I too find inkvenus a good choice.My Epsom printer does need its jets cleaned if the printer is not being used all the time.But I hardly use it much anyway.

I'm afraid I had an $800.00 printer stuffed up by using non spec., ink a while ago and will never be tempted again. My present printer cartridges cost around $25.00 ea., that's cheep enough for me for peace of mind.

I've been refilling my own cartridges for years and only had a few mishaps (mainly ink on my fingers for weeks). Its mainly to do with the type of printer. I had a really cheap Lexmark from the Warehouse, used proper cartridges, and it stopped printing color one week after the warranty ran out (Cheap and Nasty Lexmark). My trusty Canon 5500 wide carriage gets used well every day and gets a syringe of ink every so often and works a dream. I have an Epson C65, home filled cartridges and chip resetter. Really great! Forget the "emulsifiers" (all they do is join oil to water, like soap) Just use the printer more often.

Mention of the Epson chip-resetter reminds me of the printer I fixed for the local school. It had been donated by a parent who said "if you can fix it, they can have it..." turns out it had new (full) cartridges but would not work.
Found all the info on the net including the programme to reset etc. Turns out the printer shoots 10% (amazing waste) of its ink through the jets when you 'clean' them and a smaller quantity each time you start a print job. All of that ink runs down to a pad in the bottom and to stop ink disasters it stops working entirely after the count reaches 5000.
After changing the absorbtion pad (or cleaning in my case) and resetting the counter, its up and away again.
BUT all it tells you is that there is a fault and you need to take it to a Technician.
Our HP printer needs the colour cartridge refilling too - must get off of here and do it.

I use genuine epson T0491....6 for my stylus Photo R350 printer.
These vary in price drastically Generally about $26 each except for Harvey Norman where they are over $30.
However fdc.net.nz have genuine cartridges for $18.95 incl gst.
Check out their other ranges

It pays to shop around, that's for sure! But I only use genuine cartridges! stuffing up one $800 printer was lesson enough.

Bryan, if you had used a reputable supplier of alternative cartidges, and proved that the ink had killed your printer, you would have been given a new printer. I suggest that your, and others, problem is going by price rather than doing your homework and going by reputation. Here's a link http://www.second-image.co.nz/page69650.html that should help you with thes issues. I wrote it.

I have used refilled cartridges in 2 HP large format printers for 6 years and apart from the odd cartridge drying becuase i did not use in a reasonable time, I have never had any problems with the printer or the cartridges. You can of course fill your self if you are handy but I prefer to use ones refilled for me. As a example a colour for my HP would cost $78+, but a refilled one is $26. That says it all and they last twice as long as they are filled and not left half empty.

It's expensive but I stick to buying http://www.pcinfo.com.mk/toner-cartriges.html%20"canon toner cartridges, I've tried many times to use refillable cartridges but my printer never seems to like them, twice I've had to get an expert in to fix it for me. I'm thinking about finding a new printer though which is especially made for refillable cartridges, anyone know of any good ones?

I agree that there are plenty of great places to buy high quality and low cost inks. We have used the guys at http://www.notebookcity.co.nz/
and have been very happy with results and delivery.