Since all print cartridge manufacturers used to use different testing methods, comparing suppliers had never been an easy thing to do.

This has changed in the last couple of years, however. In mid-2004 most of the top ink suppliers started to work under the International Standards Organization’s requirements for testing monochrome inkjet cartridges.

The ISO works to create industry standards that allow consumers to rate and compare competing products in a fair and unbiased manner.

Printer cartridge standards allow you to compare ink manufacturers’ products. Since the same methods are used to ascertain the yield derived from cartridges, they are much easier to compare against each other.

The following are the things that are specified in the ISO standard:

- Default settings must be used when printing test examples.

- The tests are performed under strict temperature controls

- Both the cartridges and the printers used for testing must be available to the average consumer

- In order to assure that tests are valid, nine cartridges of each type must be tested.

- 3 cartridges must be tested on 3 different printers to eliminate a single printer causing the numbers to be skewed

Aside from raw numbers, you should also consider some other things when deciding on your ink supplier. These things include delivery, reliability, and general quality.

Keeping notes on your own printing results is another way to decide which ink suppliers prove themselves to be deserving of your purchase.