When using laser printers, the question of choosing consumables inevitably arises. You can purchase a new original cartridge, refill the old one, or buy a compatible one. Each method has its pros and cons, and in this article, we will consider them in detail.
Purchase of Original Spare Parts
Purchasing spare parts designed by the manufacturer for a specific printer model allows to extend the life of the device and enjoy the best quality printing. Genuine consumables have a manufacturer’s warranty – if you buy a defective cartridge, it will be replaced with a working one.
The use of the best-quality printing composition allows you to ensure the safety of the spare parts and get clear images. Among the shortcomings of the original consumables, only a high price can be distinguished. With high volumes of printing, the price becomes the main reason for looking for alternatives to new consumables. Before considering the alternative options, we recommend going on the Smart Ink website and checking the price for a compatible cartridge, for instance – HP 952 ink.
Refilling Printers: Advantages and Disadvantages
The main advantage of refilling is the relatively low price compared to purchasing new consumables. But such savings can lead to some troubles:
- Poor printing quality. Don’t expect a refilled cartridge to work like new. In addition to the toner, there are other elements in it, the service life of which is limited. Using the same spare part for a long time will result in poor print quality due to the wear of the photoconductor. You may also encounter the fact that little toner was filled during refilling, so the life expectancy of the cartridge will be shorter compared to a new one;
- Failure of printing equipment. The biggest trouble that can occur when using a refilled cartridge is the breakdown of individual parts of the printer. Poor refilling leads to increased wear of printing equipment, so saving on consumables leads to the need for more frequent repairs of the printer;
- Evaporation of harmful substances. In laser printers, the composition used for printing is heated to high temperatures (about 300 degrees). The use of non-genuine toner may cause harmful and hazardous substances to be released when heated.
When returning consumables for refilling, you will not be able to check if high-quality toner was used. It may well happen that in a couple of weeks you will have to change the detail again – when refilling, there are often cases when the toner is not completely filled up. In addition, reduced print quality results in many documents being reprinted multiple times.
Compatible Cartridges – How to Choose?
The best option that allows you to save on consumables without damaging the printing equipment is to buy compatible consumables. In terms of quality, they are in no way inferior to the originals, while they are much cheaper. These consumables are not produced by the printer manufacturer, but by a third party. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the quality of consumables so as not to get a fake. Now there are many proposals on the market, including from large manufacturers, so for any model of a laser printer, you can find a high-quality compatible cartridge. The main advantages of using compatible consumables are the following:
- Low price compared to the original. Purchasing suitable consumables allows you to significantly save on consumables without sacrificing print quality;
- High-quality printing. If you purchase a compatible spare part from a trusted manufacturer, you do not have to worry that the equipment will fail. The design of the consumables exactly repeats the original. Consumables are made from high-quality materials and are designed for long-term operation;
- Low chance of defects. Before going on sale, all parts and spare parts are tested, which significantly reduces the likelihood of acquiring a low-quality product with defects;
- Great print resource. Suitable consumables are as good as original cartridges in terms of the number of printed pages. Some models of compatible consumables will last even longer than the originals.
Some people believe that using non-original parts may result in the loss of a warranty. But in practice, this is not true, and the service centers do not refuse to service for this reason. Companies that use printing technology are increasingly abandoning originals in favour of alternative ones or prefer to use refilled consumables. In addition, it is quite difficult to prove that it was the use of a non-original cartridge that caused the printer to fail.
To appreciate all the benefits of using non-original cartridges, you need to order them only from trusted suppliers. To date, there are many offers from well-known companies on the market that strictly monitor the quality of their products. Compatible cartridges help you save on printer supplies without compromising print quality or damaging your hardware.
