Must I buy the O.E. Ink Cartridge?

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Use the Supplies of Your Choice

Your printer just ran out of ink and you discover the replacement cartridge from the original equipment manufacturer is twice the cost of a generic ink cartridge! It doesn’t matter whether it is Epson, HP or some other leading brand. You consider ordering the generic brand but the OEM’s website states your printer may blow up if you don’t use their ink cartridge. What do you do?

Congress says you have the right to use the supplies of your choice. Take DyeStar ink for example. This dye based ink was developed for the production of high density film negatives and positives. DyeStar Ink can be used with Epson Photo Stylus Inkjet printer. DyeStar ink delivers dependable performance and will not void any warranty you have on your imaging unit. In fact, legislation was passed that prevents the Original Equipment Manufacturer from voiding your warranty for using non-OE cartridges. The brand of supplies you purchase is your decision. You are not required by any manufacturer’s warranty to use only its brand.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty – Federal Trade Commission Improvements Act (Title 15 Commerce and Trade, Chapter 50 Consumer Product Warranties 15 Section 2302) states…

“(c) No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on a consumer’s using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name; except that prohibition of this subsection may be waived by the Commission if:

Warrantor satisfied the Commission that the warranted product will function properly only if the article or service identified is used in connection with warranted product, and
Commission finds that such a waiver is in the public’s interest.”

What’s this mean? Manufacturer’s cannot void your printer’s warranty because you used a cartridge made by another company. So buy the printer cartridge that gives you the best performance and value.