Compatible? Genuine cartridge?

Compatible cartridges do save much more, just do they work as well as the original ones?

A test on compatible vs oem ones found on net,

Using the Canon PIXMA MP600, Epson Stylus Photo RX640, HP Officejet 6310, Lexmark X5470, and an assortment of different OEM and Compatible inks and papers, TrustedReviews’ test took place in two main phases: initial print quality and fade resistance over time. At the end of phase one, OEM and Compatible ink cartridges came out relatively even. The testers then took the prints, cut them into thirds, and put each third in one of three environments: in a lab window exposed to sunlight, on an inside wall with no direct sunlight, and inside a dark drawer. Twelve months passed and TrustedReviews came to two conclusions:

If you store your prints in an album or hang them up in your home for an extended period, OEM and Compatible ink cartridges both provide good quality prints that won’t noticeably fade.
If you display your prints outside or in a store window exposed to sunlight for an extended period, go with an OEM ink cartridge.
Either way, it’s important to figure out where you’re storing or displaying your prints and whether the difference in cost per page exceeds any potential differences in print quality and fade resistance

so what do you think?

 

OEM inkjet ink is way overpriced IMHO.

But with non-oem remanufacturered and refills, I've had many issues.

* duds. Last week I wasted 30 minutes swapping some 'compatible' catridges trying to get the new black to register and pass the nozzle check. Usually they work ok, but when trying to get a job done this is frustrating.

* clogging. Usually they work ok, but it's terrible to leave the printer running expecting to have a stack printed and find instead a cartridge has malfunctioned leaving lined / streaked prints and wasting the inkjet cards or other stock that is quite pricey itself.

* consistency. With OEM cartridges due to the huge profit they make on them and the printers and the value of their brand name, you know that if HP, Canon, or Epson ink tests well they're not going to then sell you lesser ink a week later without telling you as the savings would never be worth the market share loss a scandall of a bunch of faded prints would cause them. Well, there could always be a huge mistake like the early epson 1270 dye ink that faded so quickly, but they'll do their best not to tarnish their name with any similar scandals. With ink from some company overseas whose name I've never heard of, I have no idea if the ink I get tomorrow will be the same as the ink I get today. I don't have any brand confidence in any overseas non-OEM inks yet.

It would be great to have more ink options from a source that built a solid reputation for itself.