Is the HP C8842A Printhead Cartridge Compatible With the HP DeskJet 1220C, and What Ink Should You Use?

Question:

A customer asks whether the HP C8842A cartridge can be used with the HP DeskJet 1220C to achieve a longer refillable cartridge life-similar to what was shown in one of our YouTube videos. They also want to know which black refill ink is best for general-purpose home use with this setup.

Answer:

To answer your question: Yes, the HP C8842A cartridge is compatible with the HP DeskJet 1220C, and many users choose this setup specifically because the C8842A has a more robust industrial printhead design. This style of cartridge is known for its durability and can often withstand more refilling cycles than standard consumer-grade cartridges. That's why it's frequently used in specialty printing setups and DIY refill workflows.

For ink choice, the best option for general-purpose home printing with this cartridge and machine combination is pigment black ink. Pigment ink offers noticeably superior longevity, water resistance, and text sharpness compared to dye ink-especially on plain home-office paper. The HP DeskJet 1220C handles pigment black very well, and the C8842A printhead is designed to run efficiently with pigment formulations.

A few notes that may help extend the life of your C8842A when refilling:

• Do not let the cartridge run dry-thermal cartridges can permanently burn out if ink flow stops.

• Refill before the print quality deteriorates, as low-ink firing stresses the resistors inside the printhead.

• Keep the nozzles moist by storing the cartridge in a sealed container or clip when not in use.

• If you see symptoms such as streaks, missing lines, or light print, manually prime the nozzles or purge trapped air with a refill station to restore proper ink flow.

• Avoid dye inks in this cartridge, as they may reduce longevity or cause inconsistent results over time.

Using the correct pigment ink and maintaining the cartridge properly should significantly improve refill longevity while maintaining excellent print quality.

Addressing printer issues can often be more complex than they appear because hands-on diagnosis is usually required. For that reason, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting or repair support for printers. However, we do offer in-person diagnostics and repair at our local facility through our printer repair service (BCH Printer Repair Service [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service]). Due to high demand, repairs are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and wait times may be a few weeks. We can repair entire printers or specific components, depending on your needs. That said, our pricing isn't always the most budget-friendly, so we strongly encourage self-help solutions through online resources. A great place to start is our BCH Technologies YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search bar next to the "About" tab to quickly find videos by keyword. With nine years of video content, even we can't always recall every topic we've covered, and YouTube may also suggest helpful videos from other creators.

Thank you again for your excellent question and for supporting our content. Your engagement helps us continue producing useful videos and guides for the printing community. Let us know anytime you have more questions!