Freedom to Print!

Continuous Inking Systems Frequently Asked Questions.

What you can expect v1.1 (updated 2-9-10):

No more cartridges!

Just stop buying cartridges. Never have one "go out on you." Auto reset, unlimited ink.

CIS for all – kinda.

If you are in the market for a new printer – it is important to know (before you buy) what printers work best with CI systems (CIS, CISS). Maybe you are curious about your existing printer, and want to know if a CI system is right for you. If you want to know the chemical properties of 3rd party ink as compared to the manufacturer original, this may not be for you. The focus here is getting the lowest (quality) cost-per-print with an inkjet printer – period. Using CI systems can result in cost per page prices in the fraction of a cent range (excluding paper) but is the system reliable, and does it deliver a solid print? Aftermarket inks are very good (usually dye based), and while they are perfect for everyday use – if the desired result is to hang in a gallery, or sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars, you are gonna want to stick with manufacturer brand inks, however we think their longevity claims are overstated, but that is another FAQ.

What are requirements?

Not all printers are the same, and not all printer users have the same needs. Be realistic about your printing estimates – we have found that people who can print for fractions of a cent, tend to look for reasons to print more, and this is an easy thing to do in these digital times – share it with the world, hit print. With a continuous inking system (CIS, CISS, bulk ink) you can now afford to print your entire digital lifestyle. Printers are a dime a dozen, and there are literally hundreds on the market – finding a multi-function inkjet printer for the office is easy; finding one that gets the best cost per print can be challenging.

Other options available:

CI systems are not the only option, however in our opinion they are so easy to use (with the right printer), and inexpensive to operate that it just makes sense if you actually need to use the printer. There is also the added bonus of not needing to pick up an inkjet cartridge so you can scan, or send a fax – or <gasp> print. With a CI system, buying cartridges is a thing of the past. Chips on the cartridge that monitor page count auto or manual-reset when the printer tells you the cartridge needs replacing.

What is a CIS?

A CI System, or Continuous Inking System, sometimes known simply as CIS, CISS, or bulk ink system.

How it works:

Ink is delivered from an outside reservoir, or ink supply to the printhead via a set of pass-through ink cartridges. Ink is fed (via tubing) from outside the printer to the ink tanks, to be printed on the page. Works best with Epson printers, however some Canon, HP and Brother printers also work well with a CI system.

Not every printer out there is suited to easily work with a CI system. In our experience, CI systems work best with inkjet printers that have individual ink tanks for each color. It is much easier to deliver ink to 4, 5, 6, or even 8 individual ink cartridges, over trying to deliver all 3 primary colors to a single cartridge (think HP). If your current printer uses two cartridges (one black, and one color), CI systems may not be for you. They are out there, and available, however they can require constant attention and cartridges may need to be replaced every so often (this means removing and reattaching tubing – all 3 colors come from the same cartridge, etc…). The hassle factor is very high, and you could have a mess on your hands.

CIS disaster with a 2 cartridge system. All colors are in the same cartridge making a CI system not the best choice in some cases.

So what printers work best?

On the other hand, Epson printers (some Canon, HP, Brother) use individual ink cartridges – exclusively – however within those printer models, some work better than others. CI systems are also available for some Canon, HP, and Brother printers that use individual ink tanks. HP is starting to produce more and more “individual ink tank” type printers, and some realistic CI system options will be available for the HP 564, and 920 cartridge series shortly.

CI system - ink is fed from outside the printer to a set of dummy cartridges to provide unlimited printing at a price you can actually afford.

Reset the cartridge when empty, but how?

Another thing to consider is the way the cartridges are reset when the printer registers as out of ink. The dummy, or pass-through cartridges that are included with your CI system also have a chip on the end that communicates with the printer, just like an overpriced brand name cartridge. When it comes time to “change” a cartridge, what is the reset method? There is the auto-reset method, where the printer is immediately and transparently fooled – there is the remove and replace method, where the cartridges must be physically removed from the print head, and re-inserted to reset the chip back to “empty” – and there is the “press-this-button” on the cartridge, and everything is reset, method. Each printer is different, so check to make sure what method is used before you buy.

When the printer says your ink cartridge is empty, simply press this reset button on the Epson Artisan 800 inkjet printer.

Make sure to get the right printer:

When purchasing a new printer, it is always a good idea to look at what type of cartridges are used anyway, and how much ink they contain. There are some cartridges you will want to avoid at all costs (no matter what your printing needs are), and some that provide better cost per page rates.

It’s you vs. them.

One thing needs to be understood – printer companies make their money on the ink cartridges, not the printer. CI systems are not sold by the printer companies – this is a 3rd party invention, and in our opinion, quite ingenious. CI systems require some maintenance – clearing up tubing tangles, refilling of external tank after 1,000-3,000 prints, reset of chips via either auto, or manual – but overall if you print more than a ream of paper in a 6-8 week period, CI systems can save you a ton of cash on consumables (cartridges) and even enable you to print even more for pennies on the dollar. They are definitely worth a look.

Still viable for low volume printers:

If you print less than a ream of paper per month a CI system can still work for you, but you literally may never need to buy another cartridge or refill. Systems that contain ink will last on average about 3k pages. You can still save cash by using compatible cartridges, or re-manufactured ink cartridges as well. The typical full manufacturer cartridge set ($80.00) will net about 400 text prints; your mileage may vary.

Identify CI systems by cartridge:

Look for the cartridges – this will help refine your printer search. Then, within that selection, look to see what actual printer works best with a CI system, and from that list select based on your printing needs. Does it need to be large format? Fax capable? Photo Printer? All-In-One?

