This is a question we hear quite a bit . . . Wouldn’t I save some money on printer ink if I just bought a new printer? Truthfully we have to answer yes, there are cases where you would save some money by just buying a new printer. That said, we’d prefer you buy the ink! Additionally, the idea of buying a printer every time you need ink is kind of impractical. It is also wasteful.

The new cartridges or new printer debate was rekindled on Digg’s tech page when a user posted a photo of the cost of brand name replacement cartridges and a photo of the cost of a new printer (see photo here). Based on the photo, it is cheaper to just buy a new printer and use the free cartridges that come with it.

Seeing this, the folks at PCWorld did their best Mythbusters impersonation and tested out some common printer myths. Here are two quick ones.

Inkjet printers require one black and one color cartridge to work, and buying brand name replacements for both can cost $40 to $60. But it’s relatively easy to find an adequate printer — one that comes with free ink in the box with the purchase — for less than that price. So, when faced with spending $50 on ink, it seems economical (NOT environmental) to just pick up a second, third, or fourth backup printer instead. When one printer’s ink dries up, throw it away and break out the new printer. I’m going to unofficially call this practice the Earth Killer Method of replacing your inkjet cartridges. [PCWorld]

What about the myth of the Starter Cartridge?

It may be true that the cartridges in your new printer are ‘Starter Cartridges’. These cartridges are only half full. They are designed to run out of ink quickly and get you back to store to buy some new ink. The only evidence we could find to support this myth was from the claims of our customers. The majority agree that the cartridges that came with their printer ran out much sooner than those they purchased after. Take it for what it is worth.