Laser Toner Cartridges - the essentials

by Lincoln Boss
Laser printers are now the preferred printer for most businesses and even homes nowadays. Who won't, with its printing speed and constantly declining price? Accompanying this demand for laser printer is the related need for laser toner cartridges.

Printer users therefore should not only learn about the printer unit alone but also printing consumables like paper and toner cartridges.

Here are some essential information about laser toner cartridges.


Laser toner cartridges are the storage receptacle for toners. Toners are consumable element in a laser printer. It is much like the ink in inkjet printers.

When a document or photo is being printed, the data is first transformed to electrical signals. The laser is activated and casts its rays on a printer part called drum. The toner is also electrically imprinted on the drum. Whatever is on the drum will be transferred to the paper. The more documents are printed, the sooner the toner will ran out. Once that happens, the laser toner cartridges should be replaced.

There are, usually, a black, a cyan, a yellow and a magenta toner cartridges in laser printer. This may vary depending on the kind of printer. Each can be replaced separately. As for replacement, printer users have three options; the OEM, the compatible or the remanufactured laser toner cartridge.

OEM stand for Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEM toner cartridges are the ones provided and sold by the same printer manufacturers. For example, Hewlett Packard offers hp toner cartridges for their laser printers. The same goes for other brands.

Compatible toner cartridges are the type that is manufactured by third parties but will still work on a laser printer. Most printers have a compatible toner cartridge as replacement. Resellers and retailers often come up with a compatible toner cartridge for new models of laser printers.

A remanufactured toner cartridge is different from the two as it is not entirely new. For this type, a used cartridge is taken apart. Worn out or defective parts are replaced with new. After cleaning, the toner cartridge are then reassembled, refilled with toner, tested for quality and then repackaged to be sold on the market. These type of toner cartridge will also work on printers.

While prices for laser printers are consistently declining, manufacturers gain profits through the sale of OEM toner cartridges. However, this type is often times the most pricey. The compatible and remanufactured types are more affordable but still perform at par with the OEMs.

Printer users who enjoyed some savings when they bought the printer unit tend to spend more on printing consumables like toner and paper. Luckily, those who want to save on toner replacement can opt for compatible or remanufactured type of toner cartridges.

Just like almost everything else, sellers of different types of toner cartridges can be found on the internet. Some time and effort might be needed in finding companies that provide quality laser toner cartridges. For those who looking to make the most out of their money, it is definitely worth the trouble.