Printer FAQs

Refilling provides an average of 30 to 40% in savings versus the cost of buying an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) cartridge. Your savings depend mostly on how long the cartridge has been on the market and the current market price of the OEM cartridge.

In general, refilling a cartridge in-house takes at least half an hour. Time varies depending on the cartridge and our current workload. For many of our most common cartridges, we keep a stock of ready-to-use remanufactured cartridges that we can swap for your empty at the refill price. Your empty cartridge must be in good working order to receive an immediate refill swap. You’re always welcome to request that we fill your same cartridge. Just make sure you can leave it with us for at least an hour.

Most refilled cartridges will not provide accurate ink level readings because we cannot reset the cartridge electronics to read “full” again once the original ink has been depleted. Simply use the cartridge until it will no longer print and then bring back the empty cartridge for a refill.

Ink cartridges come in a black clip and have a blue protective strip across the print head. Make sure that both of these items have been removed before inserting the cartridge. Don’t remove the copper electronic strip! Also, make sure you’re inserting the cartridges in the correct slots in the printer. In the event that you have inadvertently received the wrong cartridge for your printer, Montana Ink & Toner will correct the error at no charge.

We fill all cartridges as close as possible to the original manufacturer’s weight. On cartridges we can’t fill to that weight, we adjust the price accordingly.

It may be that the cartridge has become contaminated, meaning the three individual ink colors have gotten mixed inside the cartridge. Be sure to transport and store tricolor cartridges upright at all times.

Another possibility is that one of the cartridge’s three colors has run out before the others or its nozzle has become blocked.

OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. This is a new cartridge. Although OEM cartridges will display ink levels, they’re your most expensive option. Cartridge manufacturers also require that you contact them directly if the cartridge is defective. We cannot take returns on defective OEM products.

Compatible cartridges are generic products from an independent manufacturer. Many compatible cartridges cannot be refilled, but they will be cheaper than buying OEMs. Compatible cartridges are covered under our 90-day guarantee.

Outsourced cartridges are OEM models that have been refilled by an independent manufacturer. Most outsourced cartridges can be refilled and will be cheaper than an OEM cartridge but are more expensive than a refill. Outsourced replacement cartridges are an excellent alternative to buying OEM when your empty ink cartridge has dried out, has bad electronics, or for some reason cannot be refilled. Outsourced cartridges are also covered under our 90-day guarantee.

Refills are cartridges filled or remanufactured in-house by Montana Ink & Toner. This is typically the cheapest option. On many cartridges, we carry a stock of in-house refills and can swap out your empty cartridge to save you time. We’re also happy to refill your same cartridges on request. This can take an hour or more depending on the type and condition of your cartridges and our current volume of orders.

Before refilling:

• Bring ink cartridges for refilling as soon as possible after the ink runs out
• Leaving a small amount of ink keeps the cartridge hydrated
• Cartridges that sit empty will dry out
• Keep empty cartridges upright during storage and transport
• This keeps remaining ink next to the print head and prevents drying and contamination (mixing of colors)
• Do not place tape over the cartridge print head – the tape’s adhesive clogs the print head and removal can damage electronics
• Transporting cartridges in a plastic bag will keep ink off your clothes and hands without damaging cartridges
• We may refuse to refill cartridges that have not been cared for properly

Filling cartridges:

• May take an hour or more depending on the cartridge type, size of the order, condition of the cartridge, and our current volume of orders
• We will not attempt every cartridge, nor will we be successful in every refill attempt
• We do not charge for attempted cartridges that do not work out
• We carry many cartridges in a compatible or Montana Ink & Toner brand that may save you money
• We keep orders for 30 days – after that, they become the property of Montana Ink & Toner
• We do make reminder phone calls

After refilling:

