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Toner ink cartridges | Pros and cons of compatibles

There are several types of toner ink cartridges and it may be worth spending some time to discuss the benefits of each particular type.  There are original branded toner and inkjets which are made by the printer companies themselves.  These are usually a lot more expensive but are supposedly more reliable and the print quality of them can be better.  The second type is compatible toner ink cartridges.  These are usually made in China and are built from scratch.  As they are made in the Far East, they can cost less and can be just as good as the original cartridges.  The economic situation at the moment means that a lot of companies supply these as people are looking for alternatives to original cartridges which offer the same quality but cost less.  Another type is a remanufactured cartridge, this is a cartridge which has been taken apart by an engineer, and rebuilt using new parts to restore it to an original state.  These toner ink cartridges are then refilled with new toner or ink and are like a new cartridge.  Again, these offer good savings on original cartridges and can be very good quality.  The thing to remember here is to check who is doing the remanufacturing.  If it is a professional company which specialises in reengineering printer cartridges, the quality is likely to be better then someone doing them in their garage.  This brings us on the final type – the dreaded refill.  Thankfully, refilled printer cartridges are mainly found in high street stores, so you can see them a mile away.  You take your inkjet in and they simply stick a nozzle in and refill it.  The difference between this and remanufactured toner ink cartridges is that the cartridge has not been cleaned or dried (again, with inkjets, the remanufacturing process restores the cartridge to an originals state) they have just been refilled on top of the old ink, this is why they get clogged up and can leak – and there’s nothing more annoying than a leaky toner or ink cartridge.  The refill for toner cartridges has (thankfully) changed quite a lot recently.  The old way was for someone to split the cartridge open with a screwdriver, fill it up and reseal it with a glue gun.  This is more or less extinct now – if you want to be sure, look for the word remanufactured or compatible as opposed to refills.

There are quite a few sources for compatible, remanufactured and original cartridges.  There are the big stores like PC world and Staples but they are still very expensive.  A better bet is to look online for stores which specialise in toner ink cartridges, but how do you know if they are reputable?  Look for a contact telephone number and call them up before ordering your printer cartridges, or even send them an email to see how fast they respond?  Are they polite, do they seem like they value you as a customer?  Also, check for shipping prices and returns policy.   So that’s it really.  It’s about finding a shop that offers a combination of good service and good price so that ordering your toner ink cartridges is as simple and cost effective as possible.   

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