Toner & Ink Cartridges

Types

• Original (OEM) cartridges — made by the printer brand. Highest consistency and no warranty questions.
• Compatible cartridges — new cartridges made by a third party for the same model, usually at lower cost.
• Remanufactured or refilled cartridges — used shells cleaned and refilled. Quality varies a lot by supplier.
• Ink bottles and refill kits — for ink-tank printers.
• Drum units and imaging kits — separate parts in many laser printers that wear out on a different cycle from toner.
• Ribbons and thermal rolls — for dot-matrix and receipt printers.

What to check before buying

• The exact cartridge model number from your printer, such as the code printed on the existing cartridge. Printer name alone is not enough.
• Page yield (standard or high yield) at the stated 5 percent coverage.
• Whether the supplier offers a replacement for dead-on-arrival or leaking cartridges.
• Whether using non-original cartridges affects your printer warranty or service contract.
• Sealed, branded packaging and batch details on original cartridges, to avoid counterfeits.
• GST invoice, delivery lead time, and rate contract options for regular supply.

Common brands include HP, Canon, Brother, Epson and Samsung.

Who buys them

Offices, schools, banks, hospitals, print shops, accounts departments and any organisation with a fleet of printers.

Frequently asked questions

What does page yield mean?

It is the number of pages a cartridge prints at standard coverage. A high-yield cartridge usually gives a lower cost per page.

Are compatible cartridges safe to use?

Good ones work well, but quality varies. Ask for a trial unit and check print quality and leakage before a bulk order.

How many spare cartridges should we keep?

Keep at least one spare per printer model, and more for printers used heavily or in remote locations.