown if the ink cartridge expires) or allowing expensive unused ink cartridges go to waste as you would have spent significantly less purchasing the remanufactured version.

 

Tagged with: , ,

Which laser printer use the toner with the imaging drum built in?

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in Drum unit — No Comments ↓

 

Before we get into the weeds on the title of this blog, a little background info will provide useful information on the subsequent parts of the article.

First, you need to know that in the modern world, there are mainly two types of printers.  The type that uses inkjet cartridges known as inkjet printers and type that uses toner “ink” or toners, known as LaserJet or laser printers.  Both works to produce images and prints on paper, but do it differently.

While the inkjet printer actually uses liquid ink from the inkjet cartridges to produce their prints, the laser printers use fine powders within the toners to produce their images on paper. But the laser printers need the assistance of a photosensitive imaging drum (popularly known as the printer drum), to transfer the fine powders from the toner to the paper.

Furthermore, some laser printers have their drums and toners built in together as a single unit while others have their drums and toners built separately.  Knowing this distinction is important.  As it will affect if you need to replace the toners simultaneously with the printer drum or if you can separately replace either the toner or the printer drum.

Back to the question asked by the title of the blog. Which laser printer uses a toner with the imaging drum built in? And the short answer is it depends on the manufacturer and printer model. But currently, a good rule of thumb to follow is to know that modern laser printers from manufacturers such as HP usually come with imaging drum built in with the toner.

Other manufacturers such as Brother, have laser printers that have printer drum and the toner built separately.  But Brother also has laser printers that have the imaging drum built in with the toner. To aid your search on which printer uses which, I recommend you use the toner cartridge finder on 123ink.ca to identify the specification of printer drum/toner specification to use for a brand of printer.

Tagged with:

What should I do with my old printer after I get a new one?

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in printer — No Comments ↓

We all get to that point, the printer we have grown attached to needs to be replaced. This might be because it is no longer working, or if working, no longer working to optimal levels.  So we are left with no other choice but to get a new printer. But what to do with the old printer now becomes pertinent.

You actually can choose from several options, and most of these options are environmentally friendly.  There is the option of recycling it, shops such as Best buy and staples and HP offer options on recycling old printers. And depending on the state of the printer might even pay for it.

Another option to consider, are local organizations that offer buyback and trade-in options for functional old printers.  Some of them might not trade directly for cash but offer tradeable vouchers for the printers.  The trade in option is also similar to the options of disassembling the printer to component parts and selling the parts individually, but you will need to be technically skilled to adopt this option.

The option of donating the old printer (if still functional) is another viable option.  One man’s waste is another man’s useful artifact. There are a lot of organizations that still find it useful to use non-optimized computer accessories such as printers, they range from charity organizations to nonprofit agencies.

The least recommended option is to dump the old printer in the landfill or waste bin.  This is the least environmentally friendly option as it leads to the land being contaminated when millions of e-waste end up in the landfill.  It is best to check the local bylaws guiding the dumping of waste to confirm if this option is available in your area.

There is also the option of buying high-quality printers that have a long operational working life to reduce the frequency of changing printers.  On 123ink.ca, you get high-quality printers like the Brother MFC-9130CW Wireless All-In-One Color Laser Printer going for $339.99 or the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M426fdw All-In-One Monochrome Laser Printer (F6W15A) that is going for $528.99.  With printers like these, you reduce the need to buy another printer in the short term.

Tagged with:

How long does it take the average highlighter to run out of ink?

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in Highlighter — No Comments ↓

 

Highlighters have been around for like forever.  They are very useful when we want to mark out part of a page (or all the page if you feel like it).  Also very useful as a way showing what we consider important among all the words we are looking at.  Any my special favourite is using different colors of highlighters to color code sections of wordings that assist in letting us know at a glance what each section is referring to.

