| There is no question that toner is the most | | | | kit (see number 4 above), all you will need in the |
| expensive part of owning a laser printer. Statistics | | | | future is the toner. You can usually get the toner |
| show that the average laser printer life span is | | | | from the same company where you purchased |
| approximately five years. Over that five-year | | | | your toner refill kit. |
| period, you will pay seven times as much for | | | | 8. Don't replace your toner cartridge at the first |
| toner and toner cartridges as you paid for your | | | | sign of streaks on your paper. Many people think |
| laser printer. If your printer lasts more than five | | | | they should immediately replace their toner |
| years, you will pay even more. | | | | cartridge when they see a light streak on their |
| Here are a dozen ways (plus one) to help you | | | | paper. Don't change the toner cartridge. Take it |
| save your toner cost. | | | | out of your printer and gently shake it several |
| 1. Before you purchase a replacement toner | | | | times. Your toner cartridge usually has ten |
| cartridge, do a little homework. You need to know | | | | percent of its toner still in tact. By gently shaking |
| "what type" of toner or toner cartridge you are | | | | it, you can get several hundred additional pages of |
| buying. Everyone's printing needs are different. For | | | | quality print. Repeat this process until you can no |
| example, you may want to use one type of | | | | longer print more than thirty pages of streak-free |
| toner cartridge for draft printing and use a higher | | | | pages before you must shake it again. Then, |
| quality cartridge for your final print. Regardless of | | | | replace the toner cartridge. |
| what you decide to do, you will always save | | | | 9. Buy toner cartridges with separate drums. |
| money when you make an informed purchasing | | | | Some laser printers have the toner cartridge and |
| decision. Avoid the headaches that occur from | | | | drum in a single unit. Other printers have these |
| spontaneous, uninformed purchases. | | | | two components separated. When possible, buy a |
| 2. Buy compatible toner cartridges. Compatible | | | | toner cartridge with a separate drum unit. A drum |
| toner cartridges are brand new toner cartridges | | | | will typically last about 20,000 pages whereas a |
| made by third party companies. They are | | | | toner cartridge will yield only 3,500 pages. Over |
| manufactured to the exact OEM specifications of | | | | time, laser printers with a separate drum will cut |
| your laser printer. The manufacturing technology | | | | your cost because you can replace the drum |
| for compatible cartridges has significantly | | | | multiple times compared to the toner cartridge. |
| improved in the past few years. The technology | | | | 10. Check the toner cartridge yield before you |
| used by these compatible toner companies is as | | | | purchase. If you do a little homework, you'll be |
| good as the technology used by major printer | | | | able to determine how many pages a toner |
| manufacturers. | | | | cartridge is expected to print. For example, a |
| 3. Buy remanufactured toner cartridges. Third | | | | toner cartridge may print 5000 pages with five |
| party printer companies produce remanufactured | | | | percent coverage. The industry rule of thumb is |
| toner cartridges. They take empty toner | | | | that the number of pages a cartridge will print is |
| cartridges, empty any excess toner waste and | | | | based upon five percent coverage. This means |
| then refill the cartridge with the toner designed | | | | that only five percent of the page will be printed |
| for your printer. These cartridges are then put | | | | on. Of course, this estimate will vary if you use a |
| through a quality check process to insure the | | | | lot of graphics, text, bold letters, etc. However, |
| drum and other cartridge parts are working | | | | with these estimates you can get some idea of |
| correctly. | | | | which printers and toner cartridges will cost more |
| 4. Buy a toner refill kit. A toner refill kit gives you | | | | or less over its normal life cycle. |
| the tools and instructions required to refill your | | | | 11. Enroll in a toner recycle program. One way to |
| own toner cartridge. It usually takes less than ten | | | | cut cost is to enroll in a toner-recycling program. |
| minutes. Be sure to follow the step-by-step | | | | These programs allow the company to recycle |
| instructions carefully. You can expect to refill a | | | | their unused toner and toner cartridges. These |
| toner cartridge approximately three times before | | | | programs provide refilled toner cartridges, which |
| it must be replaced. | | | | are much less costly. Some recycling programs |
| 5. Replace the toner drum instead of entire | | | | also help in collecting and refilling your toner |
| cartridge. Many toner cartridges allow you to | | | | cartridges. If you have a problem, they will |
| replace just the drum instead of the whole | | | | provide free assistance. |
| cartridge. Replacing just the drum will save you | | | | 12. Order your toner and toner cartridges online. |
| money. | | | | In most cases, you will find that purchasing your |
| 6. Shop around for toner and toner cartridges. | | | | toner cartridges online will save you a lot of |
| Don't purchase a toner cartridge or toner from | | | | money. These online toner companies do not |
| the first company you come across. You can | | | | have to maintain a storefront. They can pass this |
| often find bargains by doing a little shopping and | | | | savings in overhead along to the consumer. These |
| comparison. For example, you can go to an | | | | online companies also sell multiple types of toner |
| auction site such as eBay and check their prices | | | | cartridges. Most retail stores sell name brand |
| for toner or toner cartridges. Some companies let | | | | cartridges, which are more expensive. |
| you use coupons to save on purchases. Many | | | | 13. Always purchase from a reliable toner |
| toner companies will ship your toner order free. A | | | | company. Last, but definitely not least, always |
| little comparison shopping can save you a lot of | | | | purchase your toner and toner cartridges from |
| money. | | | | reputable online companies. You can avoid a lot of |
| 7. Buy in bulk. You can usually cut your cost by | | | | headaches on that "great toner deal" by following |
| volume purchasing. For example, you can | | | | a few simple guidelines. Visit our website to learn |
| purchase multiple toner cartridges instead of just | | | | "What You Should Know Before Purchasing a |
| one. You can purchase bulk toner to refill your | | | | Compatible Toner Cartridge Online". |
| own toner cartridge. Once you have a toner refill | | | | |