Printer Cartridge Shelf Life??

[munkee]

I don't do that much printing. I go through a cartridge a year. I got a great deal on one recently. So I bought an extra one. Does anyone know how long they last in the box unopened? My box does not have a experiation date.

[AllGamer]

3mth open
6mth original packaging

anything more than a year is Dried up

[killer_teddy]

i supose it would depend slightly on make/model and storage conditions.

[Ammok]

decent ones are vacuum sealed, should last a loooong time as long you don't have a pinprick.

[munkee]

Thanks for the info. It's a Canon Cartridge in a sealed carton.

[Jimstep]

If it is sealed, it should last at least a couple of years.

[badgern]

I bought some epsom colour cartridges in bulk almost three years ago, they are vacuum sealed and I have had no trouble at all with them, get through one every couple of months..

[rwinegar]

I have two printers. One is very rarely used (HP 722c). It has been sitting on a shelf above my old computer for almost two years. I print something off of it about once a month. For all of those two years it has been using the same two ink cartridges. It prints beautifully. So I would have to say that HP cartridges will last for at least two years.

I assume that your question applies only to manufacturers OEM cartridges. I am curious myself about re-manufactured cartridges. Will they stay fresh as long as an OEM cartridge?

[torque_dwf]

I had a HP 660C and I could not get the cartiges to last once they were installed I printed very infrequently and the cartridge would last maybee 2 months before B&W Print quality would degrade.

Using a dust cover helped but still had problems, ended up giving
printer to a friend who uses it more.

Cartiges lasted quite long in packaging never had a problem there.

[elroy]

I buy generic cartridges for my Epson and the website where I get them says 18 month shelf life. They are vacuum sealed. Once a cartridge is installed in a printer I believe one of the factors in how long it lasts is the amount of humidity in the room where it is located.

[ROTzWORLD]

Originally posted by munkee
I don't do that much printing. I go through a cartridge a year. I got a great deal on one recently. So I bought an extra one. Does anyone know how long they last in the box unopened? My box does not have a experiation date.


My Daughter (7) prints like crazy so I buy bulk and they are vacuum sealed and last over a year, as long as they are not opened or punctured in any way(even the smallest hole will dry them up.