Home » Shopping » Does Walgreens Refill Ink Cartridges? (2023 Updated)

Does Walgreens Refill Ink Cartridges? (2023 Updated)

does walgreens refill ink cartridges

Do you prefer refilling your ink cartridges to buying new ones? This is an easy and effective way to reduce your impact on the planet. Refilling ink cartridges is also a great way of saving money while doing your bit for the environment.
However, refilling ink cartridges by yourself can be a very messy business if you have never done it before. It is much easier and less messy to get a professional to take care of the task for you. 

So, if you are wondering, ‘does Walgreens refill ink cartridges?’, well, it’s time to find out…

Walgreens Ink Cartridge Refills

Walgreens Ink Cartridge Refills

Most stores that feature a photo lab offer this special service. However, the service is restricted to certain types of casings from specific brands of printers. If you have an HP, Samsung, Canon, Fuji, Lexmark, Brother, or Epson printer, you can take advantage of this service. 

Refilling In Store At Walgreens

Simply head on over to the photo lab counter of your local store with the empty printer casing. Make the payment and provide the employee with any personal information they ask for. This information may be used to identify you when you pick up the full casing. 

Make sure it is clear which color you want the casing to be filled with. You also need to provide information on the brand and model of your printer. The employee will then let you know how long the process is likely to take. 

If they’re busy or not…

The standard one-hour waiting time is a general estimate. It could take as little as ten minutes if there are no customers ahead of you in the queue. However, it could take longer if there is a long queue or the machine is unavailable for some reason. 

The cost

A standard black printer casing costs $10 to replenish. If you need your color casings replenished, you will be charged $25. The process takes a maximum of an hour from the time you hand over the empty casings. 

Phoning ahead

Not all of the eight thousand stores in the United States are blessed with a photo lab. In some cases, the filling machine may be temporarily out of order. Therefore, it is best to contact your local store before heading over there. The company’s website boasts a handy store locator that provides the phone number and operating hours. 

Preparing Your Printer Casings

Before heading to the store, you need to properly prepare and package the empty casings. The first step is removing the empty casing from your printer. If you have never done this before, make sure you consult the printer manufacturer’s instructions.

You need to make sure that you do not touch the copper strip or nozzle on the bottom and back. Doing this can cause the casing to clog. As a result, it may not work properly when you put it back into your printer. You need to place the empty casing in a bag and keep it away from extreme temperatures during transportation. 

Reinstalling Your Printer Casings

Once your casings are full with ink, you are ready to put them back into your printer. Again, it is important to carefully follow the printer manufacturer’s instructions when doing this. Make sure you avoid touching the bottom copper contacts while you are holding the casing.

The casing must be firmly seated in the holders of the printer, and the top cover is in place. When you turn on your printer, you may be prompted to confirm that a new casing has been installed. It will then print a test page so that you can inspect the ink quality.

Reset the printer once done…

You may still find that your printer prompts you to replace the casing when you have just done it. In this case, you may need to reset the printer to fix the issue. Even if the low ink light is flashing, you will still be able to print your documents in the usual way. 

Does Walgreens Refill Ink Cartridges? – The Pros And Cons

Before you rush out with your empty casings, there are a few things to think about. Like most things in life, there are both pros and cons to opting for refills. Weighing up the pros and cons can help you to make an informed decision. 

The Pros

The cost of refilling the printer casings is much lower than buying new ones. This is an environmentally-friendly option, as it saves you from wasting packaging. While the cost is lower, you can expect the print quality to be roughly the same. 

The Cons

If your main goal is saving money, you need to factor in the cost of gas. This could be a bit of an issue if your nearest store is quite a drive away. You may even find that the cost works out to be roughly the same when you take this cost into account.

Each casing is designed to be refilled between four and six times. However, wear and tear during the printing process can cause the casings to deteriorate over time. You also need to take the mess factor into account if you take care of refilling the casing yourself. 

Other Stores That Do Refills

Other Stores That Do Refills

While many Walgreen stores offer this service, many do not. If you are unable to get it done in your local store, all is not lost. Here are some other places you can try. 

Office Max

This store is a great place to purchase a wide range of office supplies. The ink refilling service at Office Max is both very fast and efficient. The empty casings are first inspected to make sure they are still usable.

Before being refilled, the empty casing will then be cleaned to remove any traces of dried-out ink. This will help to prevent the casing from becoming clogged and running the printing process. The whole process costs around half what you would pay for brand new casings for your printer. 

Costco

Because there are so many Costco stores in the United States, there’s a good chance you have one nearby. The price for this service is lower at Costco than at some other competing stores. However, there are indications that the quality of the ink provided may also be lower. 

Do It Yourself

If there is not a conveniently placed store new you, it may be ready to bite the bullet. You can purchase a special kit that provides everything you need to get the job done. This includes a bottle of replacement ink, a syringe to inject it into the casing, and a seal.

It is important to make sure that you choose a kit that is compatible with your printer. You need to take your time and follow the instructions to the letter. While this process can save you money, it can be quite time-consuming and nerve-wracking. 

Rules On Recycling Inkjet Casings

You can only put new ink into your casings a few times before they have to be discarded. The type of plastic that is used to create these casings takes around a thousand years to fully decompose. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you properly dispose of them. 

Refilling 

Some manufacturers will refill the casings for you for a small fee. This helps to guarantee that you get the same quality ink and saves you a trip to the store. All you have to do is send the fee along with the empty casings and wait for the full ones to arrive. 

Manufacturer buyback

Many manufacturers will buy your empty printer casings from you. This saves you the trouble of trying to work out how to dispose of them. You will also make a little extra cash to go towards your new casings. If the manufacturer has included a shipping label or envelope with the casing, they probably offer this service. 

Retailer buyback

Retailer buyback

Stores like Home Depot and Staples will give you store credit in exchange for your empty casings. This allows you to pick up new ones without the guilt. Many recycling centers also offer a few pennies in exchange for empty toner cartridges. 

Want To Know More About Walgreens?

If you’re curious about the history and founder of Walgreens, check out America’s Corner Store: Walgreen’s Prescription for Success, written by the National Book Critics’ Circle Award winner, John Bacon, whose vivid portrayal of events is enticing!

Now that you know the history, maybe you’d like to work at Walgreens! Take a look at my Walgreens Application and the most common Walgreens Interview Questions to prepare, as well as my Walgreens Customer Service Associate Interview Questions if you love engaging with people daily. If you have a criminal record, please make sure to read up on Does Walgreens Run Background Checks before applying.

If you’re simply going shopping, you might be wondering Does Walgreens Take Apple Pay, or alternatively try Does Kroger Accept Apple Pay, or even Does Home Depot Take Apple Pay if you’re doing DIY at home.

Does Walgreens Refill Ink Cartridges? – Final Thoughts

One of the great things about getting your refills at the store is that it allows you to multitask. The whole process takes an hour, and you can use the time to shop for whatever else you need. 

You can also take advantage of the store’s other services, such as getting a prescription filled. Walgreens also stocks all of the most popular brands of ink cartridges. While you are at the store, you can pick up spares to make sure you always have some close to hand. 

You can also order them online with a few clicks of a button.

Hope you find a Walgreens near you that can help!

5/5 - (38 votes)
Share:

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top