Can I Use a Canon Refill Kit in My HP OfficeJet 8720? Understanding Ink Compatibility and Type Differences

Question:
I purchased a refill kit labeled "Canada KD600XA" a few years ago for my Canon printer, but I never used it before it died. Can I use this refill kit in my HP OfficeJet 8720? Is this ink dye or pigment? Is it safe to switch ink types between printers?

Answer:

Thank you for contacting us, and we sincerely apologize for the delayed response. We understand that printer issues can be both urgent and frustrating, and we want to ensure each concern is treated with the level of care and technical precision it deserves. At BCH Technologies, we deeply appreciate your continued support, especially through our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Your questions help us grow our knowledge base and serve others in the printing community more effectively.

Ink Type in the KD600XA Kit

The KD600XA refill kit you referenced uses dye-based ink, not pigment. Fortunately, the HP OfficeJet 8720, which uses pigment ink by default, can accept dye ink without issues. Doing so has some benefits, and it's not uncommon for users to run dye inks in pigment printers.

Should You Use Pigment or Dye Ink in the HP 8720?

You can confidently use either dye or pigment ink in your HP OfficeJet 8720. Here’s a breakdown:

• Dye ink in pigment printers (like the 8720): Completely acceptable and often beneficial. Dye ink tends to clog less, and since pigment printers perform more frequent auto-cleaning cycles, this helps keep the printhead clean.

• Pigment ink in dye printers: More risky. Since dye printers aren’t programmed to clean as often, using pigment ink could lead to clogs unless you supplement with manual cleaning.

In your case, using the dye ink from the KD600XA kit in your HP 8720 is a safe and economical choice.

Pigment vs. Dye Ink: Key Differences

Here’s how they compare:

• Clogging: Pigment ink clogs more easily and may require complex cleaning. Dye ink, however, can usually be cleared with simple flushes.

• Cost: Dye ink is generally cheaper than pigment ink.

• Durability: Pigment ink is more UV- and water-resistant, but for everyday use (e.g., documents, casual photo printing), dye ink is perfectly adequate. Modern dye inks resist smearing and fading much better than older formulations.

• Quality: For many applications, dye ink actually produces brighter, more vibrant colors, especially for photo printing.

For more detailed comparisons, we invite you to explore these two support articles:

• Compare pigment vs. dye ink (https://support.bchtechnologies.com/hc/en-us/articles/200555919)

• Why dye ink’s printouts look better (https://support.bchtechnologies.com/hc/en-us/articles/200677489)

Switching Between Dye and Pigment Ink

It is possible to switch between dye and pigment inks—but it must be done thoughtfully:

• Avoid mixing them long-term: Pigment and dye inks use different base chemistries. When combined in high proportions, they can react and form clogs.

• Best practice: Use up the old ink before switching, then print several pages to flush the previous ink from the lines.

• OEM ink tolerance: Original HP or Epson inks often contain hybrid bases and are more tolerant to mixing. However, third-party inks vary widely. If you're switching between two different brands of pigment ink or dye ink, compatibility is less predictable.

To make switching easier, BCH offers flushing solutions:

• Clear Dye Base (https://bchtechnologies.com/universal-dye-ink-base-clear-8-oz.html)

• Clear Pigment Base (https://bchtechnologies.com/universal-pigment-ink-base-clear-8-oz.html)

These bases help dilute and flush out residual ink before switching types, minimizing clogging risks.

Recommended BCH Dye Ink Refill Sets

If you decide to continue using dye ink for its affordability and ease of maintenance, we suggest:

• For Epson Printers (https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-epson-kd600x-ce/)

• For HP Printers (https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-hp-kd600x-ch/)

• For Canon Printers (https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-all-printers-kd600x-cu/)

Final Tips

• Mixing ink types: Keep mixtures below 20% to reduce clogging risks.

• Stick to one brand: Once you find a compatible ink brand that works, stick with it. Mixing third-party inks—even if they're both pigment or both dye—can sometimes cause issues due to varying base chemistries.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. So, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. So, it might take a few weeks before we can get your printer to drop it off. Our services are structured to repair either a whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we highly recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of queries every day asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be most efficient. Plus, YouTube might suggest relevant videos from other channels that could assist you.

Thank you again for reaching out and trusting BCH Technologies. We hope this information helps guide your next steps and gives you confidence in your printer setup.