Toner Cartridges: A Buyer’s Guide

While inkjet printer cartridges that use liquid ink are still an extremely popular choice in the printing world, laser or printer toner cartridges have seen a surge in their sales owing to the high level of efficiency, productivity as well as long term cost-effectiveness provided by them.

Most customers often feel baffled when looking at the huge array of choices available when buying printer cartridges. Understanding the basics and the working process of printer toner cartridges is perhaps the first step towards making a good purchase. The write-up below is a great guide for the layman buyers looking at buying toner cartridges for their printer.

About toner cartridges 

A printer toner cartridge uses powdered micro-particles that create a print in an electronically charged and heated state. It is hence the static electricity that creates magic on paper, unlike the liquid ink used in inkjet cartridges.

Buying a toner cartridge, however, does not imply buying a box of cartridge powder only. Most cartridges come as a complete package of the drum assembly, the hopper as well as the toner developers along with a replaceable cartridge. Suitable to laser printers, there is often a requirement for different colored printing cartridges within the package.

Features to look for when buying

Being reasonably costly, it is often a tough task to look for a quality toner cartridge in Canada amongst the huge variety of manufacturer/ brand names floating in the market.  While quality should always be given priority over cost in case of cartridges, there are a few factors to keep in mind to make the investment more cost efficient for you in the long run. Let’s take a look at some of the key questions to consider when it’s finally the time to invest in a new printer toner cartridge.

• Suitability to the printer- Matching the cartridge to the brand and model of your printer is important. This can be a simple task for those planning to go in for new OEM cartridges. However, for those looking at recycled/third-party options, it is important to check reviews for the cartridge being a match to your printer model, toner powder quality, etc.

• A number of printed pages and cost- On an average, a good quality printer toner cartridge can give a user around 1500 pages of a good print. Consider your usage and check with the supplier for the same. Additionally, the high cost of toner cartridges in Canada can be upsetting to new buyers. That said, always consider the cost in terms of cost per page to evaluate the long term cost efficiency of the printer toner cartridge that you’ve shortlisted.

• Recyclability- A good number of leading manufacturers offers a recycling plan for the cartridge. Check for the suitability of the same.

• Print quality- Finally, print quality is the ultimate test of a toner cartridge. Consider multiple reviews and customer feedbacks (rather than the big words on the box) to pick out a good quality printer toner cartridge. 

All you need to know about laser printer toners

Inkjet and Laser printers use ink and toner respectively. Ink and toner are two completely different kinds of printer cartridges, each with their own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Inkjet printers use a series of nozzles that spray tiny droplets of ink to the page, the liquid ink produces a print. On the contrary in laser printers static electricity and heat is used to bond toner powder to a page, the dry toner powder produces a print. From using traditional ink and toner, printing has completely shifted to the latest laser printer toners in Canada.

What is a toner?
Toner is a powder combination of granulated plastic used in laser printers and photocopiers to produce the printed text and images on the paper. Originally, toner mixtures only contained carbon powder and iron oxide, however, since then mixtures have been developed with polypropylene, fumed silica, and other various minerals generally used to produce turbo-electricity. The functioning of toner is quite uncomplicated, the toner particles are melted by the heat of the laser, and are thus bonded to the paper. Ink and toner printing is also preferred on the basis of the volume of print required, while the former is used for large scale printing, the latter is used for smaller scale printing.

Toner cartridge refill
Laser printer toner offers fast print speed and high print volume. The cartridges tend to last longer than most ink cartridges, however, its toner cartridge refill is more expensive upfront. In earlier printers, low-cost carbon toner was poured by the user from a bottle into a reservoir in the machine. Whereas, copiers and laser printers toners nowadays are operated directly from a sealed toner cartridge. As a result of various efforts to form an alternative for petroleum plastic, certain toners use plant-derived plastic as well. Toner cartridge refills are sold in standard yield, high yield or extra high yield. The higher the yield, the more points one can get out of the toner cartridge refill.

