I long ago came to the conclusion that although third party ink cartridges cost less, they are too often more expensive in the long run.
I'm on the other side of that argument. After 8 years of third party ink cartridges with my last printer I finally bumped into an issue that was resolved by running through one set of OEM cartridges. In my newer printer (same make, about a year old) I am using XXXL cartridges because the same amount and style of printing seems to need more ink (a deliberate design matter, I am sure). The difference in cost between the OEM and very good third party cartridges is $108.00 per set ($90 versus $198). The printer, brand new, was only $113.00.
Does my ink produce the colour reciprocity for photos that a trained-eye customer like Jon would require? Probably not....but for the stuff I do and the few photos I print, my results are more than satisfactory to my eye. And, if $108.00 is saved every time I change a set of cartridges, after a few years I will have kept a lot of money in my pocket rather than applying it to the manufacturer's bottom line.
