Anyone who knows the definition of SPAM has probably seen e-mails offering cheap ink cartridges. Were you tempted by the low prices? If you love your digital camera and enjoy making prints on your inkjet printer, it's hard not to be tempted. After all, the printer companies aren't shy about taking your money for the cartridges that carry their brand.

So Why Not Go Cheap?
Here are several reasons to at least be cautious before sticking a 3rd-party ink cartridge (made and sold by someone other than the printer maker) in your new inkjet printer.

Reason 1: The Warranty
First, your printer's warranty may be voided if you use an ink cartridge other than the one recommended by the manufacturer. This is a pretty reasonable qualification when you think about it. After all, the printer maker can't be responsible for what a 3rd-party ink maker puts into their cartridges.

As the warranty warning above suggests, you may be putting your hardware at risk if you use a 3rd-party ink. According to one expert, printer makers' supply ink cartridges that contain more ink. He said, "The risk is the head will clog when you let air get into one of the jets by running the printer when the ink cartridge is empty. That's why printers always warn you to replace the cartridges well before the cartridge is empty. It's cheap insurance." He went on to say that it's possible 3rd-party ink cartridge makers cut corners by putting in less ink. That means you must replace their cartridges at the first sign of a problem or when your print-monitor software warns you that your cartridge is getting low. Of course, replacing the cheaper cartridge more often negates a big part of the savings.

Reason 2: Performance May Suffer
Inks and papers designed to be used in a particular printer are probably going to give you the best looking prints. So mixing things up may save you a bit of money, but if the images don't look good, it's money wasted.

Reason 3: Print LifeThe prints themselves, may not last as long. It's unlikely a 3rd-party ink maker is going to go to the trouble of testing their inks with different papers, but in all likelihood, your printer maker has done just that. The 3rd-party ink might last as long, but you may not want to take the chance.

So Should I Try It?
So is it a good idea to use 3rd-party inks for photos? If it's a new printer and you are worried about print and printer longevity, most of the experts we talked to gave us an emphatic, "No!" If the printer is out of warranty and you're willing to gamble a little, the savings might be worth the risk. But if you do decide to give 3rd-party inks a go, try to find cartridges that carry a well-known brand and a warranty covering your printer. They may cost a little more than the cheapest cartridges out there, but that extra expense could buy you a little insurance that will help you sleep at night.

Do you still have questions? For more help on this subject, visit the Photography Forum, assisting amateurs and professionals since 1987!