Ridiculous cost of ink cartridges

I recently purchased an HP OfficeJet 8610 printer for $110.00 and now I find that replacing the cartridges on this printer (black XL, cyan, magenta & yellow) will cost me $94.00. Good grief - this is only $16.00 less than the cost of the PRINTER.

The part to be surprised at would be how inexpensive the printer is :-). The original Thinkjet printer was around $1000 and your model is perhaps 50 times faster and has ink cartrdiges that would print 10x more pages.
The black XL cartridge is rated at 2300 standard pages, and is more than 2x the size of the regular cartridges, which are rated at 1000 standard pages.
I have been very happy with my similar Officejet 8600 Plus model, I only need to replace the cartridges about once a year.
Bob Headrick, HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
If your problem is solved please click the "Accept as Solution" button ------------V
If my answer was helpful please click the "Thumbs Up" to say "Thank You"--V

Similar Messages

HP Office Jet 6600, cost of 933 HP ink cartridges same for regular and xl?

Office Jet 6600 ink cartridges. 933 cyan, magenta and yellow. My new cartridges in cyan XL is the same size as old regular size cartridge. Please explain.

Doricee wrote:
Office Jet 6600 ink cartridges. 933 cyan, magenta and yellow. My new cartridges in cyan XL is the same size as old regular size cartridge. Please explain.
Hi,
The XL cartridges are physically same size with the normal cartridges, only THE volumes of ink inside are not the same. Normally the volume of ink inside a XLcartridge is more than double the volume of ink inside a normal cartridge.
Hope this helps. Note: they must be physcally same size otherwise they won't fit.
BH
**Click the KUDOS thumb up on the left to say 'Thanks'**
Make it easier for other people to find solutions by marking a Reply 'Accept as Solution' if it solves your problem.

Ink cartridges life span in Photosmart Pro B8850

I have an HP Photosmart Pro B8850 Printer that we bought so I could print high quality pictures and also on 12x12 cardstock for scrapbooking. We don't use our printer very often (maybe once a month), however the ink cartridges seem to run out really fast (especially since we aren't using it). I was just wondering if anyone else is having this same problem, if there is a setting I need to fix, or if something is wrong with our printer. Any insight will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I have the same problem. It's costing a fortune to run this printer. I consider this as robbery. A complete set of cartridges cost over 300$, and that's ridiculous expensive. I will never again buy any HP product. The information on how many pages you can print is false. So if you are thinking of buying an inkjet color printer stay away from this one.
It's also a very noisy printer shaking like hell while printing. I was never able to make the manual feed work properly either.
Total waste of time and money.

INK CARTRIDGES IN NEW COUNTRY NOT ABLE TO BE USED

Hello - I bought my old Photosmart C6183 in South Africa about 8 years ago where the ink cartridges are numbered 177. I am now living in Britain and I brought my printer with me - here, you don't get 177 catridges, you have to use cartridges numbered 363. I bought some, but the printer continually tells me these cartridges are not valid for use on this printer. I have read through the forums and done what has been suggested - restart, take out, clean heads, etc, nothing works. I tried phoning HP support, but they will not help me because my printer is old. I know its is old, but it still works and I paid a lot of money for it at the time. The cartridges cost a fortune and its pretty upsetting that I am getting nowhere. I don't understand why I cannot fix this problem - HP is not going to be facing a claim under a warranty from me, I simply wish to use my printer. I find these restrictions put in place by HP pretty ridiculous once a machine is out of warranty. Can anyone help me with this problem?

Hello SJK910,
I just sent you a private message. If you are not sure how to check your forum messages this post, has instructions.
Thank you,
R a i n b o w 7000I work on behalf of HP
Click the “Kudos Thumbs Up" at the bottom of this post to say
“Thanks” for helping!
Click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution!

How can I get my HP DeskJet 6540 to recognize the new ink cartridges I installed?

Hi everyone. I have an HP DeskJet 6540 printer and I replaced the ink cartridges. After I replaced the cartridges, I aligned them and then did a test print. I noticed that the blank ink didn't print. I opened system preferences, and then I opened the printer utility. It says, "Device Status : Pen Failure." Current Supplies Levels says, "The current levels for the selected printer are shown below...Cartridge on the left (tri-color 97) is unknown and the the cartridge on the right (black 96) is missing." Oh, I forgot to mention that the print cartridge light on the left side is flashing. I went to the HP support website and it says that the problem could be an incorrect print cartridge, incompatible print cartridge, or problem with the (left/right) print cartridge. The solution they offered was to remove, inspect and reseat the problem cartidge. It also said to clean the problem cartridge contacts. I did that and it still gives me the same results. I even reset the printer but still got the same results...
So the next thing I try is the OTHER cartridges listed as compatible with my printer which is 94 (black) and 95 (tri-color). I bought the new cartridges, placed them in the printer and I still got the same message from the print utility. I took the latter cartridges back and got a refund and explained that none of the compatible cartridges are working with my printer. I kept the 96 and 97 cartridges in the printer and the light on the left continues to flash so now I'm here asking if anyone knows how I can get my printer to recognize the new ink cartridges I installed? Are there any other solutions that I have besides throwing the printer out of the window? :-)
Thanks everyone ;-)

