| OverviewAs "generic", "remanufactured", and | | | | Hewlett Packard, Lexmark and Dell, as these |
| "new compatible" inkjet printer cartridges | | | | companies have meticulously patented (and |
| and laser toner cartridges creep deeper into | | | | subsequently filed suit against anyone who |
| the printer accessories market, the choices | | | | tried to duplicate) their inkjet cartridge |
| become varied and often confusing. It is | | | | designs. There are no true "generics" for HP |
| estimated that by the year 2004 the | | | | or Dell inkjet printers.Remanufactured |
| aftermarket share of the inkjet and toner | | | | cartridges are a huge cost value over new |
| cartridge market will exceed 11% of the | | | | cartridges - usually over 50% less - and for |
| estimated 12 billion dollar printer accessory | | | | every day printing work just fine. The |
| market [source: CART magazine, March 2001] | | | | failure rate of remanufactured cartridges is |
| Here's a look at what all these terms mean, | | | | slightly higher than new product, however, |
| and an examination of the upside and downside | | | | and so it's important your online merchant |
| of using non-"brand name" printer cartridge | | | | guarantees their product to cover the |
| products in your printer.TerminologyFirst, | | | | occasional return. For typical printing, |
| let's examine the terminology. When shopping | | | | remanufactured inkjet cartridges can be the |
| online for a new inkjet or toner cartridge | | | | right choice over new ones. Lately, Dell |
| for your printer, you'll likely encounter | | | | computers and printers are increasing in |
| these terms:OEM (Original Equipment | | | | popularity. Dell's popular models include the |
| Manufacturer) or brand name productsA "brand | | | | Color 720, and All-in-One a920, a940, and |
| name" inkjet or toner cartridge is just that | | | | a960 models. Direct from Dell, one can buy an |
| - it's a printer cartridge that carries the | | | | OEM cartridge, for example the color |
| brand name of the manufacturer on it, usually | | | | cartridge (X0504) for the Dell a940 printer |
| the same as the printer manufacturer, for | | | | for $34.99 from The same cartridge, yet |
| example, Epson, Canon, Hewlett Packard, | | | | remanufactured, sells online for $23.95 at |
| etc.New compatible, off-brand or generic | | | | Abacus24-7 ( as of August 2005)Laser Toner |
| productsA "new compatible", "off-brand" or | | | | Cartridges: PerformanceAs with generic or new |
| "generic" inkjet or toner cartridge is | | | | compatible inkjet cartridges, new compatible |
| manufactured by a company other than the | | | | toner cartridges are for the most part highly |
| original printer manufacturer. There are a | | | | reliable and provide a noticeable cost |
| large number of these "new compatible" | | | | savings over brand new toner cartridges. |
| manufacturers, and it's quite true that the | | | | Again, ISO 9001 standards have greatly |
| quality of their product can vary (more on | | | | increased the consistency and reliability of |
| that a bit later). In the case of inkjet | | | | the aftermarket toner product in recent |
| cartridges, "generic" cartridges are | | | | years. Further, many new compatible toner |
| completely new. In the case of toner | | | | manufacturers increase the volume of toner in |
| cartridges, to qualify as "new compatible" | | | | the cartridge, providing for a longer print |
| the toner drum must be replaced with a brand | | | | life. Quality new compatible cartridges will |
| new drum, as well as all major parts serviced | | | | have new or replaced mag sleeves, wiper |
| and replaced as needed.Remanufactured | | | | blades, and magnet tips.Remanufactured toner |
| productsA "remanufactured" inkjet or toner | | | | cartridges in general have a less stringent |
| cartridge, by definition, is a cartridge | | | | set of criteria applied to them, and as |
| which has been serviced, cleaned, refilled | | | | mentioned before may not contain a new toner |
| with toner or ink and possibly had a few | | | | drum. Be sure to ask your supplier. It is our |
| component parts repaired or replaced. In many | | | | humble recommendation that you go with toner |
| cases, remanufactured toner cartridges do not | | | | cartridges that have a new aftermarket drum, |
| have new drums; they instead refurbish the | | | | as opposed to a refurbished or recycled drum. |
| original drum and send it out for another | | | | Lastly, ask if the new drum is "high |
| cycle.An Important Note About Toner | | | | density". You want that.Color laser new |
| CartridgesThe relatively unknown truth is | | | | compatible toner cartridges are just coming |
| that almost all laser toner cartridges, | | | | to market, and although early feedback seems |
| including most of the original brand name | | | | to indicate a positive outlook, an evaluation |
| "new" cartridges, have been remanufactured to | | | | of these cartridges is premature at this |
| some extent. The defining point is to what | | | | time.Good for the Country, Good for the |
| degree they have had component parts repaired | | | | EnvironmentIf you care about recycling or the |
| and/or replaced. For example: check the box | | | | good of the Country's economy, consider these |
| for a brand new Hewlett Packard Laser Jet | | | | facts:- 99% of new compatible toner |
| 4000/27X. Brand new, right? Well, it is. But | | | | cartridges are manufactured in the USA; most |
| check the fine print, which says: | | | | "OEM" brand cartridges are |
| | | | |
| This newly manufactured product may contain | | | | manufactured overseas- Nearly 40,000 tons of |
| parts and materials recovered from the HP | | | | plastic are saved from our nation's landfills |
| planet partners recycling program. | | | | each year, by remanufacture of inkjet |
| | | | |
| This means that the product, while "new", is | | | | and toner cartridges- It takes on average 2 |
| possibly not completely new; it's quite | | | | quarts of oil to manufacture a Brand New |
| probable that components of this cartridge | | | | Toner cartridge but less than half of that |
| have been used before, and have been | | | | |
| recycled.Quality vs. CostIt's a fact: the | | | | amount to manufacture a new compatible toner |
| cost of brand name inkjet and toner | | | | cartridgeYour Printer Warranty and YouA |
