Toner Cartridges Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Original (OEM) Toner Cartridge? An original toner cartridge is a product that is constructed from all new components and is marketed under the Original Equipment Manufacturer’s brand name (OEM) such as Hewlett Packard, Canon, Lexmark, etc. An OEM toner cartridge will come fully guaranteed and will generally have a relatively low failure rate. The opinion of many users is that original toner cartridges are superior to remanufactured cartridges as they provide higher quality printing and have less long term negative effects on printers. It should however be noted that some OEMs also remanufacture cartridges and sell them under the OEM brand.
Example: on the side of HP’s laser cartridge boxes there is a sentence in their description which states “this toner cartridge may have been selectively recovered from HP’s recycled cartridge recovery program.
What is a remanufactured cartridge? A remanufactured cartridge is a used cartridge that has been re-charged with toner, and to varying degrees may have also been stripped to its component level, cleaned, and had all essential components replaced with new parts.
Remanufactured cartridges are generally less expensive than original toner cartridges and can provide environmental
benefits such as reducing landfill.
Compatible vs. Remanufactured?
You may hear or see the term “compatible” toner cartridges. Compatible cartridges, according to one vendor’s website, are manufactured by third party companies (companies other than the original maker of your equipment) which specialize in after-market products. Compatible toner cartridges use new or mostly new parts but beyond that, the definition is unclear. Some vendors believe compatibles are the same as remanufactured. Others believe compatibles are not the same as remanufactured asserting they contain all new parts (though not OEM parts), except perhaps to reuse the plastic case. Since there is no consensus on this term, clarify with your vendor how their toner cartridges are made to ensure you are getting what you want.
Quality
When remanufactured by reputable companies exercising good quality
control, remanufactured toner cartridges will perform as well as, or better than, new cartridges. Almost all suppliers will guarantee that the quality of their remanufactured toner cartridges will match or exceed that of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
Remanufactured toner cartridges should not damage the copy machine or printer. Printer damage resulting from a defective toner cartridge is rare and usually very minor. A properly remanufactured cartridge is no more likely to cause damage to a machine than a new cartridge.
Additionally, antitrust legislation prohibits copier and printer manufacturers from voiding their warranties when remanufactured toner cartridges are used in their machines.
The Remanufacturing Process
In general, used cartridges undergoing remanufacturing are first disassembled and the parts inspected. Key parts include the drum, corona wire assembly, wiper blade, and roller. Worn or defective parts are replaced, and the cartridge is cleaned, refilled, and reassembled. Toner cartridges can be remanufactured several times.
Cost
Remanufactured toner cartridges save money. Remanufactured cartridges cost 30% to 60% less on a per copy basis than non-remanufactured cartridges. Some cartridge remanufacturers will accept used cartridges at no cost, or even buy them back or provide a credit, depending on the model, therefore saving you even more money.
Environmental Benefits
97% Recyclable
The typical used toner cartridge weighs about 3 pounds and is composed of 40% plastic, 40% metal, and smaller percentages of rubber, paper, foam, and toner. The plastic is made of engineering-grade polymers and takes at least 1,000 years to decompose. However, approximately 97% of these combined components can be recycled and reused.