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Ink cartridges come with more terminology than most people bargain for. XL, FINE, DURABrite, page yield, pigment, dye-based — it can feel like a different language when all you want to do is replace your ink and get on with printing.
This guide explains every term you're likely to come across, in plain English, with no unnecessary technical detail. We've grouped them by topic, with separate sections for Canon, HP, Epson, and Brother-specific terms at the end.
General Printing Terms
Ink Cartridge
A sealed container of ink designed to fit a specific printer model. When inserted into the printer, it delivers ink to the page via tiny nozzles. Most home printers use between two and six cartridges — typically one black and one or more colour cartridges.
Genuine (or Original) Cartridge
A cartridge made by the same company that made your printer — so a Canon cartridge for a Canon printer, an HP cartridge for an HP printer, and so on. Genuine cartridges are specifically engineered for each printer model and are the safest choice for reliable print quality and printer longevity. At Crazy Kangaroo, we stock genuine cartridges exclusively — no compatibles or remanufactured alternatives.
Compatible Cartridge
A cartridge made by a third-party manufacturer rather than the printer's original brand. Compatible cartridges are usually cheaper, but quality and reliability vary considerably. They are not the same as genuine cartridges and may affect print quality, cause printer errors, or in some cases damage the printhead over time.
Remanufactured Cartridge
A used genuine cartridge that has been cleaned, refilled with ink, and resold. While often marketed as an eco-friendly option, quality control varies between suppliers and the results can be inconsistent.
Printhead
The component that actually deposits ink onto the page. It contains hundreds of tiny nozzles that fire microscopic droplets of ink with great precision. In some printers (particularly Canon FINE models) the printhead is built into the cartridge itself and is replaced every time you change the ink. In others, the printhead is a separate part that stays in the printer permanently.
Nozzle
A tiny opening in the printhead through which ink is fired onto the page. A single printhead can contain hundreds of nozzles. If ink dries in the nozzles — usually due to the printer sitting unused for a long period — you may notice streaky or missing colours in your prints. Running the printer's built-in cleaning cycle usually resolves this.
Dye-Based Ink
Ink where the colour comes from dyes dissolved in liquid. Dye-based inks produce vibrant, vivid colours and are well suited to photo printing. The trade-off is that they can be more susceptible to fading over time, particularly if prints are left on display in bright light.
Pigment-Based Ink
Ink where the colour comes from tiny solid particles suspended in liquid rather than dissolved dyes. Pigment inks sit on top of the paper surface rather than soaking into it, which makes them more water-resistant and longer-lasting. They are particularly good for text documents and prints that need to last. The trade-off is that colours can appear slightly less vivid than dye-based inks.
CMYK
Stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black) — the four ink colours used in most home and office printers. By combining these four colours in different proportions, a printer can reproduce virtually any colour. Most colour printers use separate cartridges for black (K) and the three colours (C, M, Y), either as individual cartridges or as a single combined colour cartridge.
Cyan
A blue-green colour — one of the three colour inks used in printing alongside magenta and yellow. Cyan is essential for producing blues, greens, and a wide range of mixed colours.
Magenta
A reddish-purple colour — one of the three colour inks. Magenta combines with cyan and yellow to produce reds, purples, pinks, and many other colours.
Yellow
The third of the three colour inks. Yellow combines with cyan and magenta to produce greens, oranges, and a full spectrum of mixed tones.
Black Ink (K)
Most printers use a dedicated black ink cartridge for printing text and dark areas, rather than mixing cyan, magenta, and yellow together (which produces a muddy dark brown rather than true black). Some printers use two types of black ink — a pigment-based black for sharp text and a dye-based photo black for richer tones in photographs.
Standard Yield
A cartridge containing a standard amount of ink, suited to moderate printing. Standard yield cartridges cost less upfront but have a higher cost per page than their high yield equivalents. A good choice if you print occasionally.
High Yield (XL)
A cartridge containing more ink than the standard version — typically denoted by XL on the packaging. High yield cartridges cost more upfront but work out cheaper per page, making them better value if you print regularly. The printer model stays the same; only the cartridge size changes.