As simple and easy to use as highlighters might feel, we typically overlook the fact that they will run out of ink and become dry.  So a key question that is not asked enough is; how long does it take the average highlighter to run out of ink? The simple answer is it depends. On the volume of the ink in the highlighter, and how frequently you use the highlighter.

An average highlighter will come with 10ml of ink within it, and the average ink used up for highlighting an average word length is 0.0002ml. If you do the math, this gives you 50,000 words to highlight.  This might seem a lot, but if you are a frequent highlighter, who marks 1000 words a day, it will take 50 days to run out of highlighter ink.

Highlighter

But this is assuming you get high-quality highlighters like the Sharpie® Accent Liquid Highlighters – Orange 215491 from 123ink.ca that is currently on clearance sale and priced $0.99. With high-quality highlighters like these, you are sure that every drop of ink in the highlighter will be used for marking up words, and not drying up within the highlighter pen like inferior highlighters.

highlighter

Other high quality highlighters from 123ink.ca like the Staedtler® Textsurfer® Classic 364 Highlighter Pen and the Avery HI-LITER® Desk-Style Chisel Point Highlighter Pen which come in several different luminous color variants and selling for $1.99 and $0.99 respectively, also possess the key essential quality of having fast drying ink thereby ensuring no unwanted smudges are left on the paper sheets.

 

 

Tagged with:

Can you print in monochrome on a color laser printer that is missing the color toners?

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in Cheap Toner Cartridges, Compatible Toner Cartridges — No Comments ↓

A not unfamiliar situation with a laser printer is to run out of color toners (cyan, magenta and yellow) but still have the black toner available.  In this unique situation, can you still go ahead and print in the only monochrome?

The answer is, it depends on the type of laser printer you have.  But most modern laser printers will not allow you to go ahead to print in this scenario.  This is because the other colors are used to give clarity to the black printout to make it more legible.  Funny and unusual as this might seem, the printouts using black and other colors are superior to using only back alone.  The physics lesson behind this is black is a combination of multiple colors, so you need other “colors”, to get the perfect black color.

Even specifying the monochrome option in your printer options menu on your computer, does not guarantee that the laser printer will print out the works when the color toners have run out. This is due to the fact that even these specifically designated “black” only printouts also require some quantity of color toner to give quality legible printing.

Some models of laser printouts (mostly the older models) allow you to specify a bypass option if you are interested in printing with only the black toner available.  While this might work, it gives a lower grade quality of print that might not be acceptable for most users.

To avoid, low-quality printouts, even for purely monochrome works, it is always best to replace the color toners that have run dry.  And on 123ink.ca you have access to different types of color toners that are compatible with a wide variety of LaserJet printers.

Tagged with:

Canon PGI280 and Canon CLI281 for Printer TS6220

Posted on by Andrew Lu Posted in Canon 280 281 Ink Cartridges, Canon Ink Cartridges, Canon Printers — No Comments ↓

We have 24 different ink cartridges for Canon printer TS6220. Do not worry, we will just feature the more popular ones, which are ones that are bought the most by our 123Ink customers.  The biggest contrast is the pricing. Compatible ink is much cheaper, especially the combo pack, however, the yields are the same for all colors of ink. Take a look at the list below to compare Canon PG1280 ink and Canon CL1281 ink.

Canon PGI-280XXL CLI-281XXL Compatible Ink Cartridge Combo Extra High Yield – Moustache®

Pigment Black/Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow – $87.99 – Yields are Pigment Black: 600 pages, Black: 830 pages, Cyan: 830 pages, Magenta: 760 pages, Yellow: 830 pages

 

Compared to Canon genuine brand ink:

 

Canon PGI-280XXL CLI-281XXL Original Ink Cartridge Extra High Yield Combo Pigment Black/Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow – Genuine Product from Canon – $174.99 – Yields are Pigment Black: 600, Black: 830, Cyan: 830, Magenta: 760, Yellow: 830

 

Then consider and compare individual black and color inks:

Remanufactured Canon PGI-280XXL 1967C001 Compatible Pigment Black Ink Cartridge Extra High Yield – Moustache® – $24.99 – Yields 600 pages

 

Other colors – Black, Yellow, Cyan and Magenta – with extra high yield in a single package are $19.99 with yields the same as the combo pack listed first in this post.

