Canon CLI 8M - Ink tank - 1 x magenta

Good product, good service.

I've had numerous printers in my time, two HP and 1 Epson, all these printers never lasted more than a year and I think the main reason was that I switched to a compatible and cheaper ink, either that or the printers were not good, and I don't do a huge amount of printing.I've had my Canon MP600R for about 4 years now and I've never had a problem with it, and I must say I have never deviated from using original Canon inks.Yes the few pounds more that I spend can be a frustration but that is better than having to buy a new printer, and as I checked this item, I found that the last time I ordered this particular ink (Magenta) was over a year ago, so unless you do print a lot, they do last a long time.

You always pay more for genuine printer manufacturer's inks but can be confident of the quality of these Canon ink cartridges. I've had problems in the past when I have used third party compatibles (print heads clogging etc.) so I play safe with Canon now. I've run my present Canon Pixma iP4300 for several years with no problems. However, I do believe that the manufacturers charge far too much for inks so I cannot give 5 stars.

I replaced my printer (the most popular brand) by a Canon Pixma I5300 a couple of years ago and have never had a problem since - but then I always use Canon inks with it, though not always with Canon papers. The quality of finished prints has been uniformly superb and I'm often asked how this has been achieved. In particular the blacks are really solid and the colours are lifelike too. Prices of Canon inks can be expensive but I find that those bought via Amazon from various suppliers are really good value and their service is faultless. Strongly recommended. My empty cartridges are always sent to MacMillan Nurses who receive £2 for every recyclable cartridge. ([...])

If you want best photo quality from your Canon printer (mine is the MP610), don't compromise - go for Canon original cartridges. They may cost a lot more than compatibles, but are worth it. If you only ever want average prints, by all means go for compatible cartridges and paper, but then why buy a high quality printer in the first place? Also, I would advise against swapping between originals and compatibles. Once used, compatible ink will have 'contaminated' the print head - can you be sure it won't be compromised in some way? I tried several different brands of compatible cartridges in earlier HP printers and had a problem EVERY time.

I've continued to use Canon inks for my Canon printer (despite higher costs) as it produces high quality photo prints and I don't want to risk degradation by using alternatives. Although there may be replacements that are as good, I've used them for 8 years or more without any problems. In the end then it comes down to price per cartridge for me.

I've continued to use Canon inks for my Canon printer (despite higher costs) as it produces high quality photo prints and I don't want to risk degradation by using alternatives. Although there may be replacements that are as good, I've used them for 8 years or more without any problems. In the end then it comes down to price per cartridge for me.

Canon inks are of course expensive (hence my limit to only 4 stars), but I am always concerned that cheaper compatibles may be inferior, perhaps clogging up the printer or giving poorer colour. Tha Amazon webpage is confusing as it has 2 different entries for what turns out to be the same product (Canon CLI-8 cyan ink cartridge, and Canon No 8 Cyan Ink Cartridge (Chromalife 100 Ink, CLI-8C)