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Toner 101

Many of us work around printers and toner every day but really don't think about toner unless there is a problem. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about toner and brief answers to those questions.

What is toner anyway?
Toner is a powdery substance made from pigment and plastic. Manufacturers use plastic because it melts as the paper is passed through the fuser to provide a sharp, lasting image on the paper.

What is a compatible toner cartridge?
A compatible toner cartridge is a cartridge that will work with your model of printer but has not been made by the same manufacturer as the printer. Compatible cartridges are usually less expensive but often do not go through the same quality assurance tests as the name brand cartridges.

What is a remanufactured cartridge?
A remanufactured toner cartridge has been rebuilt using some of the components of a recycled cartridge mixed with new parts to save money and to reuse the more durable components.

Do compatible or remanufactured toner cartridges perform as well as OEMs?
Yes they do. Remanufactured toner cartridges perform as well as the OEM brand name cartridges. The yeild is the same as the OEM cartridges ( plus or minus 5%).

Why recycle toner cartridges?
Several reasons. Each non-recycled toner cartridge adds 4 pounds of solid waste to landfills which is not bio-degradable. Also, many components can last well beyond a single use and recycling saves money, materials, and helps protect the environment.

Will a remanufactured toner cartridge void my warranty?
No. If you have a service contract with the manufacturer, using non-original toner cartridges might void the service contract but it will not void your printer's warranty.

What's the best way to remove toner from my clothes?
Do not use hot water! Hot water will cause the plastic in the toner to soften and bind the pigment to the fibers in your clothes. Rinse any toner stains with cold water and avoid brushing or rubbing the stained portion of clothing. Before rinsing, try to loosen the toner particles by removing the stained garment and gently shaking it.

Finding the correct toner cartridge for your printer,

copier and all-in-one machine can be very confusing. Let's start by explaining what exactly toner is.

Toner is a powder substance (black or colored) that unusually

comes in a plastic canister, made specifically for a certain size office machine. Toner is available for all brand names like; Brother, Canon, Sharp, Minolta, Copystar, Gestetner, HP (Hewlett Packard), Konica Minolta, Kyocera Mita,, Lanier, Lexmark, Panamax, Panasonic, Ricoh, Riso, Savin, Toshiba and Xerox. Now that we understand who makes the toner and what it looks like. One should know that there are 2 different toners for each machine, Generic (made by someone other than the manufacturer) and OEM (only made by the manufacturer). The price difference for the generic vs. OEM is substantial. Generic is always cheaper than OEM. The reason is that an aftermarket company produced a cheaper quality product than the manufacturer. Sometimes a generic toner cartridge will out run (meaning the amount of prints you get out of one full toner cartridge) the OEM, if you buy it from a responsible company the chances are you will refill your toner for a fraction of the cost. So please, find the toner you are looking for in our online store. Call today if you need assistance 866-939-2244.

We carry toner and ink for all of the

following manufacturers: 3M, Brother, Canon, Copystar, Gestetner, Lexmark, Panamax, Panasonic, Ricoh, Riso, Savin, Sharp, HP (Hewlett Packard), Konica Minolta, Kyocera Mita, Lanier, Toshiba and Xerox.

5/16/2008 10:36:29 AM