Page Yield
The estimated number of pages a cartridge will print before it runs out. Page yield figures are calculated based on a standard test — typically printing pages where only 5% of the surface is covered in ink (roughly equivalent to a short letter or memo). If you print photos, graphics, or heavily formatted documents, you will use ink faster and get fewer pages than the stated yield.
ISO Page Yield
The internationally standardised method for calculating page yield, set by the International Organisation for Standardisation. All reputable manufacturers use this standard, which means you can compare page yields between brands on a like-for-like basis.
Cost Per Page
The actual cost of printing a single page, calculated by dividing the cartridge price by its page yield. This is a more useful comparison than the cartridge price alone — a cheaper cartridge is not always better value if it runs out more quickly.
Multipack
A pack containing more than one cartridge, sold together at a lower combined price than buying individually. Multipacks typically include black plus the three colour inks, and sometimes multiples of each. A sensible choice if you know you'll need to replace cartridges regularly.
Combo Pack
Similar to a multipack — a bundle containing a selection of ink cartridges, often with a mix of black and colour, sometimes alongside photo paper or other accessories. Combo packs are designed to offer convenience and value in a single purchase.
All-in-One Printer
A printer that also includes a scanner and photocopier built in — sometimes called a multifunction printer (MFP). Most modern home printers are all-in-one models. The term refers to the printer's functions, not its ink system.
Inkjet Printer
A printer that works by firing tiny droplets of liquid ink onto the page through microscopic nozzles. Inkjet printers handle colour brilliantly and are well suited to photos, mixed documents, and general home use. Most home printers sold in the UK are inkjets.
Laser Printer
A printer that uses powdered toner rather than liquid ink, fusing it to the page using heat. Laser printers are fast and economical for high-volume black and white printing but are generally less well suited to photo printing or varied home use. They use toner cartridges rather than ink cartridges.
Toner
The powdered substance used in laser printers instead of liquid ink. Toner cartridges work differently to ink cartridges and are not interchangeable. If your printer uses toner, it is a laser printer — not an inkjet.
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
A measure of print resolution — the number of individual ink dots the printer can place in a one-inch line. A higher DPI generally means finer detail and smoother gradients. For everyday documents, 300–600 DPI is more than adequate. For photo printing, 1200 DPI or higher produces noticeably sharper results.
Wireless Printing
The ability to send a print job to the printer over your home Wi-Fi network rather than via a physical cable. Almost all modern home printers support wireless printing, and most can also be controlled from a smartphone or tablet via a dedicated app.
Duplex Printing
Printing on both sides of the paper automatically. Some printers handle this without any intervention; others require you to manually flip the paper over. Duplex printing uses roughly half as much paper over time, which saves money and reduces waste.
Cartridge Expiry Date
Ink cartridges have a use-by date printed on the packaging. Over time, ink can dry out, separate, or degrade in quality — even in an unopened cartridge. Using an expired cartridge can result in poor print quality or printer errors. For more detail, see our guide on why ink cartridges expire.
Ink Level Indicator
A feature on most modern printers that gives an estimate of how much ink remains in each cartridge. These are useful as a rough guide but are not always precise — they measure ink usage rather than physically sensing ink levels, so the display may show ink as low even when a useful amount remains.
Printhead Cleaning
A maintenance function built into most inkjet printers that flushes ink through the nozzles to clear any blockages or dried ink. It uses a small amount of ink each time it runs. If prints are coming out streaky or with missing colours, running a cleaning cycle is usually the first step to try.
Recycling
Empty ink cartridges can and should be recycled rather than put in general waste. At Crazy Kangaroo, we offer a free Freepost recycling service for HP and Canon cartridges — and we include a prepaid recycling bag with every HP and Canon ink order automatically.
Canon-Specific Terms
PIXMA
Canon's main range of home and small office inkjet printers. The PIXMA range covers everything from compact budget printers to more capable all-in-one models with document feeders and better photo output. If you have a Canon printer at home, it is almost certainly a PIXMA. You can browse genuine Canon ink cartridges for the full PIXMA range in our store.
MAXIFY
Canon's range of inkjet printers designed for small businesses and home offices that print in higher volumes. MAXIFY printers are faster than PIXMA models, use different ink cartridges, and are optimised for document printing rather than photos.