Advantages of a laser printer toner
A Laser Printer Toner provides many benefits. It boosts the printing rate. Most importantly, toner cartridges are readily available on the internet. It gives longevity, that is, it prints several pages correctly and fasts. Laser printers are the quickest and most precise printing machines present. The printing industry in Canada has encountered several challenges over the past decade. With the reduced investment by consumers in traditional print products, demand for laser printer toners has drastically increased. As a result, in Canada, toners are initially provided as complimentary consumables with a laser printer. The companies providing toners in Canada are highly renowned in the industry for their high-level inventory, exceptional services, and a satisfied client base. These companies pride themselves in offering the best quality toner cartridge refills at reasonable prices. As the industry has changed quite drastically over time, these companies providing toners in Canada produce not just cost-effective products but also follows an environment-friendly product catalog.

Finding the Best Printer to Suit Your Printing Needs

Picking up the right printer needs a bit of research so does having to buy Printer Cartridges. Different printers use different types of inks which have their own merits and demerits.

Liquid Ink
Inkjet printers print images and text by spraying very tiny droplets of liquid ink onto the paper. The liquid ink may either be dye based inks or pigment based inks. Dye-based inks are relatively cheaper but the images can fade when exposed to bright light. The more expensive option is the pigment based inks since they spray small amounts of color on the paper making them last longer. Printers that rely on Ink Cartridges can produce some of the best graphics and photos.

Toner
A dry form of ink known as toner is used exclusively by Laser and LED printers. At the time of printing, an intense light charges a spinning drum, causing tiny pigment particles to form an image on the paper. The particles are fused through heat making them ready to be handled immediately and fade resistant. These printers are much faster than liquid ink models but cannot print the same quality of graphics and colored pictures.

Solid Ink
Similar to wax, Solid ink uses pigment particles to be deposited on paper with the help of heat. The image is formed in multiple layers and is absolutely non-toxic. These Printer Ink Cartridges come in solid sticks of pigment that can be inserted into the printer. The only drawback is that the ink can be scraped off when touched because of a waxy texture it leaves behind.

Ribbons
Inked ribbons are used by dot matrix printers and the ink is available in limited colors. Along fabric, the ribbon is wound around wheels when the head strikes a page the ribbon passing through the ink reservoir leaves behind an ink impression of the shape of that character.

Types of Toner cartridges
Also known as laser toner, toner cartridges contain a dry mix of toner powder that is made of plastic particles, coloring agents and carbon. When you go out to Buy Ink Cartridges, there is certain jargon that you need to be aware of. Toners that are marked OEM or ‘Original Equipment Manufacturer’ simply means that they have been manufactured by the printer company. They come with a certain guarantee and quality but are definitively very expensive. Toner cartridges made from scratch are known as ‘Generic’ or ‘Alternative Brand’. There are made by third-party companies and sold under their brand name. Although they may look slightly different when compared to the original branded ones, they are a great cost effective solution. When OEM cartridges are dismantled after use, they are cleaned and separated. The defective parts are replaced and refilled. These are known as remanufactured toners and they are very cheaply priced. Usually, OEM cartridges can last up to 3- 4 years and during that time, they can just be ‘Refilled’ by a service provider. This process will not guarantee quality printing, low yield page, and leaking issues.

Printers have become an essential part of our personal and professional life and its best to find one that provides the right kind of printing service.

Increasing Printing Efficiency with Regular Maintenance

Every day newer versions of electronic devices are being built, upgraded or updated. Although this means more speed and efficiency, the present generation of printers will require some level of trouble shooting. From replacing Toner Cartridges sold in Canada to fixing paper jams, dealing with printer issues can be avoided with a little bit of extra knowledge.

