What you need to know
Who wants to spend time thinking about their printer? It should just work. We’ve developed our inks and printers to work in harmony, so that they’ll do just that and give you consistent and reliable results without any fuss. That’s because we invest in extensive research, high-tech manufacturing facilities and put our products through rigorous tests.
But naturally, we can’t say the same for inks that we’ve not created. There’s no assurance from Epson that so-called compatible inks or remanufactured cartridges will deliver.
Are you willing to put yourself at risk of unreliable yields and poor prints? Or worse, the cartridges failing to work or the printer breaking? Secure yourself against potential printing pitfalls by using genuine Epson ink.
| Genuine ink1 | Compatible ink2 | Remanufactured ink3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Researched and developed by Epson | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Manufactured in Epson’s high-tech clean room facilities | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Tested and approved by Epson | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Protected by Epson printer warranty | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
Genuine ink
Epson’s inks undergo extensive research and development, are manufactured in high-tech and purpose-built facilities, and are rigorously tested. This means that the inks produce high-quality and reliable results. We also care about the environment and ensure we act responsibly - take our cartridge recycling programme for example. Find out more about it here.
Compatible ink
A compatible ink cartridge refers to a product that has been entirely produced by a third-party. The word compatible can be misleading as the cartridge and ink has not been created, manufactured, tested or approved by Epson. Compatible inks may be cheaper than genuine Epson inks, but they come without any assurance from Epson. They can be faulty, unreliable, and may not perform as effectively as genuine ink cartridges.
Remanufactured ink
A Remanufactured ink cartridge refers to a used, empty Epson ink cartridge that has been remanufactured, refilled and resold by a third party. These cartridges may cost less than genuine inks, but they come without any assurance from Epson. The ink has not been manufactured by Epson and the Remanufactured cartridge has not been tested or approved by Epson. They’re often positioned as an environmentally friendly option, but this is not necessarily the case as they can be faulty, unreliable, and may not perform as effectively as Epson’s genuine ink cartridges.
What are the risks with non-genuine inks?
We want you to always have a trouble-free printing experience. That’s why we're highlighting the potential issues you could encounter with non-genuine inks.
Printer malfunctions
Imagine needing to print a flight ticket and it fails to work - because the nozzles have clogged or the printer is unable to recognise the cartridge. Or worse, the cartridge has arrived broken before you’ve even had a chance to get started. Non-genuine inks aren’t designed and tested by Epson, which means that your printer could be vulnerable to malfunctions that are not covered by your printer warranty.
Poor results
Appearances matter, so when you’re printing out important business documents or coursework, the last things you want to see are smudges, blurs, streaks and poor detail. Also, if you’re looking to archive documents, it’s important to consider the longevity of the ink. Our strict quality controls ensure you receive reliable, clean and sharp results, but can the same be said for non-genuine inks?
Time spent fixing problems
Whether you’re running a home office or simply juggling busy family life, we’re sure you’ve got better things to do than clear up after leaky cartridges. But unfortunately, non-genuine inks aren’t backed by our research, development and testing. Huge investment goes into our printers and inks to ensure they perform reliably.
False economy
Low upfront costs are naturally appealing, but if you end up with a faulty product it can be very disappointing and costly in the long run. Can you be certain that a remanufactured or compatible cartridge will work? What if you end up spending time and money reprinting documents that aren’t good enough the first time? Plus, non-genuine inks aren’t covered by Epson, so if they damage your printer the warranty may be invalid.
The solution
There’s a really simple way to ensure you can print easily and get consistent results - by using Epson’s genuine inks which are tested and approved. Let us explain what makes our high-performance and reliable inks so special.
Epson works best with Epson
Printing should be hassle-free and reliable; that's why our inks and cartridges undergo extensive research and development so that they work effortlessly together. We also control and monitor every step of the production process with manufacturing in high-tech facilities and rigorous testing. This means that you can relax; our inks are designed to work seamlessly with your printer and produce high-quality and reliable results, whether you're printing text or graphics. That’s why nine out of ten genuine ink users are very satisfied with the quality of their prints¹.
Reliable, high-quality results
There’s a lot that goes into creating a reliable printer and ink supply. That's why we have invested heavily in research and development and spent countless years perfecting our production facilities. Each cartridge is produced in a state-of-the-art, dust-free environment to prevent malfunctions. The material and the design of the cartridge itself have also been carefully executed to provide a stable environment for the inks.
User-friendly
It’s not just everyday use of our printers that’s easy. We’ve also taken the stress out of buying the right ink for your printer. You can quickly identify the right pack in-store thanks to the image on the front. Simply check your user guide to find out which image you should look for. We’ve also developed compact EasyMail packaging that will fit through most letter boxes for when your post doesn't require a signature. It makes it hassle-free to order online to your home. Whether you print often or infrequently, there’s standard and XL cartridges to suit your printing needs.
Affordable
It doesn’t make sense to throw away ink that hasn't been used. For this reason, nearly all of our inks are available as individual cartridges, meaning you only ever have to replace the colour that has been used. It can save you up to 30%² of the ink, compared to competitors' tri-colour cartridges. Our reliable inks also reduce the chance of misprints, and they’re tested so you can count on the quoted yield, making it easy to budget for your printing needs. To help reduce your costs even further, our XL cartridges provide an economical solution for those who print frequently, letting you print over two times more pages³, compared to standard cartridges. This significantly reduces the cost per page, helping you to save money.
How to buy genuine ink
Have you ever walked round and round a shop trying to find your printer’s ink, only to realise that you’ve forgotten your printer model name? Or do you prefer to shop online? If so, how do you manage deliveries? Do you get fed-up waiting at home for their arrival? Whether you shop online or prefer to pick up your ink in-store, we’ve made buying the correct ink for your printer fuss-free.
Epson's logo
Our logo is clearly displayed on the pack to help you find our inks in-store. You can feel safe in the knowledge that you’re buying our reliable, easy-to-use, genuine inks when you see our brand.
Pack code and capacity indicator
To suit the frequency of your printing, choose a cartridge size that fits with your needs. Just look for the capacity indicator shown here.
Page yield and compatibility
To plan and budget for your printing needs, check out how many pages the cartridge can print in colour and black on the front of the pack. It also details the printers that the cartridges are compatible with.
Ink family image
Forget needing to remember your printer model; each ink belongs to a family so you only have to look for the family image such as a strawberry, elephant or stag. It makes it quick and easy to find your ink, as you can look for the pack image, rather than a printer model. Check your user guide to find out which ink family you need for your Epson printer.
Pack contents
You can see which colour inks are in the pack and how much you're getting of each. We detail the exact millilitres of the ink so that you have everything you need to make an informed purchase.
Find the right ink in-store
Your trip to the shop can now be swift and straightforward. Thanks to Epson’s clear and informative packaging, you’ll be able to quickly identify the right ink for your printer. We've also made it simple to pick the right size cartridge for your needs, and check the page yield before you buy. Hover over the pack to find out more.
¹ Research carried out by Epson in January 2021 (n=2,190). Epson printer owners were asked: "How satisfied are you with the quality of your printing using genuine Epson ink cartridges." A cumulative total of 90.4% scored 6 or above, considered as being "satisfied" or “very satisfied”.
² Based on testing carried out by Keypoint Intelligence in October 2022, compared to equivalent competitor (HP and Canon) printer models, using tri-colour cartridges, according to the manufacturers’ website, October 2022. Weighting for Document and Photo printing applied based on 2Europe 'Printing Usage & Attitudes Study', November 2019.
³ For more information, please visit www.epson.eu/pageyield