Complaint / Review
Lexmark
Fraud, misleading, have to buy color ink in order for black ink only to work, Internet

I was a previous owner of a Lexmark printer, but eventually some minor breakage with plastic hinges caused me to purchase another. I bought a different brand and was very disappointed. I wanted my Lexmark! So, I purchased a new one. First, the cartridge would not function properly and Lexmark replaced it with no problem.
However, now I want to print some documents in black ink only. I had used up my color ink when printing photos. The amazing thing is, I can't print with black ink only - I have to have color ink cartridges installed in order for print in black only to function.

I realize printer manufacturers rely on ink sales as their major income, but to manufacture a printer that will not print unless color cartridges are not empty is a consumer scam. Their explanation was that it would "burn up" if operating without color ink. Then why can't I just remove the empty cartridges? Because it wouldn't function, as most printer would not if there were no cartridges installed. I write a lot and print a lot. However, I cannot afford to keep purchasing color ink because I want to print in Black Only. If there are other printers on the market that cannot print in black only unless color cartridges are not empty, then I would like to know. I would also like to be informed that I would have to keep color cartridges full in order to be able to print in black only. Plus, Lexmark should not even have a button for "print in black ink only" if it is not going to work that way.
I was also given the reason why color ink must be present is that "print in black ink only" prints in grayscale, therefore using color ink. Oh really? Then why does it inform me that printing in black ink only will print in grayscale? Why even have a black ink only button, if you cannot print using only black ink?

I am so disappointed, I will never go back to Lexmark again unless they resolve my problem. I only paid 80$ for the printer. Wouldn't it be better for consumer relations to just replace the printer and still make hundreds of dollars off the ink? Does that not make more sense?