Expired Ink Cartridges

We have two inkjet printers in our house--an Epson Stylus Color 600 (10 yrs old) and an HP 960CXI (7 yrs old). They still work and I am satisfied with them. When I am at second hand stores, I sometimes see brand new factory sealed genuine Epson and HP ink cartridges for sale, but most often they are expired, sometimes as far back at 2002. They usually sell for $5. I am referring to HP 78 and 45 and Epson S020187 and Epson S2020191 ink. What are the chances of expired ink being good? How far past the expiration date does ink last? Oh and since we're coming up on the biggest shopping day of the year in the United States, what do you all think of light duty inkjet printers these days around $100 vs the printers I have. Has quality improved or declined?

 

Cartridges in their original packaging seem to withstand the expiry date. I purchased a spare pair of black ink cartridges for my HP 932C Deskjet, in 2000. I opened and used the remaining one this last summer, without problems.
As far as printers go, I believe they are an excellent deal. Keep in mind, that the manufacturers sell the printers at cost, so they can sell you the ink cartridge at about half the price of a new printer. So, if you have a working "old faithful" that can use re-filled cartridges, be sure not to throw that one away.

 

Keep what you have for two reasons: newer printers will not let you use expired cartridges and modern cartridge sizes are ridiculous. One of our old printers uses a 42ml cart. Some of the newer ones use 5 ml carts! $25 for a 42ml cart is expensive but then when you see that it costs $9 for a 5ml cart, you realize just how much the printer manufacturers are gouging the public.
If your printers work and you are satisfied with the print quality, keep using them and saving $$$.

 

Check out thread http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=139207 for an idea of some of the tricks that printer manufacturers have introduced to part you from your money. :cry

If you decide to buy a new printer I'd suggest visiting a few cartridge refillers in your area and discuss possible choices and refill cartridge lives, and costs, before making your decision.

If they don't also sell printers then their advice is usually based on their own experience. If they also sell printers their advice may be biased but they probably only stock printers that will not give them grief when the owner comes back to refill the cartridges. Bazza