| cartridges can be exceedingly high in | | | | legitimate concern of many people is whether |
| comparison to generic or remanufactured | | | | using generic or remanufactured cartridges in |
| inkjet or toner cartridges. In many cases, | | | | their printer voids the printer's warranty. |
| new compatible inkjet cartridges can be as | | | | The answer is no. |
| much as 70% less than the cost of brand name | | | | |
| cartridges. New compatible or remanufactured | | | | The following is a partial quote of the text |
| toner cartridges on the whole tend to be as | | | | of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement |
| much as 50% less in cost than their brand | | | | Act, which deals with this exact |
| name counterparts. For example, an Epson | | | | question:MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY IMPROVEMENT |
| T013201 black inkjer cartridge, used for | | | | ACTUnited States Code AnnotatedTitle 15 |
| various Epson Stylus printers, sells for | | | | Commerce and TradeChapter 50 Consumer Product |
| $17.09 direct from Epson. The same | | | | Warranties15 Section 2032... (c) No warrantor |
| cartridge, compatible, at an online retailer, | | | | of a consumer product may condition his |
| Abacus24-7 ( sells for $4.95. The | | | | written or implied warranty of such product |
| difference....70% in savings.(Prices as of | | | | on the consumer's using, in connection with |
| August 2005)What's the catch?Well, there | | | | such product, any article or service (other |
| really isn't one, if you find a quality | | | | than article or service provided without |
| off-brand product you can purchase from an | | | | charge under the terms of the warranty) which |
| online merchant you can trust, one who stands | | | | is identified by brand, trade or corporate |
| by their product in those rare cases that | | | | name; except that the prohibition of this |
| generic or remanufactured products don't | | | | subsection be waived by the commission if:1) |
| perform as well as you expect. Brand name | | | | The warrantor satisfies the Commission that |
| cartridges cost much more than generics | | | | the warranted product will function properly |
| primarily because of the marketing and | | | | only if the article or service so identified |
| advertising budgets most OEM manufacturers | | | | is used in connection with the warranted |
| spend in promoting their products; a cost | | | | product, and2) the Commission finds that such |
| most smaller manufacturers don't have. And | | | | a waiver is in the public interest.In |
| then there's the issue of your printer | | | | English, this means that no warranty may be |
| warranty - we'll discuss that issue a little | | | | voided by use of aftermarket products unless |
| bit later.Inkjet Cartridges: | | | | the manufacturer acquires a waiver that |
| PerformanceGeneric or new compatible inkjet | | | | clearly shows such voidance would be in the |
| cartridges are in general highly reliable and | | | | public interest, or that their product will |
| perform as well as, or nearly as well as, | | | | only function properly if the specified |
| brand name cartridges. Latest technologies | | | | manufacturer parts are used.There is one |
| and adherence to ISO 9001 codes | | | | catch, however: the manufacturer (in this |
| (internationally recognized standards for | | | | case your printer manufacturer) is not |
| quality assurance) by most producers of | | | | compelled to repair their product under |
| generic cartridges has increased the overall | | | | warranty if damage done to the product |
| reliability of these aftermarket products in | | | | occurred as a direct result of using |
| relation to your typical brand cartridges. In | | | | aftermarket parts. In other words, using |
| particular, Epson and Canon new compatibles | | | | generic cartridges is fine, and if your |
| are highly reliable, as the technology | | | | printer ever fails under conditions which |
| required to duplicate the performance of | | | | have nothing to do with the cartridge you are |
| their cartridges is minimal (with the | | | | using, no problem. However, if the damage is |
| exception of the very latest Epson cartridges | | | | directly caused (however unlikely) by the use |
| with the "computer chip"). In terms of print | | | | of a generic cartridge, the warrantor may |
| life (how many pages they print) generics | | | | elect not to repair it, although the warranty |
| stack up pretty well - usually within plus or | | | | would remain in effect for all other warranty |
| minus 5% of the life of your typical brand | | | | issues.ConclusionIn general, aftermarket |
| name cartridge.High quality photographic | | | | generic and new compatible or remanufactured |
| printing is the one area where generic | | | | printer cartridge products are an excellent |
| cartridges are occasionally suspect. The | | | | way to cut significant costs from your every |
| quality of the inks used by the manufacturer | | | | day small business or personal printing |
| play a significant role here - lower grade | | | | expense, while maintaining quality printing |
| ink which doesn't have the same density or | | | | results. Those who need extremely high |
| brilliance and consistency of color can | | | | quality printing (such as photographers and |
| produce inferior results in the most | | | | artists) can, with a little trial-and-error |
| high-demand cases. Although most | | | | testing of different generic cartridge |
| manufacturers of generics have moved away | | | | products, find a product which provides the |
| from inferior inks, we recommend you ask your | | | | quality results you need.In all cases, be |
| online merchant about the quality of the inks | | | | sure to buy your cartridges from an online |
| used by their supplier, if you are doing this | | | | supplier who 100% guarantees their product |
| kind of high-quality photographic printing. | | | | without question, and isn't afraid to answer |
| In particular, the inks should be made in the | | | | your questions when it comes to the quality |
| U.S.A.. With good ink your results should be | | | | and reliability of their products.Written by |
| just fine.Remanufactured Inkjet cartridges | | | | David Amerman |
| are another subject. Primarily you will only | | | | |
| find remanufactured Inkjet cartridges for | | | | also published by About. |