Toner Cartridges – What are the Different Types?

‘Original Cartridges’ or OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)

What are they?

  New cartridges made by the manufacturer.

Pros:

  Cartridges produced by the laser printer manufacturer are designed and produced to the highest standards resulting in optimal print quality.
  ‘Toner level’ indicators function correctly.
  Lower failure rates and less risk of ink leakages.
  100% guarantee from the manufacturer.

Cons:

  The most expensive option.
  To simply discard the depleted cartridge is ecologically unfriendly, given that alternatives exist.

‘Re-manufactured Cartridges’/’Return Cartridges’ and ‘Compatible Cartridges’

What are they?

  ‘Re-manufactured Cartridges’/’Return Cartridges’ are recycled versions of an OEM cartridge carried out by a re-manufacturer.
  ‘Compatible Cartridges’ are produced by a third party manufacturer using new components.
  Shops/adverts may interpret the above definitions loosely, so if a buyer requires a specific type of cartridge, “Caveat emptor” a.k.a. “Buyer beware” – if in doubt always ask for details!

Pros:

  Readily available from online stores and significantly cheaper than OEM versions (typically 30-50%).
  Reputable companies produce cartridges that print to a very high standard and come with a full guarantee.
  Compatible with most brands/models of laser printer.
  Recycling is good for the environment.

Cons:

  The overriding issue concerns Quality Control. The results produced by these types of cartridges are variable from below average to very good and depend on how diligently the re-manufacturer has checked and replaced any worn parts as well as the quality of refill ink used. Buyers should purchase from reputable companies that give full guarantees on defective products.
  Higher fail and leakage rates are a possibility.
  ‘Toner level’ indicators may not function correctly.
  Using these may invalidate the printer manufacturer’s warranty.

Price Comparison Between OEM and Compatible Toner Cartridges

The following examples from April 2022 give an insight into the difference in price between buying genuine OEM and compatible A3 laser printer toner cartridges. Although prices fluctuate, the general priciple has held firm for the last few decades. Deciding on which route to take comes down to personal preference based on the cost, pros and cons of each approach.

Monochrome Laser Printers

Colour Laser Printers

‘Refill Toner/Refill Cartridges’

What are they?

  Refill toner that is available in individual bottles or kits, or already prepared cartridges that are sold which have been filled using refill toner. Alternatively, services are avaliable that allow users to send an empty cartridge through the post to be refilled professionally.

Pros:

  By far the cheapest option available.
e.g. around £20 monochrome, £25 per colour and less than £50 for a complete set of four bottles of Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Black.
  Recycling is good for the environment.

Cons:

  Can be messy and the user needs to be aware of health and safety issues concerning toner ink powder. Protective gloves should be worn when handling toners and a special ESD (Electrostatic discharge) toner vacuum type cleaner should be used to vacuum dust from inside a laser printer. Please refer to Laser Printers: Health and Safety.
  Leakage rates may be higher
  Although the print quality can be good for the first refill, subsequent refills lead to a noticable deterioration in quality.
  Page yield may be significantly less even on the first refill.
  ‘Toner level’ indicators may not function correctly. Cartridges usually have a microchips fitted which may need to be replaced when the printer says the cartridge is “empty”. Depending on make and model of printer, the issue may be overcome by purchasing toner chips e.g. £7 per cartridge.
  Using this approach may invalidate the printer manufacturer’s warranty.

Standard and High Yield Cartridges

  Finally, note that toner cartridges often come in standard size and high yield versions. These differ in the number of pages they can print and associated costs per page (cpp). Do remember though to always apply due dilligence before buying, as manufacturers may change specifications and also prices change subject to market forces.