A Short Guide to Printer Toner Cartridges

All offices need ink and toner, for copying, printing, and even receiving the occasional fax. But how much do you actually know about toner cartridges? This short guide covers the basics, so you can understand your equipment just a little bit better.

Understanding Toner and Cartridges

The term “laser printer” might sound like it’s from science fiction, but what happens inside your printer is potentially more incredible. Toner isn’t ink, you see, but a powdery mix of plastics, iron oxide, and silica which keeps it all loose and prevents clumping. A laser inside the printer activates and interacts with the toner powder, melting the powder into droplets.

An electric charge runs across the paper in the exact pattern of the writing or images in the electronic document. The charge draws the toner droplets, which create the image/text as the paper moves through the printer.

Laser printers should retain print quality as long as some toner remains in the cartridge. Most high-quality printers or copiers will alert users once the toner level is too low to guarantee a good print.

Are There Different Types of Toner Cartridges?

Yes, there are four main categories of toner cartridges:

  • OEM (original equipment manufacturer), e.g., toner cartridges made by Xerox or Brother
  • Brand-compatible cartridges, i.e., cartridges manufactured by a third party that are still compatible with major brands
  • Refillable cartridges which you have to fill with toner at your facility
  • Remanufactured cartridges

This last option is popular as remanufactured cartridges tend to be less expensive yet are still compatible with a wide range of printers and copiers. And, contrary to what some believe, there is no risk to your printer’s warranty. It’s absolutely fine to use toner from a different brand and an excellent way for office managers to optimize their budgets.

Whatever replacement cartridges you use, always follow the printer manufacturer’s instructions when installing a new cartridge.

Top Toner Cartridge Maintenance Tips

Keeping your toner cartridges working longer helps save your business money. You can hold off on having to replace toner cartridges by following these few basic storage and maintenance tips:

  • Always store toner in a dry place away from sunlight or sources of heat.
  • Use the right paper as designated by the printer or copier manufacturer to avoid damage to the cartridge.
  • Run the cleaning cycle on your printers regularly and keep the whole print area clean and as dust-free as possible.
  • Utilize toner-saving print modes.

You can also save money by investing in remanufactured cartridges. Because remanufactured cartridges use existing components and don’t require the creation of new parts, they’re better for the environment, too.

Toner and Cartridges From Copylite

At Copylite, we supply wholesale toner cartridges for all types of office equipment suppliers, including top brands including:

  • Brother
  • Canon
  • HP
  • Lexmark
  • Xerox

If you don’t see cartridges compatible with brands you stock, reach out to us and we’ll do our best to source what you need. We’re always bidding for the best prices from manufacturers so we can pass those savings on to you.