HP

HP - Printer Cartridges & Toner

Printer cartridges and toner for popular HP printer series

How do I recognize Original HP replacement cartridges?

All HP cartridges are preceded by a three to five year development phase. An HP printer cartridge is always unused and brand new. The HP logo can always be found on the cardboard packaging. The blue circle with the white HP lettering on the upper left edge of the carton catches the eye. You can see this clearly in the adjacent illustration.

After opening the carton the cartridges can be removed. These are in an additional thermoformed plastic packaging. The numbers of the respective HP printer cartridges are clearly marked on the packaging. This prevents any confusion when purchasing.
You should memorize the number of the cartridge required for your printer well and it is best to write it down and keep it near the printer. The individual cartridges are tailored to the respective devices and cannot be used in every printer.

There are significant differences between the original cartridges. The most common variants are print head cartridges. These include the HP printer cartridge 302, which was launched in 2015, and the HP 300 and HP 301 models, which are also common.
Ink tank and print head belong together and are always replaced together. Besides a black cartridge, an ink cartridge is also used. This contains yellow, cyan and magenta in one cartridge. The disadvantage here is that it is usually not possible to achieve an even colour print and ink components always remain in the empty cartridge.

These printer cartridges from HP are not very profitable for professional use and are suitable for occasional prints in the private sector or home office.

The security label

All HP printer cartridges have a security label. This is located above the tear strip of the cardboard packaging. You can easily see the label in the adjacent illustration.
You can check the authenticity of the label as follows:
Tilt the carton back and forth. The two symbols "OK" and "√" move in opposite directions on the original label. When tilting to the left and right, the symbols move in the same direction.

Another feature that indicates that the cartridges are original HP printer cartridges is the QR code on the label. It can be accessed with a smartphone via the HP eSupplies app. It is also possible to check the security label online. Each label has a serial number, which can be entered on the manufacturer's website.
HP equips its LaserJet printer cartridges worldwide with this security label. With inkjet printer cartridges, however, this does not happen everywhere. Most HP inkjet printer cartridges sold in Western Europe do not have a security label.

What is the difference between normal and XL cartridges?

First of all, the question arises as to which printer cartridges HP manufactures. Only normal sizes and XL cartridges are produced. The picture on the right side shows such a packaging. Behind the cartridge number the size XL is noted. A friendly shade of green was used for this, which immediately catches the eye.

XL cartridges are much more powerful. With HP printer cartridges 302 in normal size, for example, 190 pages can be printed. With the XL original cartridge the printer performance increases to about 330 pages.

XL cartridges are worthwhile if you often have to do larger quantities of print jobs and want to save money. These HP printer cartridges can also be purchased in a multi-pack.

What are HP Multipacks?

Multipacks contain several cartridges of different colours, based on average customer demand. Often there are two black cartridges in addition to coloured inks. A multipack usually consists of one black and one coloured HP printer cartridge. Compared to the single purchase you can save about two Euros. On the right side of the packaging the slogan: "Buy 2 and save!" indicates the price saving.

The picture on the right shows such a packaging.

What are HP Twinpacks?

A twin pack contains the same cartridges twice. Which printer cartridges HP uses depends on the model. There are always two black or two coloured cartridges included. When you buy a twin pack, you save money compared to buying a single pack and always have enough HP printer cartridges available.

As you can see in our picture, the double pack is not much different from the multipack. When buying, please pay attention to the cartridge number and the respective colour specification. With black cartridges there is a black circle under the colour number. For colored cartridges, the circles are in cyan, magenta and yellow.

What are HP Value Packs?

Value Packs are the most extensive forms of sales. You can get HP printer cartridges and toner cartridges in one package or find one black and all color ink cartridges in one box. Some Value Packs also contain matching printer paper.

Buying Value Packs offers you the opportunity to save money and you will have all the high-quality original cartridges in stock. You can save the most if you buy compatible printer cartridges in a set. There is no need to compromise on quality.

The picture on the right shows one of these HP Value Packs.

HP ink cartridges: original or compatible?

Original cartridges are manufactured by HP. The cartridges are of high quality and optimally matched to the respective printer models. As these printer cartridges are designed and produced by HP itself, the price is correspondingly high. Alternatively, compatible cartridges are available at a good price-performance ratio.

HP inks are available in different variants. With print head inks, the print head is not built into the device, but into the cartridge. This is particularly practical, as every cartridge change also means the replacement of the print head. These HP printer cartridges are used in devices that only need two ink cartridges. One cartridge is black and the rest contains a three color ink in only one cartridge.

