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