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Consumer Association Says Avoid Epson Ink Cartridges
from the ouch dept
It sounds like people are beginning to get pissed off about the ink jet cartridge scams that many printer manufacturers are pulling. In particular, that original article highlighted problems with Epson ink cartridges, that tell people they're out of ink and refuse to print any more when they still have 25% or more of the ink left to go. Now, the Dutch Consumer Association, which very rarely takes sides when it comes to actual products is telling it's members flat-out not to buy Epson cartridges. Hopefully stories like this will continue to generate discussions, and Epson will be forced to change their policies.
Reader Comments
(Flattened / Threaded)
No Subject Given
I don't know since I don't own an Epson, but can you "trick" the printer that you have replaced the cartridge? I
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Re: No Subject Given
I don't know if there is a way to do so. I've tried with my own Epson, and haven't had any luck - but I haven't delved into the matter in too much detail. I'm sure there is some way to do it, but I don't know how involved it is. Besides, the bigger issue is the fact that most people won't be bothered, and most people actually believe it when their computer tells them the printer is out of ink.
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Re: No Subject Given
Yes. You can buy a little gadget that resets the chip, which was designed primarily to keep people from refilling cartridges and companies from manufacturing generic cartridges (i.e software copyrights, DMCA, etc.).
Yes, cartridges will frequently report being out of ink when they aren't. Unfortunately if the chip signals the computer that the cart is empty, you can't print. Period. The only alternatives are reset the chip or install a new cartridge.
BTW, despite claims by Epson to the contrary, the generic cartridges that sell at 20-25% of the brand name prices work just fine. They won't ruin your printer, make your hair fall out or give you cancer. They will save you money.
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EPSON 3-20-2007
TURN THE PRINTER OFF, TAKE OUT THE CARTRIDGES,TURN PRINTER ON, REINSTALL CARTRIDGES..PRINTER READS AS NEW CARTRIDGE...IT WORKED MORE THAN ONCE FOR ME....BEST NOT TO BUY EPSON ALSO.
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Re: EPSON 3-20-2007
You champion it worked!!
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Re: Re: EPSON 3-20-2007
Please tell me what worked??? I am going crazy with the out of ink error!
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Re: EPSON 3-20-2007
Thank you L. Meacham...it worked!
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Epson sues!
Epson is reportedly now thinking about sueing the Dutch Consumer Association, claiming that they put the chips in the cartridges because of consumer demands.
No really, it's true.
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Not only that but...
Have you ever disassembled an Epson printer? Underneath where the ink cartridges normally rest when not printing is a nice THICK pad of blotter paper. Mine was literally soaked through with ink. Probably hundreds of dollars worth.
I wonder if that's where all my extra ink was going?
Nice business practices there.
HP and happy now!
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Crappy Cartridges
When I got my Epson it came with the 25% full stock cartridges which went empty in no time. I bought new ones for $80 and they only lasted half a semester. I went back to using the cheapo HP that came with my computer and the $20 cartridges on that lasted 1.5 semesters. After those ran out I decided to buy new Epson cartridges, Big Mistake! After I installed them they still wouldn't print. I cleaned and cleaned and before I knew it the software said that the cartridges were empty. $80 for print cartridges and not one printed paper. I'll never buy another Epson printer.
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RE INSTALL
BEST NOT TO BUY EPSON FOR MORE REASONS THAN THIS. WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO ME ON MORE THAN ONCE...I FOUND OUT . RMOVE CARTRIDGES, TURN OFF PRINTER UNPLUG, WAIT A MINUTE, TURN PRINTER ON , RE INSTALL CARTRIDGES.
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Epson Printer's and Cartridges
I too have an epson C66 printer which short of being a bit noisy when printing did well until one day it just stopped printing. I tried cleaning the heads and everything else I could think of. I am actually afraid to try to buy new cartridges for fear they won't work and I don't have that kind of money to just throw away. I think it is really sad that a printe company who was at one time the best on the market has turned to ripping off it's customers as a way of making money. Personally I will never purchase an epson product again. I have alwasy been very happy with HP and will continue to stick with HP for everything I buy in terms of computer equipment.
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Epson Printerws/Ink cartridges are an Institutiona
I bought an Epson C84 printer (BTW, a Consumer Reports Best Buy) and used it for B/W prints for months, without making a single color print. I noticed that the software color-ink-level indicators seemed to show small decreases over time, but paid little attention. When I finally got around to printing those digital photos that I'd been putting off, a print dialog box told me I was OUT OF INK. No joke. I was not able to make a solitary color print. The cartridges were completely full (I shook and weighed them) and I couldn't make a print. Hey, it's my ink. I paid ALOT(!) for it. I don't remember signing a lease agreement for 12 ml of ink at $50 for 6 months.
