It's probably one of the first questions people ask before moving away from genuine printer ink:
Are compatible Canon ink cartridges actually any good?
It's a fair question.
Nobody wants to save a few pounds on ink only to end up with faded homework, streaky invoices or a printer refusing to recognise the cartridge.
So, firstly What Is a Compatible Canon Ink Cartridge?
A compatible cartridge isn't manufactured by Canon.
Instead, it's designed to replace a particular genuine Canon cartridge and work in the same compatible printers.
That's why you'll see products described as things like:
Compatible Canon PG-545XL Black Ink Cartridge
rather than genuine Canon PG-545XL.
The biggest reason people choose compatible printer ink is straightforward: cost.
Does Cheaper Ink Mean Poor Printing?
Not automatically.
A correctly manufactured compatible cartridge should be capable of handling the everyday printing most households and small businesses need.
We're talking about:
- homework
- postage labels
- invoices
- letters
- recipes
- forms
- colour documents
- everyday photographs
As with most products, though, quality can vary between suppliers.
Buying the absolute cheapest cartridge you can find from an unknown seller isn't necessarily the same as buying compatible ink from an established UK printer consumables supplier.
Why Are Genuine Canon Cartridges More Expensive?
Printer manufacturers make a significant proportion of their ongoing revenue from replacement consumables.
You may have experienced the strange situation where replacing a complete set of genuine cartridges starts to feel surprisingly expensive compared with what you originally paid for the printer.
That's one reason compatible cartridges have become such a popular alternative.
If your printer uses cartridges such as Canon PG-540 and CL-541 ink, for example, choosing these compatible versions gives you another option rather than automatically buying the manufacturer's cartridge.
Should You Try Compatible Canon Ink?
If keeping printing costs under control matters to you, they're certainly worth considering.
Just make sure you're buying the correct cartridge for your printer.
You can browse our range of compatible Canon ink cartridges, including popular PIXMA cartridge ranges and XL options.
Sometimes printer ink really doesn't need to cost as much as you think. (Oooh that rhymes).