If you print lots of photos, you might think low-priced store-brand and third-party cartridges would be a good way to save money. Think again. In our tests of hundreds of cartridges from office-supply chains, mass-market and online retailers, and franchise ink stores, we found that many didn’t cut photo costs much if at all because they printed fewer photos than the brand names. Also, most alternative brands didn’t match the manufacturers’ inks for print quality and fade resistance. Some off-brand cartridges didn’t work at all; others did only if we ran the cleaning utility, which wastes ink.

For top results with all printing, especially keepsake photos, use brand-name inks. In our tests, they yielded the best quality. While they might cost more than other brands, print costs might be comparable or lower. (Your printer warranty might not cover damage caused by using other brands of ink, but our years of testing suggest that such damage is unlikely.)

If you want to try other brands, keep backups on hand in case of a problem. Be sure to use cartridges before the expiration date. When buying ink, see whether the retailer offers a credit for returned empties. Staples, for instance, gives a $3 credit for empty cartridges of certain brands.