What balls, to devise such a sneaky way to prevent someone from using a paid-for product. And a ridiculously expensive product at that. This scam can only be Epson corporate and technical policy. You don't accidentally pick some one's pocket. It obviously takes effort. So did this. The Epson company decision makers are a pack of crooks. Period.
That printer experienced a violent trajectory into a garbage can. I will never buy an Epson anything again, and strongly encourage you not to.
What balls!
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Re: Epson Printerws/Ink cartridges are an Institut
My girlfriend and I purchased an Epson CX6000 over Christmas of 2006. We printed about 20 pages; some just black and some in color. When the black ran out we tried to replace it with a generic cartridge which the printer refused to recognize. While we were wrestling with that cartridge the printer decided to register that the yellow was out too, and we hadn't (couldn't have) printed.
We're looking for another brand of printer since we don't want to throw good money after bad.
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Re: Epson Printerws/Ink cartridges are an Institut
I wish i'd read this blog before buying a dual pack of Epson cartridges. 3à shetts of A4 later, guess what, OUT OF INK. I object to a supplier treating customers with utter contempt. Customers just walk away for ever.
How can Epson use such short term scams and expect to endure?
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Re: Epson Printerws/Ink cartridges are an Institutiona
I own a cx5400 and had the same experience.
Used two whole black cartages, and when the second one ran out, the machine also told me I was out of color ink... even though I had only run 2 pages of color in all that Time. Epson sucks and the company is a thief with their business practices.
Yes, it would be nice if the machine would tell us that we are low on ink... but we should be the ones to determine that the cartage is empty.... not some asshole at epson.
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epson r380
Don't buy one of these!!! Brand new with brand new epson ink cartridges. And guess what error I get? Ink cartridges not recognized please install again. Installed them 100+ times over and over and same message. Now I have to deal with tech support crap...arg!! DON'T BUY EPSON!! Wife was so excited about this printer and it doesn't work.
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Re: epson r380
Amen, why didn't I read this article BEFORE buying my epson? CX6000 "Install Ink cartridges" ---- but it's there! I'm looking at it! It's IN I can see it and I can even take it out and shake it and HEAR the ink inside! ... well it'll only be a few more years till I can afford an HP....
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Re: epson r380
I recieved one for Christmas and loved the photo quality. I just plugged in the mem card and did the search and print.
Wow.. this great..THEN I hooked it to the real world of computers ... Oh CRAP what a load of shit. I almost never got it installed and then almost never got it to print a picture. I thought I had solved the problems. Wrong. Went to bed ... next day tried to printout a SIMPLE damn email...no way in hell... it failed over and over and over and I finally said to hell with it. Thought well maybe it will still print a picture from my picture file... daaaaaaaaa hell no.. once again tried one from the mem card from the cam. Well low and behold the damn thing did it. I am less than happy with this unit. What is with the damn major problem of printing just an ordinary stupid everday printout????????????????!!!!!!!!!
I have not spoken with the company, however, rest asurred I shall tomorrow morning(1-1-08)if you buy one of these make damn sure to keep all the paper work and the name of whom you bought it from.
Tim
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Re: epson r380
I am having the same problem with a different all in one model from Epson. It won't recognize 1 of the 6 cartridges that came with it in the box from Epson!!! Totally annoying, and of course there is no way to tell if its the cartridge or the whole damn printer! Tech support can't tell either. SOOOOO this piece of junk is cetting returned!
Forget about Epson if you want to print anything!
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Cartridges aren't being recognized by Canon R380
Right out of the box!!! I'm taking it back tomorrow.
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Re: Cartridges aren't being recognized by Canon R380
Well, I bought a camera for my husband for his dad's day last summer...and we received the Epson r380 as a freebie.
So we have kept it in the box until this summer, as we were not needing to do any photo printing.
And now, I have it out of the box, put the ink in and presto magico, "inck cartidges cannot be recognized. "make sure ink cartridges are correctly installed."
I have tried shutting it off, taking them out, reinstalling them, still the same message. I have also bought a new black cartridge, tried it out, nothing different. Do I need to buy ALL new cartridges?
IS IT WORTH IT????
