When you buy a new computer you often get a new printer as well. Most people buy the printer that is on sale, or the prettiest printer, or the largest printer, but they actually give no thought to the replacement in cartridge of ink.

Ink cartridges are probably one of the most expensive ongoing expenses you have to make during the printers lifetime. You need to find out as much as you can about the replacement in cartridge of inks, before you purchase a printer.

There are several things you can find out before purchasing your printer:
1. How many pages does an ink cartridge print before it runs out. Many times this information is in the printer specs. You know that small print area.
2. How much does the ink cartridge cost. Often the cheaper the printer is, or the printers that are on sale have very expensive ink cartridges.
3. Find out if the ink cartridge has the print head on it, or the computer chip. These ink cartridges are often more expensive than other cartridges
4. Figure out what kind of print quality you need. If you print a lot of pictures or art work, you may want a printer with separate color cartridges.
5. Ask the sales person if replacing the cartridge is easy. You don’t want to be stuck there for hours, and hours.
6. Ask whether or not there are compatible ink cartridges for this model. There is nothing wrong with buying generic ink cartridges, everyone does it, so ask!

If you find out the above information before you choose a printer, you will be better equipped to choose the right printer for your needs. You wont choose a printer based on how pretty the plastic is, or how small or big it is, but on real characteristics that work for you.