Why do you need to know the best printers that use generic ink? Well, when it comes to saving money, a generic ink can really help you save tons of money. You need to remember that owning a printer isn’t exactly cheap, especially when you are dealing with the printer’s cartridge. In fact, the cartridge and the ink are the priciest part of having and operating a printer.
What is a generic ink, anyway? Well, all printer manufacturers produce their own cartridge because they want to make sure that the users won’t experience any problem when using the printer. The official and original cartridge are made based on the printer’s specs and features that it should match the printer (you need to remember that printers are different from one another), resulting in the printer’s working just fine and smoothly. However, there are third-party providers that produce ‘universal’ cartridge that is claimed to fit perfectly to ALL kinds of printers.
When you buy a cartridge that isn’t made by the manufacturer itself, there is always a risk that the cartridge doesn’t work well or it doesn’t fit at all. However, a lot of printer users are interested in the generic cartridge (and the ink) because of the idea that they can save up money – in general, more than 20% – when compared to buying the original and official one.
Here are some printers that work just perfectly with the generic cartridge and ink. If you want to buy the generic ink, make sure that the printer is also compatible with it.
HP Office Wireless 4650 Printer
If you are looking for a tough and reliable multifunction printer that can scan, make copies, and print documents (as well as photos), then this one would be right up your alley. Not only this printer has impressive quality, but operating one is a no-brainer at all. The coolest thing about this printer is its ability to work just well with the generic ink. This is an important feature to consider, especially if you are looking for a way to save up money.
As the inkjet photo printer, this device has the main job to print photos and it can do the job quite flawlessly. The color printing is superb and sharp, and you can expect professional quality for the result. Can it be used to print black and white? Absolutely! Even if you print documents, you can expect it to run well with sharp printing outcome. No blur or lousy work. It can also be used as a fax machine. The quality of the copy is also impressive. The included features are touchscreen(for easier work), duplex printing (that can save you paper and operational money), AirPrint, and also wireless printing. And let’s not forget about the laser quality that will ensure professional results.
The printer supports different kinds of paper sizes, including envelopes (the number 10), legal, letter, and many more. Setting it up is straightforward and less complicated – at least when compared to the regular one. Thanks to the wireless technology and also the AirPrint system, printing and making copies of everything (photos or documents) would be such a breeze.
Canon Business Wireless MX922 Printer
Looking for a printer that can tackle your personal or business needs? This multifunctional device should be able to do the trick! With only one device, you can enjoy a machine that can scan, print, and make copies. And let’s not forget about the quality of the print itself too, because whether you are using colored or black ink, the result will be absolutely smashing.
As one of the best printers that use generic ink, this printer comes with all the handy features and technology. It can send or accept faxes. It supports wireless printing, Google Cloud Print, mobile device printing, and also AirPrint. The document feeder can accommodate more than 30 papers altogether so you won’t have to load papers again and again. The duplex printing ability is also nice without compromising the quality of the printing itself.
A lot of users claim that they enjoy setting this device up as well as operating it. Feel free to make any adjustments that you want because everything is made easy and simple. They also claim that both colored and black printing qualities are just as awesome. With sharp and detailed quality, you can enjoy impressive outcomes without having to spend extra money.

Canon iX6820 Pixma Wireless Printer
If you don’t have a lot of space at home, this machine would be the perfect one for you. With a sleek and compact design, the printer would sit nicely in a limited space. Keep in mind, though, that it isn’t a multifunctional printer which means that you can only use it for printing.
The quality of the print is superb. A lot of users claim that the detailed, bright, and sharp result is the reason why they choose this printer. Although you can also use it for printing documents, a lot of users use it to print photos and images only. And since the printer can also be used with a generic ink is another plus point for the printer – not all printers are compatible with the generic cartridge and ink, anyway.
The only downside is that the limited size when you are using AirPrint. Yes, you can print images from your iPhone or iPad directly but it won’t accommodate all sizes – only certain sizes are allowed. But in the overall quality, this is an impressive printer to have and to operate. You won’t regret having one at home.
Epson Wireless 2750 WF Printer
The printer has its own ink tracking system that will monitor and observe your ink usage. When it detects that your ink is running low, it will make an automatic order so you won’t have to run out of ink. The laser quality is good and pretty satisfying. You can be sure to print photos or documents effortlessly without having to worry about the quality.
