If you use a printer that necessitates toner cartridges, you’re certainly aware of the expense of OEM replacement cartridges. OEM is the abbreviation for “original equipment manufacturer.” This of course means that if you own an HP or Epson printer, for example, you’re using HP or Epson ink toner cartridges. To help resolve concerns with expensive OEM toner ink cartridges, many after market compatible toner cartridges are obtainable in the UK. These include brands aside from the OEM.
Not all laser printers are created equal. The same applies to toner cartridges. In order to require customers to buy their cartridges, each manufacturer uses a different design so that only their replacement cartridge will fit inside their printer. While this is good news for them in terms of profits, it can potentially create a complex problem for customers to solve. Because there are so many companies who make them, finding compatible toner cartridges means knowing exactly who made it. What’s more, most companies have several models, so you must also know the exact make and model of the printer. The good news is that there are three reliable methods for determining the right cartridge.
Differences Between OEM and Compatible Cartridges
There’s been a huge wave of controversy surrounding the use of compatible ink cartridges. When these products were first created, OEMs tried to discourage their use by claiming that if used, compatible ink toner cartridges would void the printer’s warranty. But, legislation has since been passed in the UK that stops printer OEMs from enforcing this restrictive policy. Printer owners are free to buy any type of printer toner cartridges, no matter if they’re OEM or compatible. However, you need to know that the quality of compatible cartridges can be highly variable. In 2008, a quality assurance organization named QualityLogic did a study that compared HP branded LaserJet toner cartridges to five types of compatibles. The results said that “the quality and usability of pages printed with Original HP LaserJet colour toner cartridges was consistently more reliable than output from the re-manufactured colour toner cartridges.”
Cartridge Fuses and Chips
Another tactic used by OEMs to deter the use of third-party laser toner cartridges in their products is the implementation of chips and fuses. The chip links to the printer to prove that the cartridge is an OEM. It’s implied that the chip observes toner usage and categorizes the cartridge as empty. So despite whether the cartridge is refilled, the printer will think it’s empty. Plus, a built-in fuse “blows” (breaks off the electrical circuit) if the toner cartridge is empty. Cartridges with blown fuses cannot easily be refilled. Both the chip and the fuse need to be exchanged for a compatible toner cartridge to work appropriately. Does this seem like it’s getting a bit complex? Well, that thought is what the OEMs want you to believe. In reality both chips and fuses are obtainable and replaceable, so a majority of compatible cartridges are as competent in connecting to the printer as OEM cartridges.
The option between OEM and compatible toner cartridges is solely up to the printer’s owner. In the UK, compatibles allow for tremendous cost savings.
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