The reliability of printer ink cartridges vary a lot. When you own a good printer, you of course want some hassle-free printing. But many follow the advice of buying printer ink cartridges of the same brand as the printer they own. The branded cartridges you can often find in the same store where you bought your printer. Buying replacement cartridges can be expensive over time, especially when you tend to print a lot. There are more affordable alternatives that work just as well as the original brands. When you keep purchasing original cartridges, the costs tend to be more than the printer itself over time. There are ways to save money on buying cartridges. You can buy refurbished laser or inkjet printers. There are also generic cartridges. Or you could refill the cartridges with ink yourself, through self-refill kits. Refurbished and generic cartridges are significantly cheaper and work just as well as the original ones.