 

Compared to Canon genuine brand ink:

 

Canon PGI-280XXL 1967C001 Original Pigment Black Ink Cartridge Extra High Yield

Genuine Product from Canon – $44.99 – Yields 600 pages

 

Other colors – Black, Yellow, Cyan and Magenta – with extra high yield in a single package are $32.99 – Yields are Pigment Black: 600, Black: 830, Cyan: 830, Magenta: 760, Yellow: 830

 

We only carry the above compatible in for Canon PG1280 ink and Canon CL1281. However, Canon carries lower yielding inks as well:

 

Canon PGI-280 CLI-281 Original Ink Cartridge Combo Pigment Black/Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow – Genuine Product from Canon – $64.99 – Yields are Pigment Black: 250, Black: 230, Cyan: 259, Magenta: 259, Yellow: 259

 

Other individual packages of in are priced at $20.99 for Pigment Black and the other four colors are priced at $13.99 for the same yields. The price of these ink cartridges is easier on the pocketbook, just like the Compatible Extra High Yield cartridges.

 

Canon also has a regular high yield ink with pricing between the Extra High Yield and the Original Yield inks. For time and space, we have not listed them here. Please see our ink page for those choices.

 

Hope this post made it easier to see what inks are available for your printer, with the compared pricing and yields helping you make a more informed decision about  Canon PG1280 ink and Canon CL1281 ink to purchase for the Canon Printer TS6220.

 

Tagged with: , ,

HP 65 ink for Printer ENVY 5010

Posted on by vanessawang Posted in HP Ink Cartridges, HP Printers — No Comments ↓

HP 65 ink

In today’s post, we are featuring another printer – HP Printer ENVY 5010. This printer takes HP 65 ink. We carry eight different varieties of ink cartridges for this printer. We will list them comparing Remanufactured Ink with Canon Genuine Ink. Yet again, the yield differences are very similar, while pricing is better if you buy the Remanufactured HP 65 ink.

Remanufactured HP 65XL Black and Color Ink Cartridge High Yield Combo – $36.99 – Yields are Black: 300 pages, Color: 300 pages

Please note this does not include black ink. HP does not offer a High Yield Combo pack that includes black at this time. They only offer an Original Black and Tri-Color Combo pack, which is listed towards the bottom of the list below with two asterisks **.

Remanufactured HP 65XL N9K04AN Black Ink Cartridge High Yield – $19.99 – Yields 300 pages

Compared to HP Genuine Ink:

HP 65XL N9K04AN Original Black Ink Cartridge High Yield – Genuine Product from HP – $33.99 – Yields 300 pages

Remanufactured HP 65XL N9K03AN Tri-Color Ink Cartridge High Yield – $19.99 – Yields 300 pages

Compared to HP Genuine Ink:

HP 65XL N9K03AN Original Tri-Color Ink Cartridge High Yield – Genuine Product from HP – $38.99 – Yields 300 pages

Other HP Genuine Ink products for EVNY 5010:

**HP 65 T0A36AN Original Black and Tri-color Ink Cartridge – Genuine Product from HP Combo – Genuine Product from HP – $32.99 – Yields are Black: 120 Pages and Color: 100 Pages

HP 65 N9K01AN Original Tri-Color Ink Cartridge – Genuine Product from HP – $18.99 – Yields 100 pages

HP 65 N9K02AN Original Black Ink Cartridge – Genuine Product from HP – $14.99 – Yields 120 pages

Once again remanufactured ink wins out in pricing. The reviews for these products are about equal. Click here to purchase HP 65 ink.

 

Tagged with: , ,
Top