Toner Refill Kits: Do they Work?

Recently, I gave up spending a lot of money on replacing my laser toner cartridges. I decided to try something different, toner refill kits. But initially, I was warned by a close friend who told me that he ordered a kit but only got a bottle of toner. The problem is that my laser printer is using a lot of money because each toner cartridge is almost the cost of the printer.

Toner Refill Kits: A Sure to Give Your Cartridge New Lifeline

Before ordering a toner refill kit, I decided to do some comprehensive research and discovered that there is a huge waste in this niche. I mean, the cartridges are set to be used once and then get discarded. Look, sometimes back, it was pretty easy to refill toner cartridges. But now, the printer manufacturers have come up with chips that make them stop operating when a specific number of pages are done. It is like fitting a spare part to your car engine that will stop it running when it hits 15,000 miles. The trick is to get you to buy another part!

Well, I must indicate here that the more I discovered this, the greater was my resolve to get more information. The question that lingered in my mind was: “what is the point of thinking green, recycling waste, and cutting carbon footprint when I am tossing away a pretty good cartridge simply because it is out of ink? So is there a way out? Simply get an average toner cartridge, use the correct refill kit to refill it, and continue enjoying high-quality printing. See, it is like the toner never ran out!

How Toner Refill Kits Work

To get the right toner refill kits, I did a lot of digging online. It was not easy, but I finally found a reliable company. I reached them using the contacts they provided on their website and informed me that it is not uncommon to get problems with some laser printers. The company staff and support were very knowledgeable and assisted me in understanding the kit and how to use it. I must say it was fun working with them.

After understanding the toner refill kits, I ordered one and the replacement ink. The shipping was also super first- my package was delivered the next day. The toner refill kit came full with instructions on how to safely and properly refill my cartridge.

So, this is what I had to do. First, heat the soldering iron and then apply it to the side of the cartridge to make a hole. After shaking the new toner, I poured it through the toner hole and sealed using a plug.

Notably, the refill kit came with all the components that I needed to complete the job. I never thought it would be this easy!

In my life, I had never used or imagines using a soldering iron. But it was fun. All I needed was press the hot iron on the side of the cartridge to drill a hole. When using the toner refill kit, it is important to b extra careful. The toner is made of very fine particles that make it look like a liquid. I took about fifteen minutes to fill my four cartridges and start printing with them right away. I checked at the print carefully, and they had no difference when printed using OEM toners.

I was still left with enough toner to refill two more times. When using toner refill kits, it is recommended that you only refill them about three times. From there, the print quality starts deteriorating.

If you are still wondering if toner refill kits work, the answer is absolute yes. They worked in my case, and you, too, can use them to cut the cost of printing.

Printer Toner 101: The Complete Guide to Buying Toners for Printers

A printer toner is a type of powder (ink) that is used in laser printing. The toner is made of positively charged particles and negatively charged particles that are used to control color and intensity. Using toner for printing creates long-lasting prints on the papers compared to using cartridges and even printer ribbons. Note that the toner is available in both black and color.

Types of Printer Toners

Previously, printer toners used to be very expensive. Therefore, most people came up with alternative options designed to help extend the life of their printing ink. But that was caused by monopolies in the industry as few players sought to optimize returns at the expense of printer owners. But things are different today. More companies have entered the market and are designing and selling printer toners for laser printers.  

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Printer Toner Cartridge

OEM printer toners are the primary (call them original) toners manufactured by companies that manufacture printers. Some of the top manufacturers out there include Epson, HP, Dell, Lexmark, and Canon. In some cases, printer manufacturers might contract other companies to create the toners for them so that they can concentrate on the core task of designing printers.

The most notable thing about OEM toners is that they produce high-quality printouts. However, they are very expensive. In some instances, you will find the toner cartridges as expensive as the printer itself. It is a trick used by OEM to lure people into buying their printers, expecting them to continue purchasing the printer ink at a high cost.

Another method of cutting costs is by refilling your OEM toner. For example, you can buy Brother DCP-L2550DW toner to refill your toner cartridge instead of throwing it away when empty. Note that when refilling your toner, it is advisable to only go for compatible toners.

Compatible Printer Toner Cartridge

Compatible printer toners are some of the cheapest options out there. They have become one of the most preferred alternatives for people seeking alternatives from high OEM toners. The compatible printer toners are made using parts of OEM cartridges and are created for specific printer brands. But it is important to note that compatible printer toners are of lower quality compared to the OEM toners. Therefore, it is important to test them for top-rated performance.

Buying tips

Before purchasing a printer toner, having the right information can help you to cut costs, pick the right toner, and avoid a lot of trouble. So here are some useful buying tips.

• Start by checking the printer’s compatibility. Printers are designed only to work with specific toners. If you use a different type, there is a danger of damaging your printer. To buy compatible toners, make sure to use the details on the cartridge.
• Make sure to have the toner tested for performance before purchase. As we pointed out earlier, a lot of toner designers have entered the market. While it is a good thing because of the multiple alternatives, the danger of poor quality looms. Therefore, make sure to have it tested for quality assurance.
• Only work with brands that have cut a name for quality. How can you know this? The best method is reading customer feedback and expert reviews. If a lot of clients have negative reports after using a specific brand, do not buy its toners.
• If you want to get high-quality printing, go for OEM toners. However, you have to be prepared to meet the high cost. But you can still keep the cost low by getting a remanufactured toner cartridge for printing drafts before turning to OEM toners to print final documents.