The printer producing industry has a business model where there is a consistent need for buying ink and toner cartridges. Ink cartridges were very famous, but nowadays they have business as a thing of the past. Thanks to the entry of toner cartridges and the latest laserjet printers.
In the past, inkjet printers were the most popular. Inkjet printers used ink to produce a printout. Inkjet printers’ throne of being the most popular type of printer was taken over by laserjet printers.
Laserjet printers are advanced machines, they create more pages, they’re super-fast, and most popularly can produce the most accurate printout. And the rise of laserjet printers, helped toner cartridges become the most popular cartridges.
Nowadays, most printers use toner cartridges. This article will tell you everything you need to know about toner cartridges. So, before we start, let’s first get to know about the difference between ink and toner cartridges.
What is the difference between ink and toner?
Some printers use both ink and toner for the best performance. The ink can be easily described as like pen writing on paper, and it comes out of the machine in a liquid form. Whereas toner is a power that is distributed onto the paper and then burned on using a laser.
But nowadays, toner cartridges have become more trendy as compared to ink one. That’s because of the rise in demand for LaserJet printers. Today, this guide will talk about seven things to know about the toner cartridges and things to consider before buying a toner cartridge. So, let’s get started.
Seven things to know about toner cartridges!
1. Types of Colour Used in Toners
The black and white printers used to work on a single color base i.e., black color only. The white base of the paper makes prints black and white. Whereas on the other hand, in color, laser printers can work on four-color formats, i.e., CMYK. Here C stands for Cyan (Blue), M for Magenta, Y for Yellow, and K for Black. All these four-color combinations help in printing amazing images.
2. Toner Formation
Toner is formed by mixing four components. Those components are Color pigments, Magnetisable metal oxides, Synthetic resin, and a small number of agents such as wax and silicon. These components mixing ratio varies according to the purpose where the cartridge is going to be used. And when they are going to be used for print roller or for some fixed units, and then the ratio varies from brand to brand. Generally, the toner powder particles lie between 5 to 30 micrometers. This changes the look of the toner and makes it look like a liquid form. This helps the toner to flow in all directions without shaking.
3. Toner Replacement
The toner is required to be replaced immediately when it gets over. Today, modern laser printers come with an indicator that warns the user about the toner’s low level. But you need to install drivers on the system; then, only the system will be able to deliver a notification for all toner levels. But remember, every printer brand has different parameters for the filling. So, till your printer starts producing black pages, never 100% rely on the filling notification. And it’s best if you always keep a cartridge replacement ready.
4. High Printing Speed Than Ink
Laser printers are faster in printing as compared to inkjet printers because of toner cartridges. Toner cartridges produce more pages and work on advanced laser beam technology. Additionally, according to Experts at Premium Toners, cartridge toners are known to deliver more accurate results as compared to ink printers. Printing speed is one of the many reasons why people have started using more laserjet printers.
5. Most Common Issue
Smudging is one of the most common issues with Toner cartridges. Smudging means when your printer starts delivering dirt on printouts. This issue arises when the waste container is full, or the drum is not clean even after automatic cleaning. There can also be the possibility of faculty drums or worn wiper blades. Lastly, this problem can arise when the printing elements are not correctly inserted into the laser printer like paper. All these reasons are quite simple, and you can quickly get rid of them.
6.Toner Removal From Skin and Clothes
Toner powder is composed of very fine particles such as pigments, metal oxides, and resin, etc. While filling your printer with toner powder, there are chances that it might fall on your skin or clothes too. So, if you want to get rid of toner powder from your skin, all you need to do is wash it with cold water. And keep in mind never to use warm water as it won’t remove the toner from your skin.
And if accidentally you got toner powder on your clothes, then it’s best to shake your clothes instantly.
7. Effect on Human Health
It’s not clear whether the toner has a positive or negative impact on humans’ health. But with the growing needs of the printers in the offices, you can’t ignore them. Many studies say inhaling the toner dust in large quantities can have dangerous effects on human health. So, it’s best if you place the printer away from the workstation where you regularly sit.
While changing the cartridges, don’t forget to wear disposable gloves. More importantly, while purchasing cartridges, pay serious attention to its pollutant emission rate as there are many famous brands that manufacturers premium quality pollution-free products.
These are the seven things that you should know about the toner cartridges. So, looking to buy a cartridge for yourself?
There are many stores and supplies available online and offline, so purchasing a new toner for your printer should be easy. But hold a moment! Like any tech piece, doing your research while buying a toner cartridge is essential.
Here are some of the things that you should consider while buying a new printer cartridge.
Things to consider before you go toner cartridge shopping
1. What Cartridge is the best for your Printer?
This is the first thing that you should start with. All toner cartridges are labeled with a part number from the manufacturer. Note this number and tell this to the clerk(if you’re purchasing it from a local store) or representative (if ordering using a phone) or type it in on your manufacturer’s official website to make sure that you’re buying the correct toner for your printer.
Most major manufacturers also have a search feature on their website so that you can directly search for the toner model you want, instead of manually looking for it on the website.
2. What type cartridge you should get: OEM vs. Generic.
Have you ever wondered how some sites can offer some crazy deals for compatible toners? Well, big printer manufacturers like HP or Brother, also make cartridges for all their printer models, they are known as OEM or Original Equipment Manufacturer. This is why you should always look to buy new toners from a reputable store or supplies because non-OEM toners produce not good quality print and are not reliable. Plus many big brands have stopped accepting the budget ink cartridges in their printers. So it’s best if you don’t buy from non-oem manufacturers.
Though OEM cartridges can also be more expensive as compared to a generic one. Buying a cartridge from a generic brand won’t be causing any harm to your printer and producing good quality prints.
But, don’t get confused between remanufactured and generic cartridges. Remanufactured cartridges are the used cartridges put on sale for a low price after a bit of renovation. If you’re on a tight budget, then generic cartridges are the best option.
3. How to get a maximized Page Yield
To get the maximum value for your money, you should choose a toner cartridge with which your printer will be able to print a maximum number of pages. Wondering how you know which toner is best? Well, check out your printer manufacturer website or manual to know which cartridges are the best suitable for your printer. It’s the most common way to identify the best toner for your printer. By buying the most suitable toner, you’ll be able to yield more pages from your printer.
4. Manufacturer’s Warranty
All of us want to go for a product that comes with a warranty. The same is the case with cartridges; make sure that you buy cartridges that have a warranty. Otherwise, you might end up suffering losses because of leakage or cartridge damage. Buy good quality toner cartridges online to make sure that your printer can give the best printouts.
Wrapping Up
Buying printer cartridges are essential, and it’s crucially important to know everything about your printer cartridges. Knowing about your cartridges will help you in using them most effectively.
Now that you know everything about toner cartridges, you’re all set to buy yourself the best one. With all this information, you can not only buy the best one but also use them most effectively. CIAO!
