An inkjet printhead includes multiple printing elements grouped in sets about an ink refill channel. Each printing element includes a nozzle chamber and firing resistor. Respective nozzle chambers are located at a staggered distance away from the ink refill channel. A printing element's feed channel couples its nozzle chamber to the ink refill channel. A pinch point defined by barrier walls occurs along the feed channel. Converging and diverging half angles for each barrier wall of a given printing element are the same. Such angles differ among a plurality of printing elements. The specific angle for a given printing element defines where along the feed channel the pinch point occurs. The specific angle is prescribed according to the distance from a given printing element's firing resistor to the ink refill channel. A certain angle is used for a certain resistor stagger position to provide ink refill balancing among printing elements.