Is it okay to use off-brand printer ink?

Long answer short- it's a no. You should not use any cheap printer ink in your printer as it may do more harm than good. Most people don't realize it and keep using off-brand printer ink again and again. What they don't know is that it may void their printer's warranty. However, as per Magnus-Moss Warranty Act, it is not necessary to use any specific brand accessories for a replacement to stay in the safe zone as a condition of your warranty.

Your printer may not be designed for it.

However, it is imperative for you to understand that your printer is designed to be compatible with a certain type of accessories, and it holds true for printer ink cartridges as well. For example, if you're using an HP printer, it is best compatible with HP toner, and the same goes true for any other brand as well. 

If you go for the wrong type of ink and damage it in the process, you would probably ruin its every chance of recovery in the long run. Most importantly, the manufacturer could use it as a solid reason to void your warranty in the first place. That's why before you go for any cheap printer ink, just go through your warranty paper to ensure you're not making any mistake that could undo the product warranty forever. 

You will get early warning messages.

It's evident that the manufacturer can not simply void your warranty for using other brand accessories, but it can certainly give you a fair warning through system-generated notifications that you are not using an officially recommended ink. On the contrary, you may also find people complaining about their printer not working even after feeding it with branded ink. However, on the basis of that fact, if you choose to go for off-brand ink, you have to confirm an onscreen error message that you are using it in your full consciousness.

Your software ink level reading may malfunction.

Generally speaking, your printer's internal software is compatible with genuine brand ink. If you go for cheap printer ink, the software may not get compatible with it and may produce an error while displaying true ink level inside the printer. So, if you are fully dependent on the software to tell you when to replace your ink, you may need to opt for the hard way to find that out.

Check for Digital Rights Management (DRM)

Last year, HP rolled out Digital Rights Management (DRM) firmware update to make it nearly impossible for users to install generic printer cartridges in any HP printer. However, after heavy public protest, it was taken back by HP. So, in case you're using any old brand HP toner cartridges, make sure to read the warranty before proceeding. 

End Thoughts

Instead of buying cheap printer ink, you can go for branded ink available at a discounted price at the PrintZone website You can also shop for branded printing accessories such as HP toner, Brother Cartridges, etc., at a fair market price without giving second thoughts about quality issues at all.