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Toner is one of the most important products you need to ensure good-quality laser printouts. Despite this, toners cartridges remain largely a mystery to many people. Therefore, when you are looking to buy the best printer toners for your personal needs, it is easy to make mistakes. In order to avoid doing this, and to understand which toners are best for you, we have prepared this helpful guide.
In the paragraphs below, we will provide you with useful information about the best printer toners on the market today. In addition, we offer some useful shopping criteria so you can find the toner you need and not end up just buying any old toner. No more mediocre printouts that fall short of your expectations, and no more spending more than you need to on toner cartridges!
Contents
- 1 Key Facts
- 2 Our Selection: The Best Printer Toner Cartridges on the U.S. Market
- 3 Buyer’s Guide: Everything You Should Know About Printer Toner
- 3.1 What is printer toner and what does it do?
- 3.2 What is the difference between printer toner and traditional printer ink?
- 3.3 What advantages does printer toner have over traditional printer ink?
- 3.4 What are the different components of printer toner cartridges?
- 3.5 How do you clean a printer toner cartridge?
- 3.6 Are so-called “compatible” printer toner cartridges good quality?
- 4 Shopping Criteria
- 5 Summary
Key Facts
- There are original brand-name toners, but also “compatible” toners. The originals usually offer a higher performance and have a longer service life. However, so-called “compatible” toners are generally less expensive and their quality is not so inferior to that of the originals.
- When you buy compatible toners you should still assess their compatibility yourself. Not all options will work with your printer. It is a good idea to check what model printer you have and determine whether the product you are considering is compatible with this model. If not, you could end up wasting your money.
- If you are going to clean your toner cartridge, you should do so with caution. Do not shake or open the cartridge, as it can stain your clothes, furniture, or carpet and toner is very difficult remove from fabrics and materials. Keeping the toner cartridge in good condition extends its life, and also affects the quality of your prints.
Our Selection: The Best Printer Toner Cartridges on the U.S. Market
Brand-name HP, Brother or Canon printer toners, are an excellent choice. However, there are many other options available. In addition, different printer and toner cartridge models are offered within each brand. Before jumping into all this, below we have listed those printer toners that are, in our opinion, some of the best printer toners on the current market. Have a look:
Best Overall Printer Toner
This Amazon Best seller rates 4.3 out of 5 and has almost 2500 verified purchaser reviews. It is a genuine Brother product and also ranks #1 in ‘Laser Printer Toners and Drums’ on Amazon. This toner can provide up to 2600 pages, and works with 16 different Laser Printers. There is no risk that this product will be rejected by one of those printers, so it is little wonder this product ranks #1.
Best “Compatible” Printer Toner
This toner cartridge is specifically designed for Samsung Laser Printers and is compatible with 10 different models. This 2-pack of toner cartridges provides up to 2000 total pages and is only $27.99. It is also built to ISO9001 and ISO14001 factory standards, and comes with a 4.5 out of 5 star rating from over 900 verified purchaser reviews.
Best “Green” Printer Toner
This printer toner company helps preserve the environment and reduce waste by refilling used toner cartridges. At just $19.99 per cartridge, this toner works with 10 different HP models and can produce up to 1000 pages. Verified purchasers rate this product 4.7 out of 5 stars and reviews consistently mention high-quality printouts. Here is a way to do your part for the environment while saving money.
Buyer’s Guide: Everything You Should Know About Printer Toner
(Source: Andriy Popov: 51450088/ 123rf.com).
What is printer toner and what does it do?
What is the difference between printer toner and traditional printer ink?
Both products serve to print text and images, however, each one does so through a different method. Regarding toner, we have already explained how it works in the previous section. Ink cartridges place the liquid directly onto the paper to transfer the images and text you want to print.
(Source: Adamowicz: 38210973/ 123rf.com)
For an ink-jet cartridge to work, the first thing you should do is load it into the printer head of your printer. The pigment needed for printing is stored in an airtight aluminum container. This is covered with tiny ink nozzles. The print head starts an oscillating movement from back to front to execute the printing process.
