Facts and Information About Laser Toner Types

The majority of businesses and households are using laser printers because of their printing speed and steadily declining price. Accompanying this high demand for laser printers is the market-related need for laser toner cartridges. The cartridge is the storage compartment for the toner. The toner is the consumable element in a laser printer. The toner is similar to the ink in inkjet printers.

When a photograph or document is being printed, the data is first transformed directly into electrical signals. The laser is activated and casts its rays on a printer part, which is known as the drum. The toner is electrically imprinted on the drum. Whatever is on the drum will be transferred to the paper. The more documents you print, the sooner you will run out of ink. Once that happens, the laser toner cartridge needs to be replaced.

There is usually a set of cartridges in a laser toner cartridge; they are: black, cyan, yellow and magenta toner. This set of colors may vary depending on the type of printer you are using. Each cartridge can be replaced separately. Regarding replacement, printer users have three options: OEM, compatible or a remanufactured laser toner cartridge.

OEM is defined as Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEM toner cartridges are the printer cartridges sold by the same printer manufacturer. For example, Hewlett Packard offers hp toner cartridges for their laser printers. The identical situation exists for other toner brands.

Compatible toner cartridges, which are manufactured by third parties but will function successfully on a manufacturer’s laser printer. Most printer models have a corresponding compatible toner cartridge, which can be substituted as a replacement. Resellers along with retailers often create compatible toners for new printer models.

A remanufactured toner cartridge is different from the types discussed above because it is not a new product. For this toner classification, a used cartridge is taken apart. Worn out or defective parts are replaced with new ones. After cleaning, the toner cartridge is then reassembled, refilled with toner, tested for quality and then repackaged to be sold to customers who want to buy a remanufactured product. This type of toner cartridge will work on printers without voiding the unit’s warranty.

While prices for laser printers are steadily declining, manufacturers gain profits through the sale of OEM toner cartridges. However, original equipment manufactured toners are the most expensive. The compatible and remanufactured types can be purchased at a much lower price but still perform at the same level with the OEMs.

Printer users who enjoyed some savings when they bought the printer unit tend to spend more on printing consumables including toner and paper. Luckily, those who want to save on toner replacement can opt for compatible or remanufactured types of toner cartridges.

Summary:

Copier toners are sold in three types: OEM, Compatible, and remanufactured. Your printing needs will guide you to the best choice.

Just like almost everything else, sellers of different types of toner cartridges can be found on the internet. Some time and effort might be needed in finding companies that provide quality laser toner cartridges. For those looking to make the most out of their money, it is definitely worth the trouble