by Nowadays printers have become an essential part of life, be it in an office or a home, all important documents are printed out. As the usage of printers is increasing, it is important to know how to improve their efficiency and optimize usage. One of the most important factors to be kept in mind while using printers is its ink cartridges. A printer, definitely, is a one-time investment but its expensive ink cartridges need to be changed often. Here are a few important tips that will help you make the fullest use of ink cartridges.
Don’t be in a hurry to take prints
It is always wise to check a document more than once before taking a printout. It is a waste of time and ink when you print the same document a number of times. Use the print preview function to lookup the errors and make corrections before you hit the ‘Print’ option, to save ink. Be economical by printing only essential text and avoid printing images and graphics unnecessarily. By following this, you need not buy printer ink again and again.
Use re-manufactured ink cartridges
Try buying re-manufactured ink cartridges when your current ones wears out. By using re-manufactured cartridges you can save money and maximize usage, because re-manufactured cartridges are generally filled to capacity. Refill your ink cartridges by purchasing any one of the many tools and devices available in the market. Find out the best combination of ink cartridges that suits your printer and copier.
Always use good quality paper
Paper quality is very important while using printers. We all know that less expensive paper is of low quality and it actually absorbs more ink. While taking printouts of documents, it is always good to use high quality paper as they give you the best results. You won’t be able to save money by using refilled cartridges if you are using low quality paper.
Manage the use of colors
Avoid using color cartridges for black and white prints as they are expensive. Printing black and white text/images using color cartridges consumes more ink because many colors are mixed to create black. Have a separate black and white cartridge for common printing and make use of color cartridges only when required. Documents that are to be kept for archival purposes can be printed in draft mode as it is the lowest possible resolution you can set. They will be clear enough for you to read.
Preset the printer options
Check the paper type, orientation and color settings before printing. As printer settings usually remain the same for all prints, it is always good to check the same and choose the right one for your current print. If you require only certain portions of a page to be printed, make selections to save ink. Minimize the consumption of ink by reducing the font size and by using a ‘light’ font.
Good maintenance helps
Ink cartridges can last longer if they are maintained perfectly. An ink cartridge has tiny nozzles at its head from where the ink is sprayed towards the paper. Over time, layers of ink get deposited over these nozzles and these results in unclear prints. So, clean these nozzles periodically. Remove and shake the cartridge when the print quality declines. This will help the toner to equally spread over the cartridge, thereby extending its life.
The above points will definitely help you in maximizing the use of your ink cartridges. The life span varies according to the type of ink cartridge you use. Purchasing your ink cartridges from a distributor who offers competitive discounts can also help significantly in cutting costs. Use your cartridges conservatively to reduce expenses and derive the maximum benefit from your printer.
