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This is one of the most frequently asked questions regarding edible image printing; and one of the most difficult to answer.

At Edible Image Supplies, we know that our customers need this answered so they may effectively cost their edible images for their own business needs. It is important to understand the print yield from an edible ink cartridge set is dependent upon many factors.

TIP: The more you use your edible ink printer, the more efficient your ink usage will be.

Factors affecting print yield per edible ink set:

• The media used for print: will you be printing A3 size edible icings sheets;  A4 size edible icing sheets; pre-cut round icing sheets?
• Image type: will your print images cover the whole page and be very ink and colour intensive; or will you be printing something like logos or lots of small images?
• Each colour will be used at a different rate: you won’t need to replace/refill every cartridge at the same time due to the mixing of your 5 edible ink colours to make the many colours needed for your edible printing designs.
• Your edible ink is also used for cleaning; turning the printer on and off; and test printing.
• Also, a factor: refilling your cartridges; we advise that they are NOT completely empty before refilling.

TIP: When replacing a cartridge, ensure your edible ink cartridges are all the same brand; this will keep your printer happy!

It’s worth noting that we always recommend doing a weekly test print to keep your printer running smoothly.

If you are not going to be using your edible printer for an extended period of time, we advise you take the following steps:

1. Remove your edible ink cartridges from the printer:
2. Place the original orange tabs back on each cartridge;
3. Seal the ends of each cartridge with tape;
4. Place all cartridges in a zip lock bag/airtight container for storage; in a cool dry place, out of direct sunlight.

Taking these steps will prevent your ink from evaporating or leeching into your print head while your printer is sitting idle.

Although it is impossible to advise an exact number of prints achievable per cartridge set, we conservatively estimate an average of 30-40 prints per edible ink set. We have customers that achieve many more than this and some less. It is totally dependent upon the factors discussed within this article.

We hope the information detailed here offers some assistance.

Happy printing!