Canon Printer Ink Breathes Life into your Photos & Documents
Not all printer ink is created equal, especially between brands. You need to make sure you get the right ink for the type, brand, and model of printer that you have. Canon printer ink, and the cartridges that hold it, is specifically designed for Canon inkjet printers. The combination will create the highest quality images and documents your printer can produce.
Benefits of Canon Printer Ink
Compared to toner for laser printers, Canon printer ink for inkjet printers has a number of benefits.
Canon Printer ink Costs Less
Canon printer ink is far less expensive than toner since it comes in small cartridges that are simpler, but contain less ink than large expensive toner cartridges. For smaller printing jobs, it’s a good match.
Canon Printer Ink Won’t Smear as Easily
Even though printer ink is a liquid and shot onto the page through nozzles, it won’t smear as easily as laser printer toner which comes in a powder that’s fused to the page using heat. Liquid ink actually absorbs into the paper, where toner is simple baked on top. Depending on the model of printer, ink is specially formulated to match the power output and specific method used to apply the ink.
Canon Printer Ink Cartridges are Easy to Install
Your Canon printer should open up and reveal the print head, allowing you to remove one or more ink cartridges at a time and snap the new ones into place. Keep the reference card that shipped with your printer which will remind you of the specific type of ink to buy, how to replace it, and other helpful tips like how to clean and maintain your printer.
How does Canon printer ink work?
Canon printers are thermal inkjet printers which use a heated plate or resistor to form bubbles of ink at the nozzle which hit the paper, soak in, and at the same time draw another bit of ink into place, ready to be heated and bubbled. When the ink gets low in the cartridge it’s important to get a replacement Canon printer cartridge or a Canon ink refill it since the ink actually doubles as a coolant for the metal plate. If the ink gets too low it will dry, and without the cooling effect of the liquid ink, if you attempt to print, the metal will overheat and damage the nozzles. One benefit of inkjet cartridges though is that the entire print head assembly is contained within each cartridge, so a brand new cartridge is usually all you need to get back to printing.
What are the Different types of Canon printer ink?
Depending on your printer you’re going to need a compatible type of ink, but among those that will work with your printer, choosing the right ink will also depend on the type of printing you’d like to do. Canon, like many other printer and ink manufacturers, makes pigment-based inks and dye-based inks. Generally, pigment-based inks are more water and UV light resistant, so they’ll last longer. Dye-based inks are less costly and very vibrant, but can fade after 25 or so years.
In some ink series, Canon labels their inks with a code that begins with either “PGI”, which stands for pigment based ink, or “CLI”, which stands for ChromaLife, a Canon term for their own dye-based inks. In other cases the codes identifying ink cartridges are less descriptive, but the description on the box of the printer cartridge should clarify which type of ink it is.
How do I know I’m selecting the right cartridge for my printer?
Your printer will come with a reference card that explains a great deal about how your printer works, how to care for it, which inks you can use, and how to install them. If you no longer have this index card, you can search Canon’s website for your printer’s model number and it will tell you which inks are compatible. Many in cartridge boxes will display the compatible printer models on the outside to help you make sure the ink will fit in your printer. You can also purchase the same ink that was inside your printer when you originally bought it.
How you save money by purchasing Canon ink cartridges?
Printers can be damaged by using the wrong ink or ink that isn’t specifically designed for use by a given printer. Buying Canon ink for your Canon printer is probably one of the best ways to save money since it will keep you from having to replace your printer due to defects. In terms of the ink cost, it’s possible to buy refill ink that doesn't come pre-loaded into a cartridge, meaning you’ll need to refill the cartridge yourself. This will save you money, but it can also be tricky. If the ink in your cartridge has dried, then the cartridge and print head could be ruined. The nozzles may also be damaged due to heat if the printer was used when there was no ink since the ink functions as a coolant.