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Re: Re: Cartridges aren't being recognized by Canon R380
I think you mean an Epson R380, not a Canon as you stated
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Can't believe it's true
I called my brother the expert today, after my Epson CS5000 suddenly stopped recognizing that there is yellow ink. Actually, it first said the almost new magenta was finished. I took it out, put it back, and it decided the almost new yellow was empty, and the magenta was full. The error message told me to buy Epson cartridges. After what I have read here, I won't give Epson another dime. This printer is less than one year old, but I'll buy another brand instead of giving them money for ink. I do have generic ink now, and all was well, until I had a paper jam ... suddenly, it tells me the ink is empty. I'm stunned at what I've read here. I appreciate it.
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RE: CX4600
I bought 4 remanufatured ink cartridges to replace all the old cartridges. I installed them and they registered new but did not print any images. I took them out and reinstalled them and they registered as half empty!! I tried to print and nothing....so I began reading the shut off and reinstall tips and thi8s time the cartridges registered as empty! I just spent $40 and I still can't print a thing. The company I purchased the ink cartridges will not take them back because they have been used. What a SCAM!! Epson you are run by a bunch of crooks!
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i've had mine for less then a year and very rarely print, and all of a sudden the red light goes on and apparently it is out of ink.
this is ridiculous. i have no intention of buying a whole new set of cartridges. i will keep it and use the scanner, as that is actually useful, but i will find another company to buy my printer from in the future.
crap ass printer.
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Re: your comment on Epson Printers
Sophia how are you able to use the scanner without replacing the ink? My printer wont let me do it unless i put in new ink! I have an Epson Stylus CX4600...howd you get around this problem?
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POS - Epson CX4800 Ink Scam
Just another victim in a long line of the current Epson Ink scam...
I never made a single color print with the color cartridges and they now ALL register as empty even though I can shake them and hear the ink inside sloshing around inside.
WHAT A SCAM
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This is the worst printer I have ever owned. DO NOT BUY this!!!!! it is a big scam..
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epson sucks never buy one
I have to print all of the time because I'm a student and I rarely use color. Even though all I print is black it seems that my color cartridges slowly run out. Once the color is gone it won't even let me print black until I spend a shit ton of money to replace the color cartridges! The entire reason I bought the printer in the first place was to have the advantage of only buying the color I needed as they ran out but somehow they all mysteriously run out at the same time. And this has happened to me on multiple occasions. I'M PISSED!
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EPSON, get cash for empty EPSON ink cartridges
EPSON Recycling. NEW! We buy empty EPSON cartridges. Sell your used empty EPSON inkjet cartridges and get cash for EPSON recycling. Each shipment must be a minimum of 50 original OEM EPSON ink cartridges. All cartridges must be in original condition, not tempered or manipulated in any way. USPS Free Recycling.Purchase price is $0.10 each and free shipping. Recycling keeps jobs in America. Thank you Ursula Schoeneich, President & CEO Certified WBENC Women's Business Enterprise http://www.freerecycling.com
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Epson not taking back unused ink
Epson will not take back my unused ink. Their CX5800F printer bit the dust yesterday. I have over $60 of unused, unopened ink left. When I called this morning, they told me that since my last purchase $60 was one week over the normal 30 day return policy, I was out of luck. I then asked how long the shelf life supposedly is for an Epson cartridge and was told it was 3 years. Then why oh why since I purchased another Epson printer (won't do that again) will they not replace my old ink with new ink. I think these companies are making their money on the ink and not on the printers since they are throw aways anyway.
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epson tech support....a bunch of BS!!!
So I called tech support and the guy was an idiot! He kept saying that my cartridges are empty and they are not. So they said that they would send me a free replacement this one time. Doesn't do me any good now! I'll probably wait 2-6 weeks for them and they won't work either!
Any idea on were to get the thing to reset the chips?
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wot will epsom do to help us. will they give money back
epsom should be made to refund everyone who bought these printers after all they must have decided which company was going to manufacture the ink cartridges .they should recall them .I have the same prob with ink and how many more who people are there that haven't added comments ,hp inks, last for ages, I have gone back to using old hp and it still has ink from 12 months ago and they are a lot cheaper
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Empty New Ink Cartrages
We bought out epson printer from Office Depot in Bradenton Fl.
It worked great for a while. Then quit printing.
We purchased new epson ink cartrages from Office Depot, and they would not work because there was NO ink in the cartrages.