Most all Epson printers (some exceptions) work very well with CI systems. If you see a CI system listed on our site we can recommend it for use in those printers that use these cartridges. In some cases we will have some (CIS, CISS) associated online content (installation video, CIS in action, reviews, pictures, set-ups, etc.), and you also have the option of purchasing printer and CI system bundles that we have tested in our shop before shipping.

Printers we like with CIS, CISS, Bulk Ink Systems:

Epson is our favorite. We print lots of photos, and we just think Epson printers are the best at printing photos, hands down. A CI system makes the Epson printers even more fun to work with, as printing costs are negligible. Canon has some 6-color and 8-color printers that produce a quality print, but we just prefer the Epson print quality. Not all Epson printers work well with CI systems – think NX series (tight fit for a CIS).

The knock on Epson in the past (for a general purpose printer) has been cartridge price. To expensive to be an everyday printer. This changes when a CI system is introduced into the mix. Print thousands of pages for an initial investment of $95-$179, and refills which are equal to 50-60 Epson cartridges, are available for $30-$50. Save thousands on consumables – there is also the added bonus of never having to purchase another inkjet cartridge ever. Never run out of ink, never replace one cartridge only to have another need replacing the next day. Low hassle printing for a fraction of the cost of manufacturer brand ink. In some cases, a printer plus a CI system may actually be cheaper than purchasing a set of cartridges for your current printer!

Epson Printers we like:

Artisan 700, 800, 710, 810

Absolute best performer – printer is constructed like a CI system internally. No moving parts, simple to use and operate. Multi-function photo printers. May be the last printer you ever purchase. If you are looking for a deal on this printer, check the Epson store, or Amazon. We also offer these printers as bundles with a CI system, and additional set of refills.

Epson Workforce 30 – Stylus C120

These two are the exact same printer. Just a printer – has 2 black cartridge slots, fast printer and easy installation. Bundle deal here.

Epson Workforce 500

Multifunction all-in-one. Complete with built-in fax, auto document feeder (ADF), color scanner, printer, copier, media readers, 4-color office printer. Get up to 5-6k pages with this bundle.

Epson Stylus Photo 1400

Large format 6-color photo printing. Now you can actually use this printer. With cartridges for the Epson Photo 1400 costing $20.00 each ($120.00 total), a CI system is a no brainer for this printer. Epson cartridges can always be re-installed if necessary. Get this CI system (CIS, CISS) for only $119, or buy the bundle ($299).

You may own one of these Epson Printers:

Other “older” printers that also work well include the Epson Artisan 50, Stylus C64, C66,C68, C84, C86, C88, CX5000, CX6000, CX6400, CX6600, CX7000, CX8400, CX9400, CX9450, CX9475, Stylus Photo R200, R220, R300, R320, R340, RX500, RX600, RX620, and the newer models – Stylus Photo R260, R280, R380, RX595, RX680, and large format Stylus Photo R800, R1800, R1900 inkjet printers.

HP Printers we like:

Thinking individual ink tanks here. You can use a CI system with HP printers that use only 2 cartridges (black, color) however in our experience these type systems do not always perform well, and require more attention.

HP Officejet 6000, 6500, 7000

Uses the HP 920 cartridge. Individual ink tanks for each of the colors and black cartridges. Nice performer, overall gets good grades. Cartridges move along with the print head.

HP 02 Series Cartridge

Why a cartridge and not a list of printers? Because there are to many printers that work with this cartridge. Should be a photosmart series printer. HP Printers that use the HP 02 series cartridge, can take advantage of a very reliable and easy to use CI system. There are no moving parts, and ink is fed directly to the cartridge from an external source. Very easy to install and use. Cartridges do not move. For a complete list of compatible printers, please look here.

HP 564 Series Cartridge:

Another cartridge that gets used in a bunch of printers. CI systems can be had for this cartridge series, and all the printers that work with it. Cartridges move along with the print head. Very nice solution.

Canon Printers we like:

Coming soon…CI systems are under development for the newer Canon Pixma iP series of printers. Check back soon for our recommendations.

Brother Printers we like:

Coming soon…we have started testing on these printers, and we like what we see so far. More to come.

What about the ink quality?

All CI systems we offer contain dye based inks. As a general rule most 6-color photo printers that cost less than $300.00 or so also use a dye based ink from the manufacturer. Dye based inks are common inmost photo printers as they will produce a “brighter” and more “detailed” image. You can find pigment based inks (more durable, but duller image) in 4-color office, or general home use printers. All printer manufacturers have discovered the magic of attaching a fancy name to their inks to increase their marketability – Epson has Durabrite (pigment), Claria (dye), and UltraChrome (pigment) brand ink, and even HP markets the Vivera (dye) brand ink.

Simply put, dye based inks fade – they are water based, and water evaporates over time, just a fact of life. Printer manufacturers will talk about their special formulas, or added ingredients, but unless you are selling your work for thousands of dollars per print, there is no reason to pay the equivalent of $11,000 a gallon for ink. There are steps you can take to protect your prints, and even the printer manufacturers admit that their longevity testing was done with prints behind glass, on special paper, and out of the sun. The most important factor is really paper. If you print to a good quality paper, half the battle is won. For text, or simple document printing – stuff that will not see the sun – the prints will last your lifetime, that is for sure.

HP says:

“light fade testing under glass (as of January 2005) on HP Premium Plus Photo Paper.” Link.

Epson says:

“Ink fade resistance ratings based on accelerated testing of prints, on specialty media, displayed in a glass frame in indoor display conditions.” Link.

Put it in a picture frame. Done.

CI Systems not for everyone?

CIS, CISS, or bulk ink systems do require some basic maintenance, and the occasional cartridge chips that will not reset can be a pain, but if you can put up with a few quirks of the system a CI system can save you literally, thousands of dollars on ink – over the life of the printer. We are confident that with the printers we have highlighted above, your experience with a CI system will be a good one.