With all that you have done it does sound like the printer has a fault. If you haven't tried turning off the printer for several minutes, then this would be worth trying (maybe you have done this when you say reset the printer?).
If the cartridge light on the printer flashes when you turn the printer back on then it sounds like a hardware fault - not the driver or the operating system. And this is not usually something a user can resolve so it would need repair. And for the cost of a new printer, why would you bother.
If you plan of sticking with HP and getting another model that can use the 96 & 97 cartridges (let's face it, they often cost more than the new printer), then take the two existing cartridges to the store and see if they will let you check they are okay. No point throwing them out also if they still have a fair bit of ink still in them.

Can I use Replacement Printer ink cartridges for HP officejet Pro 8610

I recently purchased an HP OfficeJet Pro 8610. I previously had an 8600. They both use the same ink cartridges. I had just installed some remanufactured 950 XL and 951 XL cartridges in the old printer and tried to use them in the new printer. Of course I got an error message that cartridges weren't HP but the printer would still work. I would like to know if I can use other remanufactured ink cartridges with the new printer or if there is some way for the printer to allow me to use other ink cartridges as the HP cartridges are way over priced for the consumers. I hope there is a person out there that is conservative like me and tries to find the best bargains on everything. Your solutions would be appreciated. I waited on HP Support Assistant for 10 minutes with a dialogue I would be connected to a technician in less than a minute. They must have been on break or some other excuse, so I thought I would try this instead. Blessings. John Richardson

Hey @rockhoundjohn
Here's the thing, yes, you can refill your cartridges or use remanufactured cartridges, but you may run into problems.
QualityLogic, one of the world's foremost quality assurance organizations, tested the performance of HP inkjet print cartridges vs. remanufactured (refilled) brands. The results: original HP inkjet print cartridges far surpassed ink refills in both print quality and reliability.
Nearly one out of every six refilled ink cartridges tested was dead on arrival or failed prematurely
70% of refilled cartridges had some form of reliability problem
Count on HP original ink cartridges for consistent, worry-free printing. You may think you're saving money on remanufactured or refilled ink cartridges, but in the long run, the cost of wasted time, ink, and paper can more than make up the difference. - Source
Most people think, 'well of course that is what HP or an HP representative would say', but I have done some research and found that many others have too. Here is a perfect example of somebody who does not work for HP in any way and basically is a customer advocate (in my opinion) ; Should you refill your printer’s ink cartridges? HP says no (of course) By Matthew Murray
I found the above article interesting and genuine.
My personal recommendation is to buy the HP XL cartridges as they are more cost efficient, and be mindful in the printer you choose when buying an inkjet. The 8610 was a good choice. The expected page yield of the HP 950XL High Yield Black Original Ink Cartridge is 2300 pages. The regular size cartridge page yield is 1000, still good but the XL is by far a better value. Some of the Photosmart printers or Deskjets are great for what they are intended for, but do not have as good of a cost per page.
HP's recommendation; Keep in mind that page yield is just one component of cost, and that factors such as quality, reliability, productivity, and efficiency affect cost as well. Products that work reliably will ultimately save you time and money. When you choose an inkjet printer, make sure you consider your individual printing needs.
- Source
To summarize, again, yes you can refill the cartridges. The printer is not programmed to reject them. Sometimes the cartridges will not work and of course because they are non HP, HP would not be able to do anything to help. HP cartridges have a 2 year manufacture warranty; Limited Warranty for HP Ink Cartridges and Customer-Replaceable Printheads for HP Inkjet Supplies, this may give you comfort knowing HP stand behind their product.
Please click the Thumbs up icon below to thank me for responding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.
Sunshyn2005 - I work on behalf of HP

Aaargghh!! On a deadline and the Black Ink cartridge isn't working!

Now I see a gazillion people have had this issue, with no real solution than either throwing out the printer or waiting for some magical thing to happen. Or a secret message from Ciara B. C'mon, HP. This is ridiculous. Give me a better solution.

