‘How to know what ink my printer needs?’ is often a question that strikes people, especially when their job involves printing frequently. Offices around the world have chosen to go paperless and follow the digital route. However, there is still a need to print hard copies of documents regularly. Therefore, there is a big demand for printers. To buy a reliable printer, you would first need to know about the ink and toners.
If you plan to switch to a new printer or want to simply replace the parts of your older machine, you will have to consider many points. Good printers do not run out of inks and toners frequently. Therefore, you need to opt for a premium-quality printer. Let’s look at the points given below to know more about them. These will help you to solve the problem of ‘how to know what ink cartridge to buy?’
How do Ink Cartridges function?
These are specifically used in inkjet printers. They have black or different colored ink in liquid form. These printers have an inkjet. The inkjet is strong enough and is used to spray the ink on the paper in such a way that the accuracy of the colors is maintained. You should also be aware of the capacity of the cartridges. This capacity would help you know the number of printouts you could take before the ink runs out. This would also help you determine the running costs of the printer.
Toner Cartridges
Toner cartridges are employed in laser printers. If your office has to print a large number of colored copies or if your job is based on printing colored copies, you could switch to this printer. In a laser printer, the toner is electrically charged and heated before being transferred to the needed paper through a rotating drum inside the printer.
Comparison between Ink and Toner
Many people get confused between ink and toner. They are often used interchangeably. However, that is not true. Even though ink and toner for printers are used for the same purpose, the way they function is completely different. As mentioned earlier, inkjet printers use ink cartridges whereas laser printers use toner cartridges.
The ink in the inkjet printer is in a liquid form and is sprayed on the paper. Here, the cartridges come in single or block colors. However, in laser printers, there is a dry powder that gets stuck onto the paper. Because the print is generated through bonding, the image lasts longer, resulting in a larger yield.
How to choose between Toner and Ink
Choosing between toner and ink completely depends on the needs and requirements of your business. Both printers have their pros and cons. Below given pointers would help you decide which one of the two would suit you best.
Load
The volume or the amount of printing that you are supposed to do regularly would help you decide which printer you should choose. If your company has a high load volume, you may want to consider a different brand or model that consumes fewer ink or toner cartridges. However, before choosing the type of printer or cartridge, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- How many pages would I need to print?
- What color prints do I need? Black or colored?
- How long should the print have to last?
- Is high-quality printing required, or would a normal 20lb paper prove helpful?
Compatibility
You should check if the cartridge is compatible with your printer. This is the most important step that should not be ignored. This is because all cartridges are not identical. Also, different types of printers may need different types of cartridges. Some printers might work well with individual cartridges. However, there might be a few printers that need multiple cartridges.
Ink cartridges that are recycled
Recycled inks cost comparatively less than branded ones. When used properly, they can print high-quality and environmentally friendly prints.
Performance
Along with the cartridge, the speed and the performance of the printer also contribute to its productivity. Laser printers and toner cartridges are designed to print quicker and clearer text and graphics, often at speeds of 50 to 100 sheets per minute. With their ink cartridges, inkjet printers can only print 16 pages per minute.
Match Your Printing Requirements
Always select a printer and cartridge that are appropriate for your company’s printing requirements. Each cartridge has a different print page yield which is the number of pages you can print from a single cartridge.
The above-given ink and toner guide will help you choose the correct printer. Print a test page to learn more about your printer and cartridge output. You can choose from several options available, HP toner, and Printer Toner from Brother are great when high-quality prints are required.
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