What should I look for in a vendor when buying laser supplies online?

Looking to save money on laser supplies and toner? The web is a great place to start, and shopping online saves valuable time. Overall, you can find better prices when you buy direct than at a retail store because the overhead and expenses when buying direct are considerably less. But make sure you are doing more than just comparing prices when choosing a vendor to purchase your toner and other laser supplies from – not all vendors are created equal.

You want to make sure that the vendor has a secure gateway to submit your credit card information. Also, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the vendor’s guarantee policy.

• Is the toner cartridge refundable if it doesn’t meet your expectations?
  
• Do you need an authorization number with the return?
  
• Are there a limited amount of days to receive a money back guarantee?
  
• And pay special attention to shipping costs. Some venders charge more than reasonable fees, while others offer free shipping which further adds to the cost savings. Many offer express shipping so you can have the cartridge delivered to your door the very next day.
  

Should I replace my toner cartridge if my printer prints vertical black lines and smudges on my documents?

A laser toner cartridge is responsible for supporting many printer functions. For example, the laser toner cartridge Brother 7820n supports printing for the All-In-One printer, scanner, fax and copier. When a cartridge goes bad, all of those functions cease to exist! And nothing is more frustrating than finding vertical black lines and smudges on your documents during a busy work day. But before you throw out the toner cartridge, be sure that the cartridge is really the problem. It may be that the fusing assembly in the printer is defective.

Print smears if the fusing assembly is not heated sufficiently to bond the toner image to the paper. So be sure to check your toner cartridge by removing it, turning it over, and pulling back the shutter until you see the photosensitive drum (which looks like a long cylinder). If you can see lines around the middle of the drum, it has been scratched, and it should be replaced. Take a couple minutes to diagnose the problem before you decide a cartridge is defective.
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What is the difference in print quality between a new and remanufactured toner cartridge?

To keep your laser printer running smoothly, it is important to weigh the benefits of a laser toner new vs. remanufactured. Is a new laser toner cartridge really the best option for your printer? Most people find that remanufactured cartridges perform just as well in their laser printers as the newly manufactured cartridges do. Not only do remanufactured cartridges give the same print quality in laser printers as do the new cartridges, but they also offer many more benefits than a new cartridge. Remanufactured cartridges reduce waste that is landfilled. They also conserve natural resources and energy that are spent when manufacturing a new cartridge.

By purchasing a remanufactured cartridge, you are supporting recycling programs and may save one-third of the cost of a new cartridge. Still, it’s important to shop from remanufacturers who provide toner cartridges that meet or exceed the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) standards. Make sure that the remanufactured toner cartridge that you purchase has been cleaned, and all broken parts have been repaired. By knowing whether your cartridge has truly been “remanufactured” and not simply “drilled and filled”, you will enjoy a great alternative to purchasing a new and expensive consumable laser printer product.
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What are some benefits of the Brother TN-350 toner cartridge?
The Brothers TN-350 laser toner contains ultra fine particles so your printer not only produces rich blacks on your printed page but also a wide range of gray shades. This toner cartridge gives quality print on all types of paper. This cartridge is compatible with Brother laser printer models HL-2070N and HL-2040. Compact and easy to install, Brother TN350 toner has a lifetime yield of 2,500 pages, which is a good yield for the home office (but might not be the best product for a busy office). For a busier printer, consider a Brother TN570 toner cartridge, which has a yield of 6700 pages. When the toner light turns on, this cartridge is truly empty (no need to shake these toner cartridge to print a few extra sheets).
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What toner colors are typically used in a laser printer?

Laser printers use either black toner, or black and color toners. When shopping for color laser toners, you will find that color toner is sold individually (unlike some ink cartridges). So, does that mean if you are printing a document with six colors, you need to buy six toner cartridges? No, not at all. The standard colors for laser toners are cyan, magenta and yellow. These three colors will combine to create almost every possible color. The best thing about these colors being sold individually is when one color runs out, you don’t have to replace all of the colors and waste toner that was not used.

There are two main kinds of color printers: four pass and one pass. Four pass printers use four toner cartridges (the three primary colors plus black). These four cartridges are mounted to a carousel and each color is applied one at a time (very slowly). A one pass system uses four lasers and four photoconductor drums, and all four toner colors may be applied at one time (much quicker!). Color laser toner varies in price from $10 per cartridge for a home laser printer to $300 per cartridge for a business printer. The latter may seem high, but that is because the print yield will be very high, so the cost per page is actually very low.
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What is the difference between OEM, compatible and remanufactured cartridges?

When shopping for a laser toner cartridge, you will see the terms “OEM”, “Compatible” and “Remanufactured” over and over again. What do these terms mean?

An “OEM cartridge” means it is an Original Equipment Manufacturer cartridge. This means the laser toner cartridge came from the printer manufacturer. The cartridge will have the manufacturer’s name on it. Some customers will buy OEM because they like knowing they have purchased a laser toner cartridge made specifically for their particular printer, even though the price is higher.

A “Compatible Cartridge” means the cartridge was manufactured to meet the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications for quality. They are manufactured with new components and are often an economical choice when compared to the OEM cartridge. Customers are happy when they find a good compatible cartridge because of the cost savings without sacrificing quality.

A ”Remanufactured Cartridge” is a laser toner cartridge that is mostly recycled. If remanufactured correctly, they will also meet the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications for quality. A customer who is concerned about the environment will look for a remanufactured cartridge, as well as those who are looking to save costs.

Understanding these terms will help you weigh your choices when shopping for a laser toner cartridge.
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What are some benefits of the Brother TN-350 toner cartridge?
The Brothers TN-350 laser toner contains ultra fine particles so your printer not only produces rich blacks on your printed page but also a wide range of gray shades. This toner cartridge gives quality print on all types of paper. This cartridge is compatible with Brother laser printer models HL-2070N and HL-2040. Compact and easy to install, Brother TN350 toner has a lifetime yield of 2,500 pages, which is a good yield for the home office (but might not be the best product for a busy office). For a busier printer, consider a Brother TN570 toner cartridge, which has a yield of 6700 pages. When the toner light turns on, this cartridge is truly empty (no need to shake these toner cartridge to print a few extra sheets).
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