Unlike inkjet printers that use ink cartridges, laser printers will require toner cartridges. Simply put, inkjet printers work by squirting tiny droplets of liquid ink through nozzles onto your printer paper, whereas laser printers aren’t quite as straightforward. Toner cartridges are filled with toner which is a dry fine powder that is made from polyester, which is a type of plastic. When printing text or images onto paper, electrical charges will be used and it is a little bit more complicated than simply placing liquid ink onto a paper.
Often, when purchasing a laser printer for the first time, many homeowners won’t be too worried about the nitty-gritty of how the printer actually works, but they will have lots of questions about toner cartridges themselves. So, to help anyone who is new to owning a laser printer, below we have answered some of the most commonly asked questions about these cartridges.
How do you know which toner cartridge you need?
Toner cartridges are very similar to ink cartridges in the sense that different printer makes and models will require different size and shapes of cartridges. Your new laser printer will come with an instruction manual and in here you will find information about the toner cartridges you need. If you don’t have this, you can always look at the current cartridges inside your printer, there will likely be a code/number on these to tell you what you need.
Do toner cartridges dry out?
Due to the fact that toner cartridges are filled with dry powder, they don’t ‘dry out’ in the same way that ink cartridges do. Generally speaking, if a laser printer isn’t used for a long time and your cartridges are kept in the printer, you won’t experience the same problems that you do with an inkjet printer. The toner cartridge is designed to protect the toner from humidity and other conditions that can hinder the longevity of the toner itself.
How long does a toner cartridge last?
Of course, how long your toner cartridge lasts will be directly influenced by how frequently you use your laser printer and what you’re printing. As far as an ‘expiry date’ is concerned, unlike ink cartridges that tend to be manufactured with a 2-year expiry date, toner cartridges don’t actually have an expiration date because the toner doesn’t expire.
This doesn’t mean that the toner won’t degrade over time though, so even if you don’t print very frequently and your cartridge isn’t empty, you may need to replace it if the quality of your printing is starting to deteriorate.
How much toner is in a cartridge?
Similarly to ink cartridges, toner cartridges come in different sizes and they will hold different amounts of toner. When purchasing new toner cartridges, you should be able to find out how much toner is in a cartridge by looking at the box. Often, the amount of toner in the cartridge will depend on the make and model of the laser printer.
How do you dispose of toner cartridges?
You shouldn’t put your empty toner cartridges into your general waste bin. More often than not, they are able to be recycled and there are lots of different ways you can ensure that you’re disposing of them correctly. Sometimes you can pop into your local electrical/printer store and give your empty cartridges to them to recycle, or you can simply find a local company who specialises in recycling toner cartridges and they can take them off your hands.
Purchasing toner cartridges for your printer
Hopefully, the information above will have been helpful if you’re new to owning a laser printer. If you’re searching for somewhere to purchase new toner cartridges for your printer, be sure to visit the Toner One website. We specialise in providing genuine, new and unused stock from all leading brands in the printer consumable sector, so no matter what laser printer you have, it is highly likely that we will be able to supply you with the new cartridges that you need.
Not only do we supply quality products, but we pride ourselves on our competitive prices and quick delivery too. If you ever wish to return products to us, then we also have a 30 day returns policy as well. If you have any unanswered questions and you require some additional information about toner cartridges, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our customer service team will gladly assist you further in any way they’re able to.