@photoellen
As it's out of warranty, one thing worth trying is soaking the printhead as described below...
1) Get a pan and put 1/2" of very hot (not boiling) water in the bottom.
2) Next remove all the ink cartridges, then remove the printhead assembly.
3) Gently put the printhead nozzles down in the water and let it soak for five minutes.
4) Remove the printhead and gently dry the electrical contacts.
5) Put the printhead back in the printer and then reinstall the ink cartridges.
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Other-printing-questions/Photosmart-Premium-c309a-Black-prints-out-gree...
Troubleshooting print quality issues on OJ 7000
https://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&docname=c01758227
Can you let me know if this works?
Thanks, Ciara
Although I am an HP employee, I am speaking for myself and not for HP.
Twitter: @Ciara_B_HP

Black ink cartridge not working after replacing

I replaced the black ink cartridge on my HP Photosmart 6510 because the print was getting faded. Now the black will not print. I used an original HP replacement cartridge and inserted it according to specifications. I ran a test page and all colors printed except the black so I ran a printhead clean to no avail. I wet a paper towel and touched it to the ink and it is not dried up. Help!

It is definitely a hardware problem then. Try the steps in the document below. If that doesn't work, you will need to contact tech support. If you are still in warranty, HP may replace the printer at no cost to you. I'll link the information to get in touch with them below. The link will take you to a form to fill out. Once you fill it out and it is processed, it will give you the printers warranty information, a case number, and the phone number to call.
Black Ink is Missing on Printouts
HP Technical Support Case Call Form

Have just tried to replace TESCO colour and black and white ink cartridges for a model 2540.

Each time I get the same error message 'incompatable older generation ink cartridge'. Contacted TESCO help desk and they sent a pair of cartridges direct to me.......the latest ones they have in stock............................same error message............does this mean that in future NO Tesco ink cartridge will ever be able to be used on a 2540 printer, or is this a way of getting me to buy HP cartridges at twice the cost?

Hi AlanAtkinson,
Welcome to the HP Forums.
I see that you are getting an error that deals with the ink cartridges.
Please click on the following link that deals with An 'Older Cartridge' Message Displays on the Control Panel or the Computer.
I have also located a document that deals with A 'Used or Counterfeit Cartridge Detected' or 'Counterfeit Cartridge Advisory' Message Displays on t....
If the troubleshooting does not help resolve your issue, I would then suggest calling HP's Technical Support to see about further options for you. If you are calling within North America, the number is 1-800-474-6836 and for all other regions, click here: click here.
Thanks for your time.
Cheers,
Click the “Kudos Thumbs Up" at the bottom of this post to say “Thanks” for helping!
Please click “Accept as Solution ” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.
W a t e r b o y 71
I work on behalf of HP

Black vs Photo black ink cartridges

I've watched the threads and their respective comments on HP and other websites for years. At some time or another I myself have probably asked someone somewhere all of the questions posted. Clark Howard, of radio/TV fame has said for years that the profit for printer manufacturers is in the ink cartridge, not the device itself. Ridiculously expensive, to the point that I personally could never with a straight face charge the money that HP and others charge for the cartridges. 500% plus profit per cartridge isn't an over statement. Clark Howard actually used to buy two of the cheapest printers he could find, use the cartridges and donate the brand new printers. He would repeat the process whenever he needed new ink. I don't know if he still does that, the corporate greed has probably figured out a way to prevent that by now.
One question I have, that I have not found addressed specifically, if you don't print photos, do you even need a photo black cartridge? Or is that just another gimmick by the corporate greed to put more money in their bank accounts?

Hi Ken
I presume your printer takes HP564 cartridges and has a 5 slot printhead? If so, yes - all cartridges (inc. the photo black) need to be installed for the printer to work.
Ciara
Although I am an HP employee, I am speaking for myself and not for HP.
Twitter: @Ciara_B_HP

Ink Cartridge Depleted message

I tried to print something on my OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus and I got a message that the ink cartridge was depleted and would have to be replaced for me to print anything. But the last page I printed came out just fine, there was plenty of ink.
This seems ridiculous. Why is HP deciding that I don't have enough ink left? Why not leave that decision to the me? If you want to warn the user that the print might not come out well, that's fine, but why isn't there a "print anyway" button? That way, I could print until I, in my own opinion, think the cartridge needs to be replaced. It sure seems like HP is doing this so that I have to buy a new ink cartridge faster.
Anyhow, I need to print something now and I can't wait until I can get to the office store and buy a new cartridge. Is there any way I can fool the printer into printing anyway? Or has HP just decided to make a task impossible for me, the customer?
Thanks for any help.
This question was solved.
View Solution.

