Many weeks ago on this site, the subject of ink cartridge costs came up. Some folks felt the problem was easily beat by using the generics that are available. I have 2 Epson printers both using their premier ink. The ink seems expensive to me at $20 for the "super size" cartridges. I complained about that price then and I'll continue to complain now.

A couple of friends posted links to their suppliers of generics for Epson printers. Some emailed me w/their favorite. The prices all looked good. Some were as low as $4/cartridge, some as "high" as $9/cartridge.

I go through a lot of ink printing on dvds for sports videos for the local HS kids. I burn/print about 2000 disks/yr. In the summer I do the tractor pulls for our class in ITPA. So-I thought I could surely benefit from lower cost. I've had my R380 printer for a little over 8 mos when I rec'd my first generic cartridge. I ordered complete sets of ink (6 carts) from 3 different generic suppliers. They were all obviously different also...not the same product.

Trouble bit me on the 1st cartridge install. I'd NEVER had to use the nozzle cleaning excercise ever before...didn't know how. But I'd only used Epson factory ink. Put the first generic in & got psychodelic unintended streaks upon printing. I had to do the nozzle cleaning trick....again, ironically for the 1st time ever. Nozzle cleaning now became mandatory at every cartridge change, even on the smaller printer I use at the farm w/generics.

Out of 24 generic cartridges I ordered (again-3 different supplier/brands), one was trashed by me after printers (both of them) just absolutely failed to recognize the cartridge at all. But, I figured that was still OK odds, but I was still head cleaning a LOT! We also felt the color was different, not bad, but different. I got out some of my old Epson ink printed disks & you could see a definite difference. Yes, I let the new disks "age" a couple of days. Again, it wasn't bad...if you didn't have anything to compare it to you wouldn't know it. Then I also felt I was changing cartridges more often. I coudn't prove it. No real way to track useage. We also do general computer printing stuff & a fair amount of photos. But, I just felt I was changing more often than w/Epson ink. How would anyone know if cartridges have the ink they claim in them? Impossible. But, I felt good about the price.

Finally today I was printing on another batch of disks & the Haight-Ashbury Gracie Slick color streaks started again. Ink Level monitor didn't show an empty cart, but I could tell it was. I changed cartridge (a generic for a generic), then had to do cleaning (you test 1st to know for sure) & thought all was good. But still wacko colors upon printing. I took the newly replaced cart & went on the back porch in 5 degree air & threw it as far as I could....that helped, I assure you. I pulled out one of my still sealed Epson cartridges & put it in as a replacement. No cleaning & it printed 15 remaining disks just beautifully.

So-I don't know what more I could've done. I tried. I won't be using any more generics, but I'll continue to complain about the higher price of Epsons. I do have to say generic suppliers were very prompt on shipping. So is Epson. I will spend more $$ now I know, but I'm guessing I'll go back to not even knowing HOW to clean print heads. I'll not recommend to anyone else what to do, but I'm done w/generics. I do thank those that gave me referrals. You had good intentions & I'm sure they work OK for others. But for some reason, not in my 2 printers.

Below is a scanned example of the dvd's that we print. My wife does takes the photos & does the photo work. These are not stick-on labels, we print right onto the face. They really turn out nice. A hi-gloss finish.