How to save while using genuine Canon inks

Save ink by using draft mode
If you’re printing for just reference or review, consider using ‘Draft’ mode. Draft mode prints really fast, and lays down minimal ink. Your document will be lighter but still easily readable. It’s a money saver – using less ink. Draft mode can be found under your Printer Quality settings. Find this option when you go to print your document. When you’re ready to print out the final copy, change your setting to ‘standard’ or ‘high’ mode.

Utilise duplex printing
Duplex printing means printing on both sides of the paper. It’s not an ink saver, but it is a paper saver. You’ll save on paper costs, using less paper when your printing. Many canon printers and multifunctions are equipped with auto duplex printing but it can also be done manually. When purchasing a new Canon printer make sure to look at the features it offers. Auto duplex printing is a handy option.

Placement of your Canon printer
It’s really important to keep your Canon printer in an optimal setup. This means avoid keeping your printer in dusty environments. When you’ve finished printing, be sure to close the back paper tray and front tray to ensure dust doesn’t find it’s way to the interior of the machine. Be sure not to place your canon printer into the direct path of an air conditioner draft. This kind of exposure could dry the ink in the print head more quickly.

Use genuine Canon inks
This is a major one. Using genuine Canon inks helps to guard your Canon printer against damage and possible machine malfunction. It does depend on what you pay for your machine and what you expect and are happy with. We live in a world of choice, thankfully.

One of the main points to be aware of – firmware and security updates. When you use genuine canon inks you can install updates without any issue and keep on printing. It’s really important to install security updates these days. Our printers are connected to networks, mobile devices, apps. Security is a must. When you use generic or third party inks they may not work once you have installed updates. The chips can’t be recognised in the printer. The choice is yours 🙂

Third party inks can also damage your machine because ink level warnings may not work or be inaccurate. You don’t want to run your printer with a completely empty cartridge – this will burn out the print head.

Printing colours don’t seem to be much of a problem with third party ink, they are usually adequate for the home user. If you need premium quality colour reproduction – use genuine canon inks. Colours are bright, vibrant and crisp. And when your prints are protected, under plastic or glass, they will last for years and years. 

Another bonus to using genuine Canon inks, you can change the amount of ink placed on the paper. Canon have three settings – draft, standard and high. You will definitely see a difference in your prints when changing these settings. Third party inks print quite heavily and actually use more ink anyway and you’ll find you have to change them quite often. It will feel like a bargain at the time when you’re buying the cheaper cartridge, but it’s not as good as you think in reality. Again it is really up to your printing habits. You may only change a cartridge every six months so it’s not an issue for you. For those of us that print more regularly the differences become clear.

Reduce ink wastage
Canon printers are designed to alert you when ink is running low or empty. The range of individual ink cartridge printers are designed so you only need to replace the cartridge or bottle that has been depleted, so ink wastage is reduced. It depends on what you print obviously. I use mostly the black and cyan inks. I have a Maxify MB5460 which uses the PGI2600 range of inks. It’s a fantastic business printer – holds heaps of paper – and just goes and goes. I have the choice of two size cartridges, PGI2600 standard and PGI2600xl high yield. The high yield has more ink in it. The physical cartridge itself is the same size, just more ink in it.  I use the 2600xl high yield black and cyan and the standard size 2600 magenta and yellow.

Use the right type of paper
Depending on what you’re printing, make sure to use the right type of paper for the best outcome. For example, when printing photos use Canon’s Gloss or Matte Photo Paper. Don’t forget to tell your printer your using this type of paper! Makes a difference when you have a printer which uses both pigment and dye inks. Your printer will then adjust it’s ink to suit the type of paper. Using genuine Canon photo papers ensures you get those vibrant colours and crystal clear deep colours the first time with Canon inks. Third party inks my give you unsatisfactory results. Colours may not be as you expect and may fade quickly over time which means you’ll have to re-print costing you money in both ink and paper.

Even when printing documents, use good quality paper as it prevents paper dust from clogging the printer. You many think you’re getting a bargain when you buy cheap white paper, thinking it doesn’t matter. Yes it does, it’s one of the worst things you can do for your printer. Cheap papers produce a significant amount of paper dust which is bad for your printer. It clogs the print head and also puts a covering on your printers paper rollers. That means you paper won’t feed properly and eventually not at all. Buy a decent paper, it saves you time and money. A clogged print head is a misery as you will never
get decent prints out of your machine.

Consider the cost savings from total cost of ownership
You have to do some homework people before purchasing a machine. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t buy a $20 printer and then expect the cartridges to be cheap, they will not be. Cheap printer = high running costs. Check the cost of cartridges before your purchase. Purchasing the most appropriate machine for your usage does make a difference for overall costs.

A $30 printer will generally use combo cartridges. This means the consumables will be a single black and a tri-colour cartridge. A tri-colour cartridge means the cyan, magenta and yellow are together in the one cartridge. You could use lots of cyan and then have to replace the whole cartridge simply because the cyan has run out. There is still plenty of magenta
and yellow, but the cyan is depleted. If you don’t print often at all, this type of printer is okay for you. Cartridges may only need to be replaced once or twice a year. If you are a high volume printer or have kids printing out school projects etc this type of printer would be a financial disaster for you 🙂

If you print more often, and in colour, consider a printer which uses individual ink tanks or even Canons’ new mega tank range of printers. Printers which use individual ink tanks are a great idea as you get the choice of using standard, high yield and in some cases even extra high yield inks. This is the type of printer I have, as I said before. For me black and cyan are the colours I use most. So for my printing purposes this type of machine was the best choice.

Pixma MegaTank continuous ink printers
These printers use large ink bottle refills rather than ink cartridges for more efficient printing which could be a big cost saving in the long term. What’s even better, you can refill the machine with genuine Canon liquid ink. These machines are usually a little more expensive to purchase but the running costs are so low it really is a great option for colour prints.

Buy in bulk and save
Value packs are available for all of Canons’ most popular ink ranges. When you buy a value pack you can save money on the cost of canon ink cartridges. Canon produce packs and at Inkjet Online, we also offer a range of pack combinations to help you save while using genuine ink.

Print more with XL and XXL sized inks
Save money on genuine Canon inks with the optional high yield XL and XXL cartridges. These higher ink volume cartridges allow you to print more for less. It also means you can print for longer without having to purchase new cartridges. Plus you don’t have to take the time to constantly change them out when empty.

Designing your documents & brochures
Use a fine type font, when designing documents, brochures and any other material you intend to print. Using heavy, bold fonts use more ink when printing. Keep images to a minimum and don’t use full backgrounds, design your images with a white background where possible – it all helps you to save on printing costs.