Compatible Toner Cartridges in the UK: What the Consumer Should Know
by tkahuna2
Filed under Massage Chair Review
If you own a printer that necessitates toner cartridges, you’re doubtless aware of the expense of OEM replacement cartridges. OEM is the acronym for “original equipment manufacturer.” This in turn means that if you have an HP or Epson printer, to name some examples, you’re using HP or Epson ink toner cartridges. To help solve concerns with expensive OEM toner ink cartridges, many after market compatible toner cartridges are obtainable in the UK. These sell brands that aren’t 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.
A Comparison of Compatible Cartridges and OEM Cartridges
There’s been a huge wave of controversy regarding the use of compatible ink cartridges. When these products initially were conceived, OEMs tried to discourage their use by asserting that if used, compatible ink toner cartridges would void the printer’s warranty. Nevertheless, legislation has since been enacted in the UK that stops printer OEMs from imposing this restrictive policy. Printer owners are free to buy any type of printer toner cartridges, despite whether 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 firm named QualityLogic performed 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.”
The Concept of Toner Cartridge Fuses and Chips as a Deterrence
Another tactic used by OEMs to prevent the use of third-party laser toner cartridges in their products is the implementation of chips and fuses. The chip communicates with the printer to verify that the cartridge is an OEM. It’s assumed that the chip supervises toner usage and categorizes the cartridge as empty. So no matter whether the cartridge is refilled, the printer will think it’s empty. Plus, a built-in fuse “blows” (disrupts the electrical circuit) anytime the toner cartridge is empty. It isn’t easy to replace a blown fuse in a cartridge. Both the chip and the fuse must be replaced for a compatible toner cartridge to work appropriately. Does this appear as if it’s getting a bit complicated? Well, that’s what the OEMs want you to believe. In reality both chips and fuses are accessible and replaceable, so most compatible cartridges are as proficient in linking to the printer as OEM cartridges.
The choice between OEM and compatible toner cartridges is fully up to the printer’s operator. In the UK, compatibles allow for considerable cost savings.