Things You Need To Know About Toners

Computers did not come to our lives alone. They came along with an army of other devices that aim to make things somewhat easier. With the proliferation of computers, many other products like printers were introduced to consumers as well. Printers are the perfect partner of computers and this is simply because they turn anything digital and virtual into something tangible. Before the Internet became as widespread as it already is today, computers were frequently used for creating documents and generating reports that are then printed onto paper or any other material.

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Today, computers are used for various purposes like VoIP calls (get more information about VOIP) and Internet browsing, and printers have evolved from the basic ones to the more complex, multi-purpose printers we now see on the market. One of the most important parts of printers is the toner. Toners are the inks that allow this device to print images and text out on different kinds of materials. Often times, laser printer owners choose to purchase their toner through online sellers which eliminates the hassle of having to drive to the physical stores. If you still do not know, online shopping is one of the greatest by-products of the Internet and it isn’t limited to frivolous items like clothes, shoes or bags. Buying high quality and relatively cheap toners online can now be considered as online shopping. Purchasing toners online do not just save you gas but it also allows consumers to take their time in comparing prices and quality of toners from different merchants before finally choosing which one to go for. Original and branded toners are typically more expensive compared to generic and remanufactured toners that we now see. Since there is a long list of toners consumers can choose from, it would be best to educate yourself about the essential things you need to know about toners.

Basically, there are about three kinds of laser toners available in the market. There is the remanufactured, the compatible toners and the OEM or the original equipment manufacturer.

OEM

Original equipment manufacturer or OEM toners are the genuine toners that are being produced and distributed by the printer companies themselves. In recent years, the sales of OEM toners have seen an alarming decrease and this is primarily due to the emergence of cheaper versions of toners like the compatible toners that have been monopolizing the toner market today. Although the difference in price between OEM and compatible toners is extremely noticeable, printer manufacturers who are also the manufacturers of OEM toners claim that using compatible or generic toners do not yield the same high quality result as compared to OEM toners. They also claim that these toners can be potentially detrimental and may cause irreversible damages to laser printers.

Remanufactured Toners

Remanufactured toners are cartridges that have been refurbished by the manufacturers before selling them again in stores. Buying remanufactured toners is probably one of the best options for a laser printer user if he or she wants quality yet reasonably priced toners. Most toners today come with reply paid labels which allow consumers to send these cartridges back to their manufacturers for reuse. They are then cleaned, refurbished and refilled with OEM quality toners. Worn and broken parts of the toner are replaced and fixed before refilling. Not only is it cheaper but it is also a great way of helping the environment since used cartridges are being recycled instead of going directly to waste.

Compatible Toners

Also known as generic toners, compatible toners are cartridges that are manufactured not by the printer companies but third party manufacturers and subsequently market them under different brand names and identities. Although it still cannot surpass the quality of OEM toners, the quality of compatible toners is more than acceptable considering its price. This is also the reason why more laser printer users are slowly switching to compatible toners instead of going for OEM toners.