To provide an ink jet recorder in which an operation for discharging ink not contributive to recording of an image from the ejection opening of a recording head can be effected exactly utilizing the storage capacity of a plurality of ink storage means sufficiently.

When preliminary ejection for ejecting ink not contributive to recording of an image from the ejection opening of a recording head H is performed, ink is ejected toward a platen absorber 12 and stored if the storage quantity of ink thereof is not higher than a predetermined level. If the storage quantity of ink of the platen absorber 12 exceeds the predetermined level, ink is ejected inward of a cap 7 and ink in that cap 7 is stored in a main absorber 13.