The Officejet 8600 has separate ink supplies and printheads. To prevent damage to the printhead ink is required, and the printer will block printing once the ink levels get too low. See the document here for information on how ink is used. The Officejet 8600 is an IIC printer in the vocabulary of that document.
Bob Headrick, HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
If your problem is solved please click the "Accept as Solution" button ------------V
If my answer was helpful please click the "Thumbs Up" to say "Thank You"--V

8500A won't print since I replaced ink cartridges.

Hi. Ever since I replaced all the ink cartridges (with genuine HP parts) on my printer it won't print except very faintly in two of the colours, and not at all in the other two. I've cleaned the printheads, and tried to align the printheads. Aligning the printheads failed. Why would the printer suddently stop working after replacing the cartridges, and what else can I do to fix the problem? I found a page about replacing the printheads, but can't find any info any where about where to buy these parts or how much they cost. I tried to find a repair place near me but the search came up with no results. Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

Hi , Welcome to the HP Forums! I see that you cannot print with your HP Officejet Pro 8500A, on Windows 7, after replacing your Ink Cartridges. I am happy to help! Please, try the steps within this guide, Fixing Print Quality Problems for the HP Officejet Pro 8500A e-All-in-One Printer Series. If the guide does not resolve your issue, Please contact HP, phone support for further assistance. If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get the support number for your region. Country-language selector. Hope this helps! “Please click the Thumbs up icon below to thank me for responding.”

Message tells me it's time to change my 200 black ink cartridge.

So, I installed a new cartridge from the same two pack I have been using. Same message.
Bought another one, same message.
Looked at contacts, looked clean, but GENTLY cleaned them with rubbing alcohol.
Same message.
Any suggestions? I'm pretty sure this copier/scanner is a little over one year old.
As it was quite reasonably priced, if I take it somewhere, it'll probably cost more to fix than a new one.
Bugs me though. Shouldn't be a throw away item.
Thanks all.
Betty

Hi @bettyholt1949,
Welcome to the HP Forums!
I noticed that you are getting a message telling you it's time to change my 200 black ink cartridge. I am happy to look into this for you!
After searching for your product name, the only printer that is coming up for this, is an EPSON Expression Home XP-400. If this is your type of printer, I would suggest to contact Epson Support.
Otherwise, if you have an HP printer that you need help with, please respond with your printer's Product/Model Number. To find your printer's Product/Model Number follow instructions in this link. Finding Your HP Product Model Number, and I will be glad to help!
Hope to hear from you soon!
RnRMusicMan
I work on behalf of HP
Please click “Accept as Solution ” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.
Click the “Kudos Thumbs Up" to say “Thanks” for helping!

Photosmar c7280 ink cartridge problems help please

i am having problems with my hp photo smart CACAO my ink cartridges keep saying that they are empty and it is costing me a fortune i have replaced 6 yellow ink cartridges over the last 3 weeks 1 black 3 cyan 2 light cyan 3 magenta 3 light magenta and i am now getting really frustrated i took some of the cartridges back to PC world but they said that they can not do anything to contact hp directly which i have tried to do but get no response my printer is around 18 months old and i do normal domestic printing

This sounds like the same issue I had with my printer. I kept getting a message saying that my new cartridges were empty and I could print in b&w or cancel the print job.
The resest solved the problem for me.
To reset this printer, make sure the printer is on. Unplug the printer without turning the printer off.
Wait 60 seconds.
Hold down the # and 6 button while plugging the printer back in. Keep holding the # and 6 down while the printer turns on. After a bit, on mine there was a picture of the power symbol that appeared on the printer display.
When the power symbol appears on the printer display, take your fingers off the # and 6 button.
Push the power button to turn the printer off. Push the power button again to turn the printer back on. The printer will take some time to go through some preparation. When the preparation is complete, the printer will recognize that the cartridges are full.
If these steps worked for you, please mark this post as solved.
I am an HP employee.

I need to replace three ink cartridges.

My previous printer was an HP 3845 and it died. I had purchased three ink cartridges for this printer and had taken them out of their boxes but they are still in their foil packets. Two are HP 28 Tri-color cartridges costing me $27.97 and one is an HP 27 black cartridge costing me $21.97. I bougth a new printer, an HP 2540 that takes ink cartridges HP 61. Please inform me as to how and where I can get cartridge switches for my current printer.

Hey @GMC2500 ,
Please contact HP Technical Phone Support as they will be able to help you where I can not.
If you are in Canada or US call 800 474 6836, or you can Contact HP Worldwide.
HP printers generally have a 1 year warranty from their purchase date, you can verify the warranty using the following link if you would like; warranty check.
I hope this helps. Best of luck, happy new year!
I worked for HP.

Ridiculous cost of ink cartridges

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for