FINE (Full-Photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering)
Canon's printhead technology used in PIXMA printers. FINE cartridges have the printhead built directly into the cartridge itself, rather than in the printer. This means the printhead is effectively renewed every time you replace the ink — which helps maintain consistent print quality over the life of the printer. FINE printers typically use just two cartridges: one black (PG) and one colour (CL).
PG (Pigment Black)
The code used on Canon black ink cartridges — for example, PG-540 or PG-545. PG stands for Pigment, indicating that Canon's black ink is pigment-based. This gives sharp, water-resistant black text that is ideal for documents.
CL (Colour Life)
The code used on Canon colour ink cartridges — for example, CL-541 or CL-546. CL stands for Colour Life, the name for Canon's dye-based colour ink technology. The colour inks use dye rather than pigment, which produces vivid, vibrant colour output particularly suited to photo printing.
ChromaLife 100
Canon's ink and paper system designed to maximise the longevity of printed photographs. When Canon FINE ink cartridges are used together with Canon photo paper, prints are rated to last up to 100 years when stored in an album — or up to 30 years on display. ChromaLife 100 applies to the combination of ink and paper, not ink alone.
MegaTank
Canon's refillable ink tank system, available on certain PIXMA G-series and MAXIFY GX models. Instead of replacing cartridges, you top up large built-in ink reservoirs with ink from small bottles. MegaTank printers cost more to buy but have a much lower cost per page, making them well suited to households or small businesses that print large volumes regularly.
GI Series
The ink bottle series used with Canon MegaTank printers (for example, GI-590). These are large-format ink bottles rather than cartridges. GI ink is sold separately from standard Canon cartridges and is not interchangeable with FINE cartridges.
Canon Creative Park
Canon's free online library of printable templates — including greeting cards, paper crafts, colouring pages, calendars, and 3D paper models. It is free to use and particularly well suited to families and creative projects. We have a dedicated Canon Creative Park page with more information.
HP-Specific Terms
DeskJet
HP's range of entry-level home inkjet printers — reliable, compact, and straightforward to use. DeskJet printers are a popular choice for light home use and occasional printing. They use standard HP ink cartridges and are typically the most affordable HP printers to buy.
ENVY
HP's mid-range home printer line, offering better print quality than DeskJet — particularly for photos — alongside a more premium design. ENVY printers are a good step up for households that print photos regularly or want better colour output.
OfficeJet / OfficeJet Pro
HP's range of inkjet printers designed for home offices and small businesses. OfficeJet Pro models are faster, handle higher print volumes, and often include features like automatic document feeders and duplex printing as standard. They use higher-capacity ink cartridges designed for heavier use.
XL Cartridges
HP's term for high yield ink cartridges. An XL cartridge contains more ink than the standard equivalent and costs more upfront but less per page. For example, the HP 301XL contains significantly more ink than the standard HP 301 and works out cheaper per page for regular printers. You can see our range of genuine HP ink cartridges including XL options in our store.
Thermal Inkjet (TIJ)
HP's inkjet printing technology. Thermal inkjet printers work by heating the ink inside tiny chambers to create a small bubble of vapour, which forces a droplet of ink through the nozzle onto the page. This happens thousands of times per second during printing. HP has used thermal inkjet technology since the 1980s and it remains the basis of their home and office printers today.
Vivera Ink
HP's brand name for the pigment-based inks used in their photo-oriented printers and Designjet wide-format printers. Vivera inks are designed for consistent, accurate colour reproduction and long-lasting results — HP rates some Vivera photo prints as fade-resistant for up to 200 years under certain conditions.
HP Instant Ink
HP's ink subscription service. Rather than buying cartridges individually, you pay a monthly fee based on how many pages you print — HP then automatically sends replacement cartridges before you run out. The cartridges used with Instant Ink are different from standard HP cartridges and stop working if the subscription is cancelled. We have a full guide to HP Instant Ink on our site, including how to cancel and what to switch to afterwards.
HP Smart App
HP's printer management app for smartphones and computers. It allows you to print, scan, check ink levels, order replacement cartridges, and manage your printer settings remotely. Compatible with most modern HP printers.