Tips to Maintaining Your Printer

There are certain tips to follow on a regular basis to ensure your printer is working smoothly and professionally. Always make sure that the power is turned off before you open the printer for maintenance or to check any of the internal moving parts. This will not only protect you but also keep your printer safe. Occasionally you may find white lines running in between a text or image while printing although the cartridge is full. This usually indicates a blocked printer head that needs to be cleaned immediately. Follow the steps on the user manual provided or check in to the brand website. Most Toner printers are self-cleaning and the entire process can be completed with a few clicks. Sometimes a build- up of debris or dust can jam up the printer and cause ink streaks in unwanted places. In this case, you can use a small vacuum to remove the dust or even use a cotton swab and clean water to clean up the cartridges. Do read the instructions provided before you do so. Paper jams can be quite frustrating and if improperly resolved can lead to more problems later. The best way to fix a jam is to follow the manual instructions to avoid damaging the internal parts.

Uses of Printers

With smart phone cameras and videos, every moment can be captured. Now that printers can be connected wireless through the internet or Bluetooth, it is possible to print clear, colorful images of your memories to store for life. Almost all phones are compatible with the printers produced these days. Companies and organizations can print documents, spread sheets and images at the touch of a button, saving both time and money. With the coming of Google Cloud, all material is now accessible at all times and from anywhere. This means that employees can now work from home and receive and send documents and files. Toner Printers are wireless and Google Cloud ready, which makes printing from anywhere a possibility. With a printer at home, people can quickly get a copy of their boarding pass which saves them having to stand in long lines. When it comes to shipping and labeling, there’s nothing like a printer to give you a heads up. Toner Cartridges give the option of a single color or many colors depending on what is required for printing. Printers are also handy for students, academicians and professionals who require a lot of paper work.

While no device can guarantee a perfect smooth functioning 100 percent of the time. A well maintained printer will reduce the number of issues faced and ensure a seamless performance.

Should You Invest in High Yield Ink or Toner Cartridges?

Are high yield printertoner cartridges or ink cartridges worth the extra price or is it better to purchase standard yield cartridges? Here’s some information to help you decide. 

High Yield Means More Prints

The basic difference between standard yield cartridges and high yield ones relate to total expected number of prints from a single cartridge. Standard yield cartridges offer the smallest yields but are also the most inexpensive. They are a good choice when you don’t need to print frequently or in large volumes. High yield cartridges are more expensive but offer better value for print heavy users because you can get more number of prints from them. You also have extra high yield cartridges but not all manufacturers offer them.

How Much More Print Yield?

Problems arise while buying higher capacity ink cartridges because some manufacturers specify actual ink volume and/or total expected page count whereas others don’t. You’ll have to do your own research to make a decision. You won’t face this problem when buying toner cartridges because they come with proper labeling. Typically, you can expect at least double the yield compared to what you would get from a standard yield cartridge. Other benefits include saving time and effort due to less frequent ordering and replacement.

Identifying High-Yield Cartridges

There’s no industry standard to identify high yield cartridges, so this can be an obstacle when you’re looking to buy toner cartridges from a particular brand. Generally speaking, high yield versions of ink cartridges have an XL at the end of the cartridge number – several manufacturers including HP, Canon, Brother and Epson follow this nomenclature. Extra high yield is usually indicated by XXL. It can get a little tricky for toner cartridges. The best thing to do is go through the printer’s user manual for compatibility or search online for information.

Will Higher Capacity Cartridge Fit Inside Printer?

Customers express doubts whether a high yield ink or toner cartridge will fit their printer. The good news is that most printers today are compatible with both standard and high yield versions. However, for complete assurance, you may refer to the printer’s user manual and check compatibility. Typically, there’s no difference in size between standard yield cartridges and higher capacity ones. Manufacturers fill less ink or toner in standard yield cartridges whereas high yield cartridges contain more ink or toner.

Have questions? Get in touch with your favorite online supplier of printer toner cartridges during business hours on weekdays and get the answers you need to make a purchase decision!