My friends and colleagues sometimes ask for my help in dealing with their printer problems at home. I usually have them give a detailed description of the problem or have a look myself. When I see that they have a hardware problem and that the printer is no longer under warranty, I tell them to say goodbye to their printer and get a new one. In fact, I give this same advice when a printer's cartridges have been replaced or refilled at least a couple of times or when the printer has already exceeded its warranty period.
Why? A new printer costs roughly as much as a set of new black and color cartridges. That is already enough reason to replace your old printer.
In addition to that, a newer model with the same price might already be available - cartridges included. And don't forget: your new printer also comes with a warranty. That's always very reassuring.
You'll never know when the old ink/desk/bubble jet will figuratively kick the bucket, so it would be better to replace it now than suffer when it does. If your printer is still alive and kicking two cartridge refills later, congratulations! Seriously, though, you risk contaminating your color cartridge every time you refill, and when it does get contaminated, you'll have to buy a new one. This is a good opportunity to replace your printer.
In parting, if you like to donate your old printer, please have the cartridges refilled or at least make sure that these can still be refilled without risking color contamination. It wouldn't really be a donation if the person(s) you gave it to had to spend almost as much money as buying a new printer themselves, right?
