You may have seen the term ‘OEM’ when searching for ink cartridges online and want to know what it actually means.
The acronym OEM stands for ‘Original Equipment Manufacturer’ and refers to companies that make ink cartridges. The ‘Big Four’ of ink cartridge makers are Epson, HP, Brother, and Canon. OEM cartridges are also commonly known as ‘originals’ or ‘original cartridges’.
In contrast, non-original cartridges are commonly called ‘compatibles’ or ‘compatible cartridges’. These are often cheaper than originals, but have the same names and work with the same printers. For instance, a compatible Epson 604 cartridge would still be called as such for customer reference. Sometimes, in the case of Epson, the photo for that cartridge series is also mentioned. In the case of 604s, this would be the ‘Pineapple’ series. At Internet Ink, we have been selling our own-brand compatibles for over 20 years!
For more information on these two types of cartridge, as well as the pros and cons of each, we have a more in depth guide about the difference between compatibles and originals.
So, when you see the letters OEM, you know that it just means original cartridge.
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