Official: Original HP is The Best Choice for Printing June 27, 2007 09:27 by John Sollars
Following a similar trial in the States last year, HP have asked European Research Firm Innovationstechnik to test and compare HP original inkjet cartridges against refilled and remanufactuered cartridges available in the aftermarket.
The findings of a third party report it commissioned to look into the efficacy of Original HP ink cartridges as compared with alternative, so-called 'store/refill brand' and 'refill station' European offerings.
Leading European research firm Innovationstechnik tested more than 1,000 inkjet cartridges from 16 well-known European store/refill brands and refill station offerings against their Original HP counterparts during late 2006 and early 2007. The findings were very clear(1):
Original HP inkjet cartridges print 34% more pages than compatible alternatives(2)
Original HP inkjet cartridges print 69% more pages than cartridges refilled at refill stations(3)
As well as looking at the relative yields afforded by the different inkjet cartridge alternatives, Innovationstechnik also tested their relative reliability. The results were equally clear-cut:
On average, more than one in five (24%) compatible alternatives were dead on arrival(4) or failed prematurely(5)
On average, one in three (33.6%) inkjet cartridges refilled at shops or kiosks were dead on arrival or failed prematurely
"In yet another test, Original HP Supplies prove that they offer not only better reliability and better quality results than alternative options, but they give far superior value for money," said Vincent Vanderpoel, vice president and general manager Supplies Business, Imaging and Printing Group, Europe, Middle East and Africa. "Considering HP's unrivalled commitment to environmental responsibility in printing supplies and choice of supplies to suit every printing project requirement, the reasons to buy anything but originals are becoming less and less convincing."
Innovationstechnik tested a minimum of 17 cartridges per cartridge type and brand to ensure statistical validity, though in some case more cartridges were tested as necessary to adhere to ISO/IEC 24711, which states that a minimum of nine cartridges must be successfully tested. Page yield was then calculated based on all cartridges tested, including defective units.
Similarly, the testing of a minimum of 17 cartridges tested per cartridge type and brand ensured statistical validity for the reliability tests performed by Innovationstechnik. Reliability problems were expressed as the percentage sum of dead on arrival cartridges and those that resulted in premature failures.
For more information on test results, methodology and HP and Innovationstechnik, please visit www.hp.co.uk
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