HP+ / HP All-In Plan
HP+ is a programme that unlocks additional features on certain HP printers — including extended warranty and access to HP Instant Ink. Printers enrolled in HP+ are required to use genuine HP cartridges throughout their life; using non-genuine cartridges in an HP+ printer will disable some features.
HP Printables
HP's free collection of printable activities, learning resources, calendars, and family-friendly templates. Particularly useful for parents and teachers looking for screen-free activities. We have a dedicated HP Printables page with more information and direct access to the full library.
Epson-Specific Terms
EcoTank
Epson's refillable ink tank system. Instead of cartridges, EcoTank printers have large built-in ink reservoirs that you refill with bottled ink. The printers cost considerably more to buy than standard inkjet models, but the ink bottles are inexpensive and the running costs are much lower — making EcoTank a good choice for households that print frequently. Epson EcoTank printers do not use ink cartridges.
Claria
Epson's ink brand used in their home photo printers. Claria inks are typically a combination of pigment-based black (for sharp text) and dye-based colour inks (for vivid photos). The result is a versatile ink set that handles both everyday documents and photo printing reasonably well. Claria inks are often found in Epson Expression and XP-series printers.
DURABrite
Epson's pigment-based ink brand, used in their WorkForce and business-oriented printers. DURABrite inks are all-pigment, meaning they are water-resistant, smudge-proof, and fade-resistant — properties that make them particularly well suited to document printing and situations where durability matters. The trade-off is that colours can appear slightly less vivid than dye-based inks on photo paper.
MicroPiezo
Epson's printhead technology — different in approach from Canon's FINE system and HP's thermal inkjet. MicroPiezo printheads use tiny piezoelectric crystals that flex when an electrical charge is applied, pushing ink through the nozzle without heat. Epson's printheads are typically built into the printer rather than the cartridge, meaning they are not replaced when you change the ink.
T-Series Cartridge Codes
Epson ink cartridges are identified by a T-series code — for example, T1281 or T2991. The number identifies the cartridge series, not the individual colour. When buying replacement Epson ink, you need both the T-series number and the colour. You can find the right cartridge for your Epson printer in our genuine Epson ink range.
Expression
Epson's range of home all-in-one inkjet printers, typically using Claria inks. Expression printers are aimed at home users who want good all-round performance for documents and photos.
WorkForce
Epson's range of printers designed for home offices and small businesses, typically using DURABrite pigment inks. WorkForce models are faster and more durable than Expression printers and are built for higher print volumes.
Brother-Specific Terms
LC Series Cartridges
Brother's main ink cartridge range for home and small office inkjet printers. LC stands for Low Cost — a nod to Brother's focus on affordable running costs. LC cartridges are identified by a number followed by a letter indicating the colour — for example, LC3211BK (black), LC3211C (cyan), LC3211M (magenta), and LC3211Y (yellow). You can browse our genuine Brother ink cartridges by model.
Innobella
Brother's name for their ink technology used in genuine Brother cartridges. Innobella inks are designed to be fade-resistant and colour-fast, producing vivid prints that Brother claims will maintain their quality over time. The name is used across both standard and high yield Brother cartridges.
DCP Series
Brother's range of home all-in-one printers (print, copy, scan). DCP stands for Digital Copying Printer. These are typically compact, affordable models suited to light home use.
MFC Series
Brother's more capable all-in-one printer range (print, copy, scan, fax). MFC stands for Multi-Function Centre. MFC printers tend to have more features than DCP models, including wireless connectivity, automatic document feeders, and in some cases fax capability — though fax is now rarely used in home settings.
XXL / Super High Yield
Brother's term for their highest capacity ink cartridges, above standard and XL. XXL or Super High Yield cartridges contain the most ink and offer the lowest cost per page — useful for businesses or households with very high print volumes.
A Quick Note on Genuine Ink
Whichever brand of printer you own, using genuine ink cartridges is the most reliable way to protect your printer and maintain consistent print quality. Genuine cartridges are engineered to work precisely with each printer's printhead, ink delivery system, and paper profiles — which is why prints look sharper, colours stay truer, and the printer is less likely to develop problems over time.
At Crazy Kangaroo we stock genuine ink cartridges for HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother — with free UK delivery on every order. And when your cartridges run out, you can recycle them for free with our Freepost returns service.