Compatible printer cartridges are not manufactured by HP. Alternative manufacturers like Prindo produce cheap counterparts with good and often even better quality and performance.

Buying compatible cartridges also protects the environment. Therefore, used cartridges should never be thrown away. You can collect the used cartridges and send them in. The cartridges will be refilled and put into circulation as refill printer cartridges.

Compatible cartridges are not refilled. They are manufactured completely new by third parties. The products must meet European quality standards and are continuously monitored. With a good to very good print quality as Prindo offers, price savings of up to 30% can be achieved compared to original HP printer cartridges.

You can buy compatible printer cartridges from Prindo completely without risk. There is a right of return of 60 days and they receive 5 years warranty. The manufacturer's warranty of the HP printer will also remain valid.

How do I install and change HP printer cartridges?

As already mentioned, different technologies are used. Most of them are disposable print heads. When you change the cartridge, you will also need to change the print head. This has the advantage that there is no wear and tear on the print head and you are always guaranteed the best printing results. Problems during operation of the device due to dried up print heads can also be excluded. However, these cartridges are quite expensive.

Every HP printer is based on a different construction. Nevertheless, changing the HP printer cartridges is about the same and can be easily understood by following the instructions below.

Changing cartridges in an inkjet printer:

  1. You switch on the printer.
  2. You open the access to the cartridges.
  3. You wait until the carriage has moved into the correct position.
  4. The cartridges must stop in the middle.
  5. Remove the cartridges by clicking them.
  6. Pick up a new cartridge
  7. Remove protective foil from the chip
  8. Click the cartridge in at an angle
  9. Close the printer door
  10. Printer aligns and prints a test sheet.

Changing cartridges in a laser printer:

  1. Find an opening.
  2. Open printer
  3. Pull out the toner cartridge
  4. Unpacking New Toner
  5. Installing New Toner
  6. Close flap
  7. Switch on the printer
  8. It can be printed.

Can I refill HP ink cartridges myself?

Ink cartridges can also be refilled by yourself. However, this is quite expensive and comparatively complicated. It cannot be excluded that the cartridges are not filled correctly. Ink can leak and damage the printer.

Using the example of the common HP printer cartridges 300, we explain how to fill the original cartridges by yourself.

What is needed?

  • three refill syringes
  • 3 millilitres of ink each in cyan, yellow and magenta
  • Knives
  • Kitchen paper

XL cartridges require four millilitres of ink per cartridge. The ink is drawn into the three syringes provided. Each HP print cartridge has a label with the logo and the cartridge name on its top side. This label is carefully removed. Five holes appear underneath.

The prepared syringes are now inserted into these ink chambers. This should be done carefully, because the included sponges create a certain resistance. The ink is injected slowly. Often the ink chambers are not completely empty and the excess ink comes out again.

Once all chambers have been filled, you can clean the print cartridge with kitchen paper and reapply the label. The cartridge is now filled, but it is not sure if your HP printer will recognize the new old cartridge. This can be avoided by not emptying the cartridge completely and refilling smaller amounts of ink every now and then.

However, we do not guarantee for these methods. The better and safer choice are original HP printer cartridges or high quality compatible cartridges from our shop.

How do I dispose of my HP cartridges correctly?

HP places great emphasis on recycling. HP collects used printer cartridges in more than 70 countries worldwide. To date, approximately 300,000 tonnes have been recycled. If you throw your cartridge in the trash, you are harming the environment and preventing reuse. All cartridges and toner can be added to HP's recycling programme. There, cartridges and toner are combined with other materials and serve as raw materials for new HP inkjet cartridges.

How many ink cartridges should I return at once?

If you return each cartridge individually, it is a burden on the environment and your wallet. HP offers customers several ways to collect and return cartridges.

The return for private users and home office

The customers request a stamped envelope. This has the dimensions of 21x22 centimetres and you can send back five to ten ink cartridges with it. Toner can be sent in a maximum of four pieces in one package.

The return for small and medium-sized businesses

Up to 50 ink cartridges and a maximum of 10 HP print cartridges can be returned via the Deutsche Post return service. The customer packages the cartridges himself and can request free return labels. Then bring the package to the post office and there are no costs.

The return of companies and authorities

Companies and authorities can request free collective boxes. This way, up to 2,000 ink cartridges and a maximum of 300 toner cartridges can be returned. You do not have to lug the cartons to the post office. The collection is free of charge after placing the order.

How can I send my empty cartridges to HP?

Only original HP cartridges can be returned. After filling out the form on the website, please provide your name and address. You will receive postage-free envelopes in which you can place and send the cartridges.