I thought this was a fluke, and took the empty ink cartrages back to Office Depot, got new ones which were also empty.
If you weigh the empty ink cartrages they weigh the same as the brand new in the package ones. This is a complete rip off.
We bought a HP all in one, and have had no problem at all.
I feel that Office Depot should be aware of these brand new epson ink cartridges there selling. They don't seem to care.
Even though we bought our new printer from them as well as the epson that is gathering dust in my spare room.
Epson sucks I wouldn't buy another epson product ever.
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Only Using Black
I cant believe I cant print with just black now. I feel the pain, I want to smash this printer everytime I touch it and attempt to get it to work. I used generic cart before and they worked fine, now I cant get past out of ink error msg. Then I decide to buy the black epson brand because it has the correct chip. However, it shows the black but wont let me print in just black unless I fill the color cartridges in? That is the most insane setting in any piece of equipment I have owned. How dare they even program a setting like that, someone start a class action lawsuit so we can join in, ha.
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epson manufacturing know the jig is up!!!
As well as all of you posted Ive had the same problems with my supposed to be deluxe printer/scanner/copier! I have bought the last ink cartridge that I will buy ever for this thing. But, what I did do was call epson..got through pretty quick only to find myself in a back and forth argument with a phone person who gave me every excuse in the book why my printer won't recognize full cartridges, I told her that this was a major problem for everyone who owns these printers and that I am going to get another printer and copy all of the complaints and maybe sue for this issue..tada! She immediately decided to send me a NEW epson printer loll! just like the junk I already have. WOW. Maybe she didn't want me to have to buy or borrow another printer to copy with? I could tell by the way she spoke when I told her about all the complaints that this was an obvious very popular issue with epson. Thought this might give you a laugh.
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EPSON ink rip-off
I've used my EPSON Stylus DX4200 a lot for printing digital images & full-color invoices, which uses loads of ink (all 4 colors). When the printer told me the cardridges were empty I was surprised by the evenness of which each color cardridge had ran out... I scratched my head, but went out and bought new cardridges for each color anyway... (I was very happy with the amount of pictures I was able to print being a very very active printer back then)...
A couple of months ago I installed 4 new cardridges (one for each color), but haven't printed anything in color, thus using only black ink... yesterday my printer wouldn't print, cause MY COLOR CARTRIDGES WERE SUPPOSEDLY EMPTY!!! I thought to myself "WTF!!!"... I took them out and shook them next to my ear... they were full! Not just a little, but really really full!!!
I weight a new cartridge on my digital postal scale and compared it in weight to the supposedly empty one... suprise: only a 0.5 grams difference!
Having read the comments here I know for a fact EPSON has a fixed rip-off policy which scams people out of their hard-earned money and their -way- overprized still left-over ink.
(Remember: -in weight- printer-ink bought from the original manufacturer is more expensive than buying solid silver!)
Anyway, I -had to- (in an emergency) print a black-and-white invoice, but had to go out buying new color-cartridges just to print that black-and-white page, even though I installed a new black cartridge...
I'm so mad... SO mad... I can't describe it... I will print with this printer for as long as these cartridges work (or should I say for as long as my printer will have me believe they work) and then bring it to the recycle plant and buy another brand of printer which doesn't cheat me out of my ink.
EPSON: BOO! BOO! BOO! Shame on YOU! Never again will they receive 1 penny from me!
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Can you scan without ink cartridges?
I have a great Konica printer and only need my Epson Stylus CX9400 scan function, but when I try to scan a window pop up saying "The scanner is warming up or in use. Please wait until the scanner is ready, then try again." The printer screen says "Ink cartridges cannot be recognized" I shouldn't need ink to scan. Does anyone know how to solve this?
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Epson Ink Cartridges
I had exactly the same experience. After replacingseveral individual cartridges and finding that they showed "empty" after only a few pages of print I purchased the full complement of the four cartridges and replaced the two that said "Low" only to find that one of the cartridges still says "empty" and refuses to print. I have decided that I am throwing good money after bad and I junked the entire printer. Now I am stuck two unopened cartridges, besides the two that I replaced but never got a single print out of it.
Discusting!!!!
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Re: Epson Ink Cartridges
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Epson cartridges
I only use bulk MIS ink on my epson 1280 and epson 2200 (both are excellent printers that epson has since replaced with "more advanced" models in order to foil the use of bulk ink cartridges. I buy the bulk ink from MIS associates along with their CIS (continuous Inking system). It's basically a refurbished set of epson cartridges attached to plastic tubes that lead to ink bottles. The system works like a charm and costs 1/10 or less the cost of epson's rip-off cartridges. I am fussy about my ink because I am an artist making prints. But they look great.
