When it’s time to replace your HP toner, you have 3 choices of types of toner you can call on.
- OEM – Original brand manufacturer – HP toner manufacturers by HP
- Compatible laser toner. HP toner manufactured by a third party and not HP
- Re-manufactured HP toner. Original HP toner cartridges, returned to the factory, cleaned, repaired and refilled
Advantages and disadvantages of using an original brand toner
Original brand HP toner manufactured by HP is claimed to give the best print results possible with the lowest cartridge failure rate (it’s worth noting that there are actually failures with original brand cartridges as they may be with compatible versions). The downside can be the cost. The costs on average are 40% – 100% more for an original brand HP toner than a compatible.
Choosing the best option for you
Generally speaking the right choice for you would depend on what you use the printer for. If it’s for general-purpose everyday printing such as documents and reports then the compatible HP toner will be the best choice as there is virtually no difference in the quality of print between it and the original toner. If you are printing high resolution colour prints with particular emphasis on your company logo colour for example, then the original brand toner will suit your needs more.
The reliability of compatible toner nowadays, when purchased from a reputable supplier, should produce good quality prints that would be good enough to gloss any report. It’s worth having a word with your supplier to find out if it’s likely that there may be any issues for you with using compatible HP toner and if there is a customer line that is able to offer advice if needed.
If we take a look at an individual HP printer as an example, the HP Laserjet PRO 100 Color MFP M175A is a popular office printer in Ireland and the UK. This printer uses four laser toners HP126A (CE310A), black, cyan magenta and yellow. The original brand HP toners are around €180 online but will probably cost more locally. The compatible equivalent for these toners will set you back around €99. That’s over 90% less than the original brand HP toners! All good quality compatible toners will come with a money-back guarantee so there is no risk to the end user.
Laser toner printers are widely used in the office and at home and although have several advantages over the inkjet printers they can be expensive to run on original brand toners. Our office runs on several different printers and they all use the compatible version of ink and toner without any problems. On the odd occasion there may be an issue with cartridge recognition but this issue is usually reserved for inkjet cartridges and not toner.
From a business perspective, the running costs of any printer will be a major concern and if it’s possible to reduce printing costs throughout the year by between 40% and 100% then there is really is not reason for not giving it a try. Speak to a trusted online supplier today and make the switch to compatible HP toner.