| Compatible means that the toner cartridge can be | | | | not true. In my experience, the number one |
| used in your specific equipment and also that it is | | | | cause for a leaking cartridge is paper or labels |
| not the Genuine Brand. Refilling toner cartridges is | | | | stuck up inside the drum area. This is caused by |
| big business in the US and the world. Many | | | | using inferior labels or dog-eared paper. There are |
| companies choose to purchase the compatible | | | | some refilled cartridges that have not been |
| version instead of the Original Equipment | | | | refurbished in a correct manner. Inside the |
| Manufacturer, OEM. Compatible can also mean | | | | cartridge is a part that is called a recovery blade. |
| completely brand new but generic. | | | | It is a thin Mylar that does exactly what it is |
| In the beginning of refill cartridges there were not | | | | named for. It recovers the excess toner and |
| many options. Toner and internal replacement | | | | keeps it in the waste toner tank. If the recovery |
| parts were not readily available, so the quality | | | | blade is old and warped, toner will fall down into |
| was not as high as one would like. In the recent | | | | the paper path and some how end up on your |
| years all that has changed. One of the most | | | | brand new shirt. Ever since then you swore to |
| important components that should be replaced is | | | | never use these darn refills any more! |
| the drum and the drum blade. These were | | | | If you run across a toner cartridge and the price |
| designed to only last the life of the toner being | | | | is unbelievably low it may be because the |
| used from the cartridge. If you were to reuse | | | | company that refilled it didn’t replace all of |
| the original drum it would cause many print | | | | the components that we mentioned earlier. Try |
| defects such as light print, marks and several | | | | and stay away from these kind of deals if you |
| other image defects. The drum blade would also | | | | can help it. In this industry there are standards. |
| create streaking and line type image defects. | | | | One question to ask is if they are an ISO 9001 |
| Think of the drum blade as a windshield wiper. | | | | facility. An ISO 9001 facility has the highest |
| When it wears out certain areas are not being | | | | standards and you can trust that they install all |
| cleaned and it makes it hard to see through the | | | | major components and are put together the right |
| window! In the same way certain areas are not | | | | way. This is important, next time you are |
| being wiped off and you then have lines on the | | | | purchasing toner cartridges just ask them if they |
| printed pages. We now have access to not only | | | | are. If they look at you kind of strange or if |
| drums and blades but many other components | | | | there is a long pause and they don’t know |
| that wear out and need to be replaced inside the | | | | what you are talking about, stay away from |
| toner cartridge. When selecting a company that | | | | buying from them. There may be some good |
| refills or sells compatible toner cartridges, I would | | | | rechargers out there that are not ISO 9001 but |
| make sure that they do in fact replace the drum | | | | for the most part this will help weed out the bad |
| and drum blade, or it will not last and you will have | | | | ones. |
| wasted your time and money on something that | | | | Pros and Cons of Compatible and Genuine Toner |
| was supposed to save you money in the first | | | | Cartridges |
| place. | | | | Compatible Pros: Cost, the average savings can |
| False assumptions: OEMs never fail | | | | be 50% to 70% from OEM retail prices. If you |
| Having been in this business for over twenty | | | | make several thousand prints, this can really add |
| years it seems that most people believe that if it | | | | up. Recycling benefits our world because it |
| is the original (OEM) toner cartridge that it will | | | | reduces the amount that we put in our landfills. |
| never fail. This is just not true. I have seen many | | | | Compatible Cons: You will have to make sure you |
| OEM cartridges fail. Some from defect and some | | | | buy quality compatibles or you may get a bad |
| from customer induced causes. Here is a list of | | | | cartridge. |
| causes induced by customer neglect or error. | | | | OEM Pros: Consistency, toner yields, new parts, |
| Staples paper clips, paper dust, stickyback labels | | | | knowing were it came from and that it was |
| and placing the cartridge down on an unsafe | | | | created by the OEM. |
| position causing damage to drum. | | | | OEM Cons: Cost, toner cartridges can be much |
| False Assumptions: Refills always leak | | | | more expensive. |
| Here again we have an assumption that is just | | | | |