Best Compatible Ink for HP 62 & 62XL (2026): Remanufactured vs Genuine Compared

Last updated: November 2, 2026.

Quick answer: For an ENVY 5540, ENVY 7640 or OfficeJet 5740, the set we would buy is our remanufactured HP 62XL black and tri-color 2-pack at $44.99. It holds a 62XL black rated at about 600 pages and a 62XL tri-color rated at about 415. The same two cartridges genuine cost $62.89 and $64.89 at Staples, $127.78 together, so the pack saves about 65% and works out to roughly 4.4 cents a page against 12.6 cents. HP+ does not apply to any HP 62 printer; the thing to know is that both cartridges carry their own printhead, so a remanufactured cartridge built on a genuine HP shell is the safest way to save.

Shop the full range: HP 62 ink cartridges (62XL black, 62XL tri-color, the 2-pack and a 62XL MICR black).

We'll say the obvious thing up front: we sell these cartridges, so our recommendation is not neutral. To make up for that, the table below puts LD Products, 4inkjets, CompAndSave, Staples and a marketplace brand next to our own prices. On this family LD Products and 4inkjets sell the same remanufactured pair for one cent less than we do, and we say so plainly below. This post covers which printers take HP 62, what every option costs per page as of November 2026, and what to expect from the chip and the ink gauge.

What printers use HP 62 ink?

HP 62 and 62XL fit HP's ENVY 5500, 5600 and 7600 all-in-ones, the OfficeJet 5740 family and the OfficeJet 200 and 250 mobile printers. None of them are HP+ models.

• HP ENVY 5540, 5542, 5640, 5642, 5643, 5660, 5661 and 5663
• HP ENVY 7640 and 7645
• HP OfficeJet 5740, 5742 and 5745
• HP OfficeJet 200 Mobile and 250 Mobile

Each printer takes one black and one tri-color cartridge, and each cartridge has its printhead built in. Swapping in a fresh cartridge therefore gives you a fresh printhead, which is why quality from a remanufactured HP 62 depends on how well the original HP head was cleaned and tested, not on the ink alone.

HP 62 prices compared: OEM vs Castle Ink vs other sellers

Prices checked November 2026 at the sellers' sites; they change often.

The top of this table is a tie. LD Products and 4inkjets (the same company) sell the 62XL pair for $44.98 and we sell it for $44.99, with the same rated yields and the same remanufactured construction. CompAndSave is 91 cents more. If a penny decides it, buy from LD. What you get from us instead is same-day shipping from Greenlawn, NY on orders placed by 4 PM ET Monday through Friday, a 1-year return window with a full refund, US phone support, and a promise to replace or refund any cartridge that arrives defective. LD's lifetime guarantee is a real advantage on paper, and we would rather tell you that than leave it out. The Staples store brand costs more than double per page, and the marketplace E-Z Ink pair claims yields well above HP's rating for the same shells.

Our pick: remanufactured HP 62XL 2-pack

The HP 62XL black and tri-color 2-pack at $44.99 is the set we would buy for any HP 62 printer. Both cartridges start as genuine HP 62XL cartridges that are cleaned, refilled and print-tested, so they keep HP's chip and printhead. At about 1,015 pages for the pair it is 4.4 cents a page against 12.6 cents for the genuine XLs and 15.0 cents if you buy HP's standard-yield 2-pack ($54.89 at Staples). The honest trade-off is the one in the table: specialty competitors match this price almost exactly, so you are choosing on service rather than cost.

The other Castle Ink HP 62 options: the 62XL black at $22.99 and the 62XL tri-color at $23.99. Bought separately they total $46.98, so the 2-pack saves about $2. Most people run out of black first, which makes the black single the one to keep as a spare. We also stock a 62XL black MICR cartridge ($47.99) for check printing.

Chips, ink gauges and the "used cartridge" message

HP 62 cartridges carry an HP chip that the printer reads for ink level and authenticity. HP's dynamic security firmware is designed to block cartridges with non-HP chips; HP's own policy statement, quoted on its support forum, says cartridges with new or reused HP chips are unaffected. Our 62XL cartridges reuse the original HP chip, so firmware updates aimed at clone chips are not aimed at them.

What a refilled cartridge cannot do is tell the printer accurately how much ink it holds. The chip remembers being emptied, so the ENVY or OfficeJet may show a used or refilled cartridge notice the first time and an ink gauge that reads low or empty from the start. Acknowledge the notice and keep printing; when text starts to fade or a color drops out, it is time to replace that cartridge.

The OfficeJet 200 and 250 are mobile printers that often sit unused for weeks. Integrated-printhead cartridges can dry at the nozzles in that time. If the first page after a long break streaks, run one cleaning cycle from the printer's tools menu before assuming the cartridge is bad, and store spares sealed.

How to choose an HP 62 cartridge

• Buy the XL. HP's 62XL black is rated at about 600 pages against 200 for the standard 62, and from third-party sellers the XL costs little more.
• Buy the pair. Our 2-pack is $44.99 against $46.98 for the two singles, and the genuine XL pair is $127.78.
• Prefer remanufactured over new-build on this family. A remanufactured HP 62 gives you an original HP printhead and chip.
• Ignore the ink gauge on a refilled cartridge and judge by print quality.
• Be skeptical of listings that claim 700 or more pages from a 62XL black; HP rates the same shell at 600.
• If you print rarely, buy one spare at a time rather than a bulk set, so cartridges do not sit for years.

HP 62 Compatible Ink FAQs

The bottom line

For an ENVY 5540, ENVY 7640, OfficeJet 5740 or OfficeJet 250, the remanufactured HP 62XL 2-pack at $44.99 is the set we would buy: about 65% less than the genuine XL pair, with HP's own chip and printhead in both cartridges. LD Products and 4inkjets sell the same pair for a cent less, and we have shown their prices so you can choose on service. Shop all HP 62 ink cartridges.

Related reading: best compatible ink brands, compatible vs OEM HP ink, best compatible ink for HP 61, is XL ink worth it?, and our HP ink cartridge collection.