Epson Ink Cartridges - Why do They Cost Less?

There is a simple reason for this. In the late 1980s as inkjet printers were being developed the major manufacturers of such decided to take different approaches in the process of ink to paper delivery. Canon, Hewlett Packard and Lexmark opted to work with thermal technology while Epson developed a process creating a dot of ink on paper that uses piezoelectric components. The difference is this: Piezoelectric based printing heads are what are known as fixed type heads. They stay on the machine for the life of it. They use a nano tiny electronic component that expands when current is applied to it. This component acts to push a incredibly small drop of ink through an equally small channel and onto the paper. This system is superior for greater volume printing.

Epson ink cartridges cost less because they do not have a printing head built into each of them, as do thermal inkjet cartridges.

Are Epson printers better? That depends on your planned usage. The piezoelectric inkjet system does something that thermal inkjets does not. It can vary the size of the printed dot. This gives a greater range of shading and hence image definition. This variable dot size is very similar to the effect used for offset printing of halftones and process colour. So in this regard the Epson system is somewhat superior. Other factors in printer quality are whether fixed head printers as used in Epson’s can provide more definitive colour registration and whether the savings gained by using lower cost Epson ink cartridges add up over time to be significant. The piezoelectric ink delivery system used in Epson printers has ridden a wave of printing superiority for almost ten years. But as competitors such as Canon and Lexmark design higher resolution printers, and as Hewlett Packard develops higher quality inks such as their Vivera system, Epson ink cartridges will need to offer more than a savings of £2.00 to keep customers loyal. Epson ink cartridges will need to use hundred year colourfast inks, as does HP and camera ready firmware as does Canon. Cartridge SOS sells original manufacture ink cartridges for Epson, Canon, Lexmark, HP and other fine printers. Always in stock at Cartridge SOS are toners for laser printers and high quality "Earth friendly " recycled printing papers. With Cartridge SOS you may order easily and safely online or simply give us a call on 020 7731 1144 for personal assistance.

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