If you read the support link it shows that certain HP inkjet models have over-rides, some do not, and how the expiration is “computed” and most importantly that “Only printers listed in this table are programmed to stop due to aging ink supplies.”
I understand your pain as I buy sets of 4 inks for $35 delivered against OEM at $55 each. But taking Brother’s side I had a recent problem with some compatible inks in my Brother MFC and Brother support was really good about helping while doing their job pushing OEM. Some manufacturers support would reply “so sad, too bad, use our OEM, thank you and goodbye”.
Without going into the problem details Brother advised they do not intentionally put anything in their firmware to inhibit compatible inks. For now I’ll take them at their word noting things can change over time.
I pay about $2 per cartridge by buying online. I get the occasional dud but who cares at the price?
John Neilson
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LInk please!!!
[Extra characters to make up minimum]
Go to eBay and search for your printer model +cartridges.
Please let me know if you have any difficulties with this.
John Neilson
johnn31@bigpond.com
I have the new Epson printer and I love it. Apart from the ink lasting way longer as the ink tanks are large, the ink is very cheap to buy and simple to put in - open cap, lift tank seal and pour in!
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Our Epson Eco Tank printer still has a near full set of tanks after months of usage. The only drawback is that because it’s a water based ink, any prints that get wet basically lose all the information on them. One of my step-sons has a bus timetable I made for him and he left it in the front pocket of his backpack. One rain and that was the end of it. The page looks like it’s blank in places where the ink has washed cleanly away. Might have to invest in a laminater machine.
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CHOICE has just released a printer review (member content), including the annual ink cost and speed test.
Feel free to post any follow up questions here.
This is a comment on my own comment of July 2016. My Brother printer that cost $50 and which I have fed with ink from hottoner .com.au, has packed up. I found it always needed to be cleaned after printing 2 sheets of paper. Have decided to ditch it and by another cheapie and use cheap ink.
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For those interested, we’ve recently updated our printer review (member content). We also have a printer buying guide to help you navigate the various technical options and printer features.
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Years ago I bought a epsom printer and eventually It died on me for no apparent reason, some years later I watched a program on TV about built in obsolescence and there being demonstrated was a built in feature on an identical printer to mine that when the excess ink was deposited on an internal pad inside the printer a sensor would trip in and shut down the printer for good. That’s why I buy aftermarket printer ink.
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How does aftermarket ink not trip this switch?
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Your missing the point, the manufacturers need to make the ink affordable. It seems most printer makers try to recoup the cost of selling the printers cheap and then recoup the cost by insisting customers by genuine ink cartridges.
As far as I can remember you could only get the manufacturers printer ink for my old printer before it died on me.
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I get the idea that manufacturers almost give away printers to get you to buy their overpriced ink - it’s called the razors and blades model of marketing. I understand that you may get round this by buying third party ink and that many manufacturers try to make this as hard as possible to protect their profits. What I don’t understand is the relationship between that marketing strategy and the demise of your old printer and why the lack of third party ink mattered to its lifespan.
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They were trying to say as the printer already has a limited lifespan due to the ink sponge so having a printer that is able to use third party ink reduces the real cost of ownership for that limited lifespan. They, from my reading of their posts, were not saying it affected the length of life but rather just the cost of that life.
For a few printers it is possible to replace/clean the waste sponges and so avoid/reset the lock out switch. Just purely as an example see the following links, they should not be taken as recommendations of any business or system:
http://www.octoink.co.uk/categories/Waste-Ink-Solutions/Replacement-Pads/
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For what it’s worth, we’re STILL on the original ink that was supplied with our printer when we purchased it about 2 years ago. Haven’t even come close to needing to refill it yet. As previously mentioned, the ink is water-based though, so a small drop of water can completely destroy a print. Not suitable for photo prints, but for documents and non photo prints it suits us perfectly. Just wondering if the ink bottle refills will still be available to purchase when we do finally need to top it up. Might have to grab a few bottles just to make sure. Printer is an Epson Ecotank. Haven’t had a need to clean the nozzles on it so far either.
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… up and running for about 5 orbits before it needs more ink !! 
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What I was meaning to say is why Should you to be loyal and buy genuine printer cartridges if some printer companies purposely build in their machines a device to shorten the usable life of the printer.
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We all know that upselling is a part of businesses for some industries, but Brother printer’s PR agency really laid it out in their email to us:
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I suggest more than a few PR agencies as well as brand / product managers for quite a few manufacturers have sent similar emails to their outlets, retailers, and service agents, in many, many industries.
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