What would you do if you were at work, printing out some important documents, and lights on your printer started to blink, telling you that you were running out of printer ink? If it's an important job you probably wouldn't want to switch to "draft" mode because you would want the highest quality available.

Often these lights go on a considerable amount of time before you actually have to change the cartridges. So you will have to take some actions pretty soon in order to print out everything you need when you need it.

You have three choices. Either you can refill your ink cartridges yourself, purchase compatible printer inks cartridges, or get OEM (original equipment manufacturer) printer ink cartridges.

Let's take a look at your different options so that you can decide which one is the best for you.

Refill Your Empty Printer Ink Cartridges

If you are interested in helping the environment then this may be the option of choice. Because inkjet cartridges take a long time to decompose, when you reuse them you are not unnecessarily adding to overflowing garbage dumps.

Inkjet cartridges can often be refilled several times before they start to give inconsistent results. Refilling empty cartridges is certainly the most cost effective approach as well. However, there is a pretty big drawback.

If you've ever tried to refill one of your cartridges you probably found that it is a very messy job. So, if you do get printer ink refill kits, make sure to work in an area that is covered with several layers of old newspapers. That's because the ink will be very difficult to clean up after if it ends up in places you don't want it to be.

Buy Compatible Cartridges

Quite a few companies manufacture compatible printer ink replacement cartridges. These cartridges often cost a lot less than OEM cartridges. If you do buy compatible cartridges make sure that you buy the ones for your specific printer.

A lot of people fear that using a non-original equipment manufacturer ink cartridge will void the warranty for their printer. This usually isn't true. Your warranty shouldn't be voided if you use a replacement cartridge that was designed specifically for your printer.

Many people who choose to buy compatible cartridges are pleasantly surprised by both the amount of money they save as well as the quality of the printing.

Buy OEM Replacement Cartridges

If you want the most peace of mind and the least amount of hassle then you should buy OEM replacement cartridges for your printer. But, again, you still want to make sure that you buy the cartridges that were designed for your specific printer.

Although this is the easiest route to take it is also your most expensive option.