If you own a laser printer, then you’re familiar with replacing your toner cartridges. These replacements can be pricey, especially if you’re a business. Since your demand for printed documents is higher than average, your price tag will be higher. To move around those high costs, you may want to consider exploring all your shopping options.
The manufacturer’s option for toner (or OEMs) are the higher priced option. Then there are re-manufactured OEMs and then, compatibles.
To get a better look at the price difference, you’ll see the popular brand Cannon selling their CRG 137 Black Toner for average $75.00. The compatible or re-manufactured version is $25.00.
That’s a $50 reason for users to choose the cheaper option.
Before you jump for joy at the prospect of getting more bang for your buck, remember, if it sounds too good to be true …
Let’s back up a bit. We’ll take a look at why the prices are so different and you will find that compatibles are not ready to replace OEMs on the market anytime soon.
What are OEM toner cartridges?
Considered the crème de la crème of toner cartridges, OEM toner is from your printer’s manufacturer.
So, if you have a Xerox printer, your OEM toner is by Xerox.
OEM toner cartridges are reliable, precise and produce the highest quality in printing. They are compatible with your printer and thus is your printer’s best asset.
Manufacturers encourage users to use these original cartridges. They decrease the chances of printer malfunction and lower the printer’s fail rate. That and if your printer needed servicing, you won’t shy away from the manufacturers’ warranty for fear of using a different ink.
OEM toner is the best choice for your printer as they are 100% compatible with your printer. So, if the manufacturer makes improvement in the quality of toner, you would be able to have it
However, OEMs do not have recyclable parts and getting rid of them may be hard. We can help and we pay. At Toner Connect, you send us your unused toner cartridges and we add dollars to your pocket.
That cash might be a great help since OEM’s reflect quality in its price. Carrying a higher price tag, toner users may sway towards the cheaper option. Their re- manufactured parts.
Re-manufactured OEMs
An option to avoid the high price of OEM cartridges is re-manufactured OEM cartridges. This is when businesses and online companies decide to repurpose the original cartridge. They would clean and refill used OEM cartridges to re-sell.
Some buyers feel a little better knowing that the parts for the re-manufactured toner came from the original. But there is still a chance your printer may malfunction.
Toner manufacturers are forever changing and improving their quality of toner. Re-manufactured toner will not reflect those improvements and your printer could suffer from it.
Even more discouraging is purchasing re-manufactured OEM from less than reputable brands. It increases your chances of facing printing problems. Opting for re-manufactured toner might seem like a smart financial decision but it’s a risky one that can affect you printer’s productivity.
Compatibles
They are the toner cartridges that have been created, filled and tested to be compatible with your printer. Compatibles use all recyclable parts and their prices are noticeably lower than OEMs. Due to patent and copyright laws, compatibles are not able to use parts from OEM cartridges. So, sellers attempt to re-create parts that might work well.
You get what you pay for though. The printing quality of compatibles like that of OEMs and chances are your printer will have a higher fail ratel. They are the least popular option for businesses, as the printing quality is not up to par. Plus, continuous use of generic products can mean investing in a new printer too soon.
And like re-manufactured toner, you would have to find a reputable seller. You can never be sure which company is truthful about their testing methods.
Even though the cheaper option, you should consider your need for your printer before you decide on compatibles.
Do you have plans to use your printer for a long time? How much do you expect to print per day? What quality of printing are you looking for? Answering these questions can give you some insight on how to buy your next replacement toner.
Why OEMs will never be replaced.
Selecting the perfect replacement toner option for your printing needs is an important step in your budgeting plans. You can either bite the bullet and invest in the OEM versions to ensure your printer’s productivity. Or you can go with the cheaper option that may or may not cause your printer harm.
The market for toner cartridges can vary. However, manufacturers aren’t losing sleep on their compatible counterparts. Popular recognizable brands like Hp, Canon and Xerox won’t be running out of customers soon. Their brand is familiar and their business customers are loyal.
Your best choice for toner is ultimately a personal decision. If you are set on having a budget friendly price, compatibles are your way to go. Just remember that the end printing product will not be as high quality as if you were using an original. Take into account that if you use OEM cartridge and are having trouble discarding your unused ones, we will pay you for them!
Have OEM unopened toner laying around? Why don’t you see what it’s worth?
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