Best printer inks in 2024: inkjet printer cartridges explained

Buying GuidesBy Matthew Richards published 29 April 2021 When it comes to choosing the best printer inks, there are plenty of inkjet cartridge options to choose from Jump to:CanonEpsonHPThe best printer inks almost invariably come from the printer maker itself. Drop for drop, printer ink is notoriously expensive, with prices often being compared to the world’s finest perfumes and champagnes. In their defense, printer manufacturers spend billions in research and development, and often sell their printers at a loss, so they have to make their money somewhere. Even so, inkjet printers are generally sold with relatively low-capacity ‘setup’ or ‘installation’ cartridges, and it can come as a shock when a new set of higher-capacity cartridges costs more than the printer itself.It’s naturally tempting to buy ‘compatible’ cartridges, manufactured by independent companies. But just how compatible are they? You might be lucky and get problem-free printing with very good results. But you could be...