Cheap toner - that you should know about toner

Information for your decisions when buying toner

If the toner cartridge is empty, the printer must be loaded with a new cartridge or the cartridge refilled. Toner cartridges are usually very expensive, so it is worth considering whether a new high-quality toner cartridge from the manufacturer of the printing device or a reasonably priced compatible toner cartridge should be purchased.

Some information about toner cartridges, how they work and the different cartridge manufacturing options are helpful in making the right purchase decision.

The toner cartridge - this is how the heart of your laser printer works

The central component of laser printers is the toner cartridge. Laser printers, copiers and laser fax machines are based on the technology of electrophotography, which accesses the toner cartridge for its printing process. In the development station of the printer or copier, the toner powder is transferred from the cartridge to the image drum of the printer by electric charge. Thereafter, the toner is transferred to the paper via a transfer roller.

The coated with the toner paper is then passed through a pair of rollers from upper heating and lower pressure roller. The heat roller melts the toner particles to adhere to the paper while the press roller presses the toner firmly onto the paper.

The requirements of your toner cartridge - mature technology for high-quality printing

In the sophisticated process of the printing process, the toner powder and the printer are finely tuned in their technical properties. Thus, the toner powder must have a fluidity that moves the toner particles within the fine mechanics of the printer at a fixed rate. The toner particles must impinge exactly on the carrier material and remain stable and dust-free until they reach the heating roller. The melting point of the toner powder must coincide in agreement with the temperature of the heating roller in a fraction of a second, in order to cool in view of the rotational speed of the rollers in the printer again in time, without blurring.

At the same time, the toner cartridge must have a stable quality, which not only protects the mechanics of the printer, but is also tailor-made for the dimensions of the device. The toner powder applied to the paper must be drawn accurately and without running, so that the edges of the printed image do not rupture. In addition, the toner must have a uniform coverage and a balanced order as well as a color-true mixing behavior with the other toners in the color system to meet the high standards of a high-quality print image.

Since both the cartridge and toner cartridge work in close cooperation with the printing device, the printer manufacturers have invested considerable development effort in their high-quality toner cartridges, which is reflected in the price of a toner cartridge.

The varieties of making a toner cartridge

Each printer model of the device manufacturer has technical specifications that affect the design of the associated toner cartridge. The manufacturers develop their toner cartridges together with their printers and thus determine their properties. Toner cartridges provided by printing equipment manufacturers are labeled OEM for Original Equipment Manufacturer. Compatible toner cartridges come from other manufacturers and their technology on the device, they are offered for their use.

The manufacturers of compatible toner cartridges are closely aligned with the specifications of the device manufacturer and strive to come as close as possible to the quality standard of the OEM product. The compatible cartridges are remanufactured toner cartridges and are manufactured in the two versions Refill and Rebuilt. Refill toner recycles a used, original toner cartridge by thoroughly cleaning the case and then refilling it with toner powder. Even the so-called rebuilt toner rely on the high-quality material of used original toner cartridges.

In the Rebuilt manufacturing process, the original cartridges are further disassembled into their individual parts, thoroughly cleaned and equipped with new spare parts before being filled with high-quality toner powder. In the rebuilt process, technically important components of the toner cartridge, such as the regulation wiper, the toner mixer shaft, the toner sensor or the magnetic roller are maintained and, if necessary, replaced by new components. This ensures the reliability of the technical components in the toner cartridge at the Rebuilt process at a high level. Cheap toner cartridges offer manufacturers from Asia.

Especially from China plagiarized toner cartridges that copy the technology of OEM toner cartridges, build the cartridge with inferior material, filled with cheap toner powder and offer in a reprint of the original article box with the name of the equipment manufacturer on the European market.

Original, Refill, Rebuilt or cheaper clone - different criteria help in the choice

Since the device manufacturer knows best the requirements for the optimal toner cartridge for his printing device and can optimally develop the technology for his toner cartridges, his original toner cartridge offers the highest reliability and print quality. Original toner cartridges have a reliable yield indicated by the page yield. They show a reliable print with a good to high quality image output. The printer manufacturer sets the toner cartridge's design, page performance, and print quality as the benchmark that manufacturers of compatible toner use to provide an attractive alternative.

Refill toner cartridges may fail prematurely because their case will not be re-populated. With refill toner cartridges, it is not to be expected that the quality of the toner powder is too high, since a refill product is especially convincing with a particularly attractive price. The risk of damaging the toner cartridge housing associated with the refill product is primarily justified by the price. This suggests that the refill cartridge also uses a toner powder that is as favorable as possible. Quite different is the rebuilt procedure. This method enables a very stable quality for the housing on the one hand and the use of a high-quality toner powder on the other.

The opportunities offered by the Rebuilt process are, in part, bringing Rebuilt toner cartridges to market, which are at the same high level of quality as the original in terms of print quality, page performance and reliability. The Rebuilt Toner Cartridge is a serious alternative to the original printer manufacturer and is dependent solely on the level of the rebuilt company. Here it is worthwhile to obtain information about different manufacturers of printer accessories in the Rebuilt procedure. You should not expect too much from the print quality of the China clone.

Not only is the print image pale, the toner often smeared, the edges frayed and the colors blurred. The specified page performance is achieved only to a fraction, resulting in frequent replacement of the cartridge. With cheap toner you also risk damage to the printer, which can be caused by cheap toner powder with uneven grain, with a set to the printer set melting point or by leaking toner powder.

The Price

The price for the toner cartridge offered by the printer manufacturer sets the bar as a reliable top product for the respective printer model. The hefty price of the device manufacturer is quite justified, since this has done technical pioneering work and financial investments with the technical development of his printer and the associated toner cartridge, which is brought back with the price of the printer accessories. The printer is usually offered as cheap as possible in a wide range of printer models and also has a rich runtime. In particular, the printer manufacturer will cover its development costs with its printer accessories in order to finally make a profit.

The manufacturer of alternative toner cartridges in the refill process has a low risk, he works without development costs and takes advantage of the emerging demand for the best possible printer supplies, making his price is very low. The Rebuilt process practically implements technical knowledge and above all strives for high quality at an attractive price. With Rebuilt you get manufacturer-dependent up to original quality at a fair price. The China clones convince above all by their unbeatable price. The fast production and the renouncement of development work keep the production costs for cheap plagiarism at a minimum level and reduce not only the price but also the use of risk, performance and material, but also the quality to an absolute minimum.

Environmental Protection

You can dispose of original toner cartridges as well as Refill and Rebuilt Toner. They are reprocessed and sent to the recycling cycle. Cheap toner from Asia, however, with its inferior quality is not accepted by the recycling companies and so ends up as waste on the landfill.

Conclusion - Stay away from cheap toner

Cheap toner may be extremely attractive to purchase. In the long term, he is a cost-eater and not worth his initial savings. Cheap toner cartridges are a fraction of their target performance, showing inferior print quality, and can cause severe damage to the print engine at expensive follow-on costs. In addition, the purchase of plagiarism is morally more than questionable and the associated economic damage for manufacturers who are committed to business ethics, considerably.