What advantages does printer toner have over traditional printer ink?
What are the different components of printer toner cartridges?
- Powder. A metering blade that regulates the amount of powder that is transferred from the tank to the magnetized cylinder. When this blade loses its ability to work, the prints begin to show lines or scratches–time to change the toner cartridge.
- Container that holds the toner powder to be deposited onto the paper. The mechanism used for this is magnetism. .
- The cleaning blade. This part picks up the toner that is not transferred to the paper and returns it to the waste toner container. It should be installed properly, because otherwise the prints may include spots.
- Toner chips, used to manage toner performance.These provide data on the number of pages that have been printed to date, as well as the remaining toner. As we mentioned when talking about the cleaning blade, the waste toner container collects the unused toner that is left over after each printout.
- PCR (primary charge roller). This part allows the laser to print the information it receives.
- Magnetized cylinder. This is a tube responsible for carrying the toner from the container onto the paper.
How do you clean a printer toner cartridge?
You shouldn’t shake the cartridge either. This movement can damage the inside of the cartridge. Also, you risk powder leaking and staining the clothes you are wearing or the carpet and office furniture. And it is not just any stain–it is nearly impossible to remove.
On the other hand, you should control the temperature and humidity of the printer, since it affects the performance of the toner. In fact, it is advisable to keep this equipment, as well as toner cartridges, in environments whose temperature is mild, and in rooms where there is not too much direct light. In addition, you should prevent the toner cartridges from being hit, dropped or scratched.
Are so-called “compatible” printer toner cartridges good quality?
Although the original companies can offer superior performance, since they know their product better, this does not mean that “compatible” toners are a bad investment. Moreover, with respect to the originals they present a series of advantages that you should not dismiss. And we are not talking just about price:
Shopping Criteria
Next, we will talk about five essential points to consider when buying a toner. Because not all users need the same type of printer toner. It all depends on your printing habits, as well as the type of work you do. Here are some things to consider:
Budget
For many people this is the most important criterion. Not everyone has the same budget, and this is understandable. In case your budget is tight, you may have to give up original, brand-name toners. These tend to be around $65-$100. Of course, they have an advantage: they usually last longer. You will need to look at all aspects and determine what choice is best for you at the time of your purchase.
Original or “Compatible” Brand
As we have already mentioned, an original toner is different from a compatible one. However, if you know how to search, it doesn’t have to make a difference in terms of quality. Of course, at the level of optimization and performance, it is easier to opt for an original one. Compatible toners usually come in packs of two, providing an average of more than 2000 printed pages.
Capacity
If you need to print in large quantities, you may prefer a compatible toner. When coming in packs of more than one unit, they allow a greater number of printed pages. If you don’t want to replace the toner frequently, you can search for some of the best printer toners available with a capacity of 3000 pages.
Compatibility
If you are not going to buy an original toner, this section will be of interest to you. Compatible toners have different degrees of compatibility. This type of toner is made for a specific set of printers. Generally they are compatible with different models or series. Before investing in one you must make sure that it will work well with your particular printer.
Image Quality
Not all toners offer the same image quality, especially when dealing with the compatible toner market. In this sense, it is advisable to do some preliminary investigating. It is helpful to compare the different options you are considering and read other peoples’ opinions about that product. If you do not wish to take any risk, it is best to purchase an original toner.
Summary
Toner is essential to obtaining high-quality prints. It is an indispensable element of any laser printer. Therefore, care should be taken when using laser printers. When it comes to finding one of the best toners on the market, not every toner will do. First, you must decide if you are going to buy an original toner or a compatible toner.
Toner has a number of important advantages over ink-jet cartridges. Mainly, this shows up in the image quality. Toner is ideal for serial or photographic printing, but buying the right toner cartridge is not easy. Therefore, we are happy to have provided you with this shopping guide to the best printer toners on the market.
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(Source of Featured Image: Fug4s: 72288179/ 123rf.com)