The duplex printing system is also handy because it helps you to save up paper – resulting in more economical operational costs. And the paper is able to accommodate 150 sheets just comfortably so you can save up energy and not load the papers often.
Despite the claim that this printer can run well with the generic ink, you should know that not all users experience satisfying outcomes. Yes, some of them have no problems at all with the printer and the generic ink, but some of them do. It’s a heads-up for you in the event that you want to buy the machine.
Brother MFCJ895DW Wireless Multifunction Printer
As you are well aware, not all generic ink would be compatible with the printer so you need to really know whether your printer can handle such an ink or not. If you have this variant from Brother, you are lucky because it is one of the best printers that use generic ink – and it works wonders.
The printer supports mobile printing, which means that you can find features like WiFi Direct, Google Cloud Print, Mopria, AirPrint, Mopria, and iPrint&Scan from Brother itself. It accommodates mobile technology that would make your printing task easier. Setting it up is also easy. A lot of users claim that they like the versatile connectivity, including USB interface, Ethernet, or the wireless system. And if you have files to print from OneDrive, Box, Dropbox, or Google Drive, make sure to use it because you will enjoy the efficient and effective function greatly.
The printer can also make copies, print, and scan with a touch of a button. You can take benefits from the touchscreen display screen – operating the device is so much easier with it. If you want to have a duplex printing, you can also do it. It will help you save up paper and also an operational printing job. And one thing to like about this printer is the fact that it can be used with the generic ink. This is definitely an added bonus that will help a lot to run an efficient operation.
However, some of the downsides include slow printing or working operation. Moreover, the color print isn’t exactly great although black is quite impressive. The noise can be disturbing too for some people. After all, it isn’t exactly the quietest printer available. But for overall general, this printer is quite good with the impressive operation – if you don’t mind the downsides.

Page Yield – Page yield by far is the most important thing to pay attention to when considering a new printer. A printer’s page yield is the average number of prints a cartridge will give you as determined by the manufacturer. Manufacturers include this number on the box and the yield can vary significantly depending on what type of cartridge you have. Even printers with identical price points and features may have very different page yields and cartridges for a very different price. Page yields are based on ISO standards, using a standard test page at 5% coverage.
Total Cost of Ink – Why is it so important to pay attention to a printer’s page yield? Because of how it translates to the total cost of ink your printer will use regularly. The cost of ink is where most printer manufacturers make the bulk of their money. As illustrated by the previous example with the HP, printer companies will often sell their machines for cheap, only to charge a premium on the ink. The cost of ink is calculated by dividing a printer’s page yield by the cost of the ink cartridge. For example, the price of a genuine HP 65XL black ink cartridge is $30.99 and its page yield is 300 pages. After a bit of division, the cost is 10 cents per page. This is why aftermarket cartridges have become such a viable alternative. Aftermarket cartridges can be worlds cheaper than the genuine brand, and if bought from a reputable supplier, come with a nice guarantee too. If you were to buy a compatible HP 65XL black cartridge at $18.99, your cost would only be 6.3 cents per page.
Duty-Cycle – A duty cycle is the number of pages a printer can print in a month without any issues. Businesses use this number as a way to keep track of performance and to gauge when a particular part might go bad. Replaceable parts like a drum or fuser assembly will wear out over time and can be expensive to maintain. Keeping tabs on wear and tear will keep your printer running smoothly for a longer period of time and ensure you are getting the most from the machine. Consumers that routinely print at a high volume should pay attention to their printer’s monthly print volume, or the number of pages a user requires from their printer. If you print 5,000 copies a month it wouldn’t make sense to invest in a printer that only handles a 1,000. Read up on the statistics of each machine you are considering and buy one that makes sense for your needs. If you only print a few times a day your monthly print volume shouldn’t be a concern but you should still pay attention to your cartridge’s page yield.
Print Speed – Printer companies call a printer’s speed PPM, or pages per minute, and the quality of a print can vary depending on how quickly you are churning out pages. For example, printing in draft mode may be faster but the end result isn’t going to look as good compared to a print in optimal mode. Laser printers tend to be much faster than an inkjet and are the preferred machine for a business that has a need for speed.
Now that you are familiar with some of the terms, it’s time to consider what type of printer makes the most sense for your needs whether for home use or business use. We’ve reviewed a couple of both for you to consider, with savings being one of their main criteria.