Q&A for How to Refill an Inkjet Printer Cartridge

With so many different printers available, with new ones coming onto the market regularly and prices changing constantly for both the printer and its ink cartridges, this is a difficult question to answer. The best option is to do a search online for the latest suggestions from consumer product review sites, which will often provide an updated list of current models and their ink prices. These reviews are usually updated yearly. Also, take a wander in your local box store or electronics store to check out ink prices and printers to see for yourself what is likely to fit your budget best.

You’ll find step-by-step instructions for refilling Canon ink cartridges in this wikiHow: How to Refill Canon Ink Cartridges .

Yes, in many cases you can refill ink cartridges. However, if the cartridge has dried ink inside it, don't try refilling it as it will likely not work properly. For Inkjet printer cartridges, follow the step-by-step instructions explained above. Also, before refilling a cartridge, check the manufacturer’s instructions in case there are some specific things to be aware of. When refilling, be sure to do so where spills can be contained and won’t damage anything in your house or office.

In the United States, as at 2019, it will cost around $8 to $10 to get an ink cartridge refilled. For Costco outlets in other countries, refer to the relevant Costco website, and remember that the prices will change over time.

Try cleaning the electrical contacts both on the cartridge and inside the printer with a cotton swab and alcohol. After cleaning, allow the alcohol to dry before inserting the cartridge.

Maybe. Check to see if the residual ink from months ago has dried. If it has, you might not be able to refill the cartridge.

Hold the cartridge over a sink and run water through it until clear. If you do this every time before refilling, you'll get much better print quality, too. You could also use a hair dryer on low to speed the drying.

Yes. If you are running low on ink, you can refill an ink cartridge in the middle of a printing job.

Yes, if you swap that with the black one. The printer software recognizes the place where the color cartridge was and will always assume it's color.

Yes. With any manufactured product, duds sometimes make it through production and end up on store shelves. Someone is bound to buy one every once in a while.

Press and hold the stop button until it stops blinking. This should override the error message.

Check Amazon or Google for your Lexmark printer toner, and see if there are any alternatives listed that are not so expensive.

Either the cartridge with the least amount of ink left, or the one you currently need the most. It does not matter which one you replace first.

There is a pad inside that can only take so much ink and no more, so it is pretty easy to tell when it is full just by filling to the point where the cartridge can take no more. Usually, it's a small hole covered by a label.

No, not really, however you want to keep the fill port clean from any possible contamination. I just put a piece of tape over it.

HP toner fuses at a higher temperature. Also, the wrong toner may introduce a problem with residual dust and speckles.

In most cases, no. Printers will allow you to print in black and white (either in high-quality, which uses CMYK, or in low-quality, which uses K only).

The amount of ink in the cartridge is determined by the chipset on it, so when you refill it, you need to reset the chip if you want to turn off the low ink indicator light. Although it's not necessary to do this.

Only if you remove the liquid with a syringe and add it to the HP cartridge tank. Keep it the same colors, e.g. blue to blue and such.

You need either refillable cartridges (easily obtained from Ebay etc) or a chip resetter. The cartridges are probably the more cost effective option. A resetter makes more sense if you have more than one type of printer.