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The Intricacies of Choosing Compatible Toner Cartridges in the UK

December 20th, 2009 · No Comments · Technology and Gadgets

Compatible Toner Cartridges

If you have a printer that needs toner cartridges, you’re likely aware of the expense of OEM replacement cartridges. OEM is the abbreviation for “original equipment manufacturer.” This means that if you use an HP or Epson printer, for instance, you’d be using HP or Epson ink toner cartridges. To help answer concerns with expensive OEM toner ink cartridges, many after market compatible toner cartridges are obtainable in the UK. These carry brands other than 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.

Compatible Toner Cartridges

Differences Between OEM and Compatible Cartridges

There’s been a considerable amount of controversy concerning the implementation of compatible ink cartridges. When these products were first available, OEMs tried to discourage their use by alleging that if used, compatible ink toner cartridges would nullify the printer’s warranty. Nevertheless, 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, regardless of whether they’re OEM or compatible. However, you need to be aware that the reliability of compatible cartridges can be highly unpredictable. In 2008, a quality assurance company named QualityLogic commissioned a study that compared HP branded LaserJet toner cartridges to five brands of compatibles. The results stated 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.”

Compatible Toner Cartridges

Toner Cartridge Chips and Fuses

Another approach used by OEMs to thwart the use of third-party laser toner cartridges in their products is the use of chips and fuses. The chip links to the printer to confirm that the cartridge is an OEM. It’s assumed that the chip observes toner usage and classifies the cartridge as empty. So despite whether the cartridge is refilled, the printer will assume it’s empty. In addition, a built-in fuse “blows” (breaks off the electrical circuit) anytime the toner cartridge is empty. Blown fuses in cartridges can’t be simply replaced. Both the chip and the fuse should be changed for a compatible toner cartridge to work properly. Does this appear to be getting a bit intricate? Well, that notion is what the OEMs want you to think. The reality is that both chips and fuses are accessible and replaceable, so a lot of compatible cartridges are as skilled in connecting to the printer as OEM cartridges.

The preference between OEM and compatible toner cartridges is completely up to the printer’s user. In the UK, compatibles allow for major cost savings.

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