I'm using Windows XP operating system.

i was printing a PDF file that was in landscape. The first 1/3 of the page was clear, sharp and had pllenty of ink. The last 2/3 of the page had stripes--the effect you get when you are running out of ink. Since I can faintly see the words between the stripes, I would guess that the printing mechanism must have been going back and forth across the page. No ink was leaking in the machine.

I replaced the ink cartridge with another refilled one. No ink came out at all. I returned the cartridge to Cartridge World. They said there was an air bubble in the cartridge. They gave me a freshly refilled one.

I called Micro Center where I purchased the printer ten months ago. They told me it sounded like a hardware problem. I, then, called HP who tried to help me solve the problem over the phone. Since they were unsuccessful, they replaced the printer for me.

Now that I have a new printer, I'm "gunshy" about whether it is safe to use professionally refiilled cartridges. They claim they steam them and check the heads before they refill them.

What would you do in this situation about using refilled cartridges? Or, would you stick to using only new cartridges. There is such a big difference in cost.