• Keep cartridges upright during transfer and storage
• This keeps the ink next to the print head and prevents contamination(mixing of colors)
• Do not expose cartridges to extreme heat or cold
• Ink will expand inside the cartridge and leak, and previously heated or frozen cartridges will perform poorly
• Remove the clip and protective tape before inserting the cartridge
• Do not remove the copper-colored electronic strip from the front of the cartridge – your cartridge won’t work, and we don’t honor the warranty on cartridges with missing or damaged electronics
• When reinstalled, most refilled cartridges will still read as “low ink” or have inaccurate ink levels
• Press the printer’s “OK” or “Cancel” button to dismiss any ink level warning or “counterfeit cartridge” warnings and print as normal
• Use the cartridge until print quality starts to decline, then bring it back for a refill

For best results, use refilled cartridges within 30 days of purchase.

Many Internet dealers can sell their products very cheaply for two reasons. They either build a compatible cartridge from inferior, one-time-use materials or they refill an OEM cartridge using “drill-and-fill” methods. With drill-and-fill, a hole is drilled in the cartridge casing, the old toner is dumped out, and a new toner is dumped in. We remanufacture your cartridge. We disassemble the cartridge, discard old toner, clean the cartridge, replace any worn parts, fill the cartridge with new toner, reassemble the cartridge, and perform a test-print if possible.

Residual toner on the inside of the printer is a product of normal printer use. A leaking cartridge will leave the toner on the papers you are printing. With laser cartridges, this often means that the waste bin is full. The waste bin holds toner that is left over after a page is printed. Bring any leaking cartridges back to Montana Ink & Toner as soon as possible, and we will empty the waste bin and check the cartridges at no charge. We also clean printers for a nominal fee.

Montana Ink & Toner guarantees its cartridges for 90 days with a valid receipt. Toner cartridges tend to last much longer on the shelf, but if they are stored beyond 90 days the guarantee is no longer valid. To maximize cartridge quality, try to only keep cartridges on hand that you will use within 90 days, keep all cartridges upright, and avoid extremes of heat and cold when storing and transporting cartridges. We will always do our best to get your cartridge working, even if it is beyond our 90-day guarantee.

Cartridge storage:

• Store in a cool, dry place
• Do not leave laser cartridges anywhere where heat can reach excessive levels – toner is heat-activated and plastic cartridge components can warp if overheated
• Certain parts of laser cartridges are light-sensitive, so it is always a good idea to store cartridges inside their box or bag when not in use
• Always store in a horizontal position

Before inserting cartridge:

• Remove from silver bag
• Remove orange protective covers if used
• Pull toner strip
• Shake or rock cartridge back & forth to redistribute the toner

After removing the empty cartridge:

• Place back into bag and box cartridges came in. Do not write on the box.
• Store in a cool, dry place
• Return to Montana Ink & Toner or ask about our Free business pickup and delivery

Printer manufacturers cannot legally require you to purchase their products, and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act prohibits them from making their warranty conditional on the use of their own brand of cartridges. If a manufacturer threatens to void your warranty, get their statement in writing.

It’s highly unlikely that a properly installed cartridge will cause damage to a printer. You’re welcome to call us or bring your printer to the store if you’re having difficulties. Our staff will troubleshoot your problem. Don’t forget to bring your cartridges and power cord, too.

Your cartridge’s electronics may have malfunctioned, which can happen without warning. Montana Ink & Toner’s 90-day warranty covers electronic malfunctions. Just bring your cartridge back with the receipt, and we will replace it.

Recently, printer manufacturers have been issuing automatic updates that cause refilled cartridges to no longer work. Once you install these updates, you can’t go back to the old firmware configuration. To avoid this problem, don’t accept updates from your printer manufacturer. Customers can occasionally get around these updates by buying a set of OEM cartridges and then having Montana Ink & Toner refill that same set of cartridges. Since the printer has already recognized the cartridges, it will often accept them.

In our experience, problems causing a printer to malfunction are minor and easy to fix. Printers that haven’t been cleaned on a regular basis eventually experience problems. We recommend your printer be cleaned every six months, depending on the frequency of use. Montana Ink & Toner performs printer cleaning and repairs by appointment.