How accurate is HP's "Toolbox" with estimates of ink levels?

[BonzaiDuck]

Once upon a time . . . . You'd use your dot matrix printer ribbon until the output was noticeably faint. Or you'd plainly see that your laser-cartridge was out of toner, as pages would indicate. There would be no adverse effects of getting to such a point where indications prompted ribbon or cartridge replacement.

I just got a new OfficeJet 7000 a few months ago. Somewhere, I saw that running "cartridges on empty" might cause harm to the printer or the print-head. I'd like to examine that issue more closely.

Some of these printers use cartridges that are available as "XL" -- nearly double the amount of ink or expected page limit/capacity.

Somehow, I suspect the "Toolbox" reporting low ink-levels prematurely.

Anyone have observations about these issues?

 

[bruceb]

Can't say if it tells you to replace early, but they might to get more sales.
I have an HP7410 and I go by the ink drops on the LCD panel. Right now
the Color is about 1/3 left .. the Black is very close to the bottom edge and
so far, still prints ok. But I would expect it does not have much longer to go.
New inks are sitting in my storage, ready to go in as needed.

 

[corkyg]

My experience with HP Toolbox estimates is about like bruceb's. Most of the time I just keep printing until I see the frist signs of skipped letters - then change. The estimate is sort of like a heads up - have another cart ready.

I keep printing until I see skipped letters - then I change. Since HP carts contain the print heads, no harm can come to them.

 

[21stHermit]

The estimate is sort of like a heads up - have another cart ready.

+1

 

[tcsenter]

I don't know but I regularly get about 80+ pages after my Canon Pixma MP530 recommends that I replace an ink tank.

 

[trexmgd]

I'm calling BS to the levels - not that they maybe don't give you a rough estimate, but from HP shutting down your printer.

I've got a C7280 and it gives me a warning when any one color is low. After a few additional print jobs, it will just stop you from printing in color PERIOD. There have been times where either I just wanted to keep printing until I saw degradation and others where I just wanted a sheet with green text, for example, and the only color out was light magenta. But no, I'm shut down, locked out, and get a nag screen with every print job.

 

[rudder]

There are sensors in the ink tank as that would be expensive. So the printer is basically guessing at the amount. And most likely a conservative guess since they do not want consumers calling an complaining... "but it showed I had ink!"

 

[Modelworks]

The high end printers do use sensors but the consumer stuff is all a guestimate and not accurate. That is why the ink cartridges often are black plastic and not clear, they don't want you to know how much they are fibbing 🙂