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epson cx4600
my printer ran out of ink and showed that evil red light on the left hand side. so i took out all the cartridges and only the black was empty so i took it to a cartridge refill store in Brunswick new jersey, and he reset the chip. but after i reinstalled the reset black cartridge it still popped up a red light. I think all the chips on all the colors have to be reset in order for it to work. tomorrow imma bring all the cartridges to get reset and hopefully this will work. ill let you guys know how it goes
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Epson not so bad...
I understand this is the "haters" section, but I have a new Epson printer, and it's pretty darn good. (Artisan 800). Sure it goes through ink (as do ALL inkjets!), but not any more than an a newer HP (ex. C7280). In fact print quality is better, and the photo quality of Epson is WAY better than HP. Ink is about the same price as HP. (I don't know where you shop, but it's $9.99 before tax for HP (colors) and $9.40 for Epson (colors), so actually Epson is a little cheaper. Also, they are vacuum sealed, so they last longer stored - the HP ones are not as airtight, and have chips inside them that self-destruct/auto-expire, which sucks. I used only get HP, but after hardware and software issues, I decided to give another brand a chance. I am pleasantly surprised. I looked at Brother, but the print quality is not there in inkjets. I am curious how much longer the "high-capacity" Epson cartridges last compared to the "regular" ones, but at the end of the day, it's cheaper to use to regulars and get $6 in recycling credit as opposed to one "high capacity".
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Re: Epson not so bad...
I couldn't disagree more with Joe. I also own the Epson Artisan 800, and am so disgusted with the company that I could spit.
This isn't an issue of print quality or scan quality. It's an issue of repulsive and deceptive practices by Epson. If I had known that I could not print AT ALL even in GREYSCALE without color cartridges that aren't empty, I'd never have bought the machine.
I don't use color much, but the color cartridges (once installed), evaporate quickly even if not used. It may not even be evaporation. It's entirely possible Epson's other deceptive practice of arbitrarily reporting lower ink levels with every print irrespective of the colors used may be to blame. In any event, my color ink is constantly running out when I'm not using it at all, and that prevents me from printing plain black text -- which I use a lot -- without expending a lot of extra money.
Truly despicable to intentionally design the printer this way.
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I am so mad...
Same here. I don't care about few extra bucks, but my point I am tired of being screwed by companies like Epson. When you go to "print settings" (and of course you can't after the error message pops up)there is an option "black ink only" so, as far as my elementary knowledge of English goes, it means I should be able to print with black only. WRONG! And that really pissed me off.
What is even more deceiving, is that, as many of you stated here, you can't use any functions unless you replace the color ink. Why can't I scan or use fax when I am out of color ink? There is no need for ink when you scanning. I was in the middle of work, and I can't finish scanning because I ran out of ink? BS! Where is the logic?
So, this is my plan: I am filing a class action law suit agains you Epson, and I promise you lose this one! Bring it on!
Mike
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epson stylus photo rx ,680, wont recognize cartridges
If you are looking for a printer tha t will work for one year and your in need of a boat anchor--this printer will fill the bill. Printer is 15 month 0ld and will nor recognized Epson cartridges. One positive about the Epson [ they are very polite when they tell you are screwed]
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Epson
You will always find your colour inks going down, even if not being used, because the ink acts as a coolant for the printhead, this means that it has to have all inks working in order to operate. Every time you turn your printer on, it recharges the printheads, more ink into the waste pad underneath. If you rechip an empty Epson cartridge, you run the risk of burning out the printhead on your printer.
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As an add-on to my last comment, if you want to use refilled cartridges, keep a set of empty Epson originals handy. Take out and change only one cartridge, letting your printer accept it before you move onto the next. If you have any problem, just put your empty Epson originals back in and let the printer sort its brain out, then you can start again.. Trouble with Epsons is that you have to use them regularly, or the printheads will just dry out on you, then you use all your ink going around the cleaning cycle. Hope this helps a few frustrated Epson users.
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epson
Cannot believe that I didn't read this before buying Epson. It's unbelievably bad. Just replaced all inks and my daughter printed one colour picture and now saying all inks are gone! This happened with the original ones but thought that was down to the 25% thing but now I realise it's just a complete con. Am taking it back this afternoon!
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