Benefits Of Continuous Ink Printers & Toners

Continuous ink printers, or refillable ink tank printers as they are also known, started as a risky venture as aftermarket comparables. However, in 2010, Epson started to invest time into this space and introduced a proprietary model of genuine continuous ink printers that turned a lot of heads. Next up, HP quickly back this concept with the HP Smart Tank Plus Series of printers and MFPs. Soon after, Brother and Canon also introduced their own continuous ink printers and today we have a wide range of ink tanks to choose from.

Most recently, HP has taken the concept of continuous printing to laser printers with printing units such as the Neverstop series of mono printers which you can find out more about by reading our HP Neverstop 1001nw Laser Printer Review. So, given that the global printing industry is showing confidence in this area, you might be wondering how the benefits of continuous ink printers can positively impact your business.

But before we begin, here is a quick refresher on what a continuous ink system does. An ink tank printer distributes ink through a tube straight to the printhead, with the ink coming from large ink bottles (or tanks) as opposed to printer ink cartridges. In return, due to the much larger volume of ink that can be held by the printer, you save hundreds of dollars by not having to replace ink cartridges. In fact, the Epson Expression ET-4750 continuos ink print up to the equivalent of 270 standard inkjet cartridges. Now that's impressive!

So, without further ado, enjoy this article as our experts share the benefits of ink tank printers and continuous ink printers right here at CartridgesDirect.

Benefits of Ink Tank Printers

CartridgesDirect is committed to educating our customer base on the technology that is shaping the professional landscape, which is why we stock a range of high-quality ink tank printers here on our website. Whether your preference is Canon Endurance Printers, HP Smart Tank Printers or Epson Eco Tank, selecting the right continuous ink printer will be solely dependent on the operations of your business. For remote workers, you might find that continuous ink system printers are too much for your home office requirements. Yet, for the bustling office, an ink tank printer could be right up your street.

Now let's look at the benefits of continuous ink printers.

1. Low Cost Per Printed Page

Firstly, let us address the biggest elephant in the room with your printers total cost per printed page. When it comes to debating ink tank vs ink cartridges, the discussion starts and ends with this subject. Continuous ink printers hold a much higher volume of ink compared to even multiple high yield ink cartridge. Plus, the price to purchase a refill bottle for all colours vs ink cartridges is very similar. Therefore, this is a great way for larger offices to save money printing and ‘buy in bulk’ through this print system.

But, should everyone make the switch? No.

For anybody who very rarely uses a printer, making the switch to a continuous ink printer could prove to be a bad move. Only those who are using larger ink volumes to support a greater workforce will see the true benefits of continuous ink systems. After all, the initial startup cost is far greater and you may be financially better purchasing a cheap inkjet printer for printing very occasionally.

2. Refresh Ink vs. Replace Ink

Unlike inkjet cartridges and toner cartridges, continuous ink printers and Neverstop toner printers need never run out of ink. While they all have visible ink or toner level markings, the confusion around when to replace your cartridges or toner still exists. On the other hand, a continuous ink printer or ink tank printer can be topped up at any time. There is absolutely no mess refreshing and this can be done at any time, even during printing.

Depending on your office setup, changing printer ink cartridges could be a nightmare in some offices as all printing has to stop when changing old cartridges for new cartridges. Having the right printer cartridges ready to go for replacement might be the responsibility of all or none of your employees.

Ink tank technology means that you are not tasked with a frequent and complex cartridge replacement, but a simple user replenishment through a syringe.

With an increased focus on streamline printing, we may even see future iterations of the continuous ink systems allowing for even easier replenishment still. But, for now, with some of the best ink tank printers taking less than 15 seconds to refill, we can settle for that. Take a look at this short video which showcases how easy refreshing your ink can be.

3. Less Frequent Ordering & Refilling

When you have a continuous ink printer or toner printer, your tanks are going to last much longer than the average printer cartridge. Therefore, the number of orders you need to place for replacement ink within a single calendar year would be significantly reduced. This means less time waiting on ink to arrive, less money spent on shipping fees and more time printing hassle-free.

What's more, some continuous ink printers come with prefilled ink that can last up to 14,000 printed pages. So, depending on the amount of printing you do each year, you could end up with around 2 years worth of ink ready to go out of the box. If you are looking to go one step further and never have to order replacement ink refill bottles, you can also bulk order via the website. By doing so, you will further reduce shipping costs and as long as the bottles stay closed, the shelf life is extremely long!

4. Less Risk Of Counterfeit Ink

As will almost every industry, counterfeit ink cartridges are an unfortunate byproduct of huge global trade. With many consumers falling prey to cheap prices and the strong possibility of the printer not working or even being damaged, counterfeit ink cartridges are distributed by some highly nasty organisations. With ink refill bottles, you are less likely to find counterfeit continuous ink; with these generic products staying within the printer cartridge product area. If using original ink for the best quality results is a high priority and you want to eliminate the risk of misordering, continuous ink printers might be an option to pursue.

Continuous Ink Benefits Roundup

So there you have it. Our quick shortlist of the most prominent benefits of ink tank printers and continuous ink printers. While many more benefits are available, these 4 are the most likely reasons why you might switch your printing unit over to a continuous ink system. The huge cost savings from operating ink refill bottles over ink cartridges should be enough to convince any heavy printer to make the switch. However, you should always assess your printing needs to ensure that you are choosing the right printer that is not overvalued for what you are actually going to be using it to produce.

If you would like to learn more about the range of continuous ink tank printers available, you can find them right here on our website. Alternatively, why not view our expert's hand picked shortlist of the best ink tank printers available within Australia. if you would like to hear more about printing units or discover the best printing unit for your business, please contact us via live chat to speak to our team of print professionals.