Types of Printer Cartridges

Printer cartridges can be divided into two main groups: inkjet cartridges / ink cartridges for inkjet printers and laser toner cartridges for laser printers. However, these printer cartridges can be further categorized into 3 types, namely OEM cartridges, compatible cartridges and remanufactured cartridges.

OEM cartridges have been in the market since the very beginning. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. They are also known as Genuine OEM cartridges and are produced by the printer manufacturers or their licensed partners. These printer cartridges carry the names of the printer manufacturers, such as Canon, Epson, Lexmark, etc. Although these ink or toner cartridges are generally of high quality, they are also very expensive. Several copies of OEM replacement cartridges can actually cost more than a low-price printer these days.

Compatible cartridges are specially manufactured to meet or exceed OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) specifications, offering the same quality and reliability of OEM cartridges. However, they are manufactured by third-party manufacturers and do not carry the printer brand names on the cartridges.

Compatible cartridges are only sold at 1/2 or 1/3 of the price of OEM cartridges. Therefore, they are cost-effective alternatives to expensive OEM cartridges. 100% compatible cartridges mean that these cartridges include all the components (e.g. replacement chips) so that they are fully compatible with the specific printer models. Replacement cartridges that are not 100% compatible are available at a lower price but they may cause problems in printing. For example, compatible cartridge without a new replacement chip may have problem communicating with the printer as the printer software would think that the ink / toner is always low.

Most compatible inkjet cartridges are manufactured 100% brand new, containing only new components. Compatible toner cartridges may include both new and used components unless otherwise stated.

Remanufactured cartridges are also called refurbished cartridges. They are OEM or third party manufacturer's inkjet and toner cartridges which have been through one cycle of service and have been recharged. Every remanufactured cartridge has to be thoroughly cleaned, worn out parts replaced, filled with the same ink formulation, and gone through vigorous testing.

Remanufactured cartridges are cheaper than OEM cartridges but more expensive than compatible cartridges. They are very popular among environmentally concerned customers. Considering that it takes 3 quarts of oil to produce a new toner cartridge and hundreds of year to decompose an old one in landfill, remanufactured ink / toner cartridges are both environmentally friendly and cost effective.

source: http://inkjets.4reviews.net

Types of Printer

What is a printer?

A printer is an output device that produces text and graphics on paper.

Major types of printer

Printers can be divided into two main groups, impact printer and non-impact printer. Impact printer produces text and images when tiny wire pins on print head strike the ink ribbon by physically contacting the paper. Non-impact printer produces text and graphics on paper without actually striking the paper.

Printers can also be categorized based on the print method or print technology. The most popular ones are inkjet printer, laser printer, dot-matrix printer and thermal printer. Among these, only dot-matrix printer is impact printer and the others are non-impact printers.

Some printers are named because they are designed for specific functions, such as photo printers, portable printers and all-in-one / multifunction printers. Photo printers and portable printers usually use inkjet print method whereas multifunction printers may use inkjet or laser print method.

Inkjet printers and laser printers are the most popular printer types for home and business use. Dot matrix printer was popular in 70’s and 80’s but has been gradually replaced by inkjet printers for home use. However, they are still being used to print multi-part forms and carbon copies for some businesses. The use of thermal printers is limited to ATM, cash registers and point-of-sales terminals. Some label printers and portable printers also use thermal printing.

Due to the popularity of digital camera, laptop and SoHo office (small office / home office), the demand for photo printers, portable printers and multifunction printers has also increased substantially in recent years.

source: http://inkjets.4reviews.net

Inkjet Cartridges: An Overview

Inkjet cartridges came into light in about 1980, to print images on blank paper. These cartridges can be slightly more expensive when compared to other types of ink cartridges, because they have the capability to be refilled.

Inkjet cartridges are used to visualize images or any print transaction, and other activities related to printers. These inkjet cartridges work along with inkjet printers. By using these cartridges, the inkjet printer places small droplets onto blank paper via nozzles to develop any image or text. The amount of the droplet depends on the printer driver software that is systematized to place the droplets. The cartridge has various colors as in liquid form to develop a colorful/black and white image on printable paper.

Inkjet printers are capable of printing stickers, labels, posters, and documents, etc by using inkjet cartridges. Nowadays, these printers are also being used to develop attractive images on shoes, T-shirts, etc.

The drops of ink that come out from the inkjet cartridge to create images are generally between 50 to 60 microns. These cartridges come in different varieties, in various brands along with different options. The cost of these cartridges depends on their qualities and brands.

Since there are so many works which can be performed by inkjet printers, it is necessary to have complete information before purchasing the right inkjet cartridges.

The inkjet cartridge should be made by appropriate materials that not only increase the productivity level, but also offer better and quality prints. Therefore, never purchase local or average inkjet cartridges, because such cartridges may create problems for the nozzles of the printer. A well-suited and branded inkjet cartridge, especially ISO standard, can be more efficient and better than other cartridges that are available in the market.

Mostly, inkjet cartridges come in their individual sizes, which are designed to fit with a particular printer only. Any typical size of cartridge may cause damage to the printer's nozzles. Always purchase an inkjet cartridge with its warranty (minimum one year). Most printers come with a warranty period, but in some cases the warranty can be canceled if the cartridges that are used in it are made by a different manufacturer. So, for the continuity of the warranty, it is essential that both the printer and the cartridges are designed by the same manufacturer.

Although online shopping is the easiest way to buy any product without going to the shops, always be careful when you are buying inkjet cartridges online. If you choose to buy online, be sure about the credibility of the site that you are buying from, so that you don't purchase low quality cartridges.

It is best to compare the prices of various inkjet cartridges at different shops, as there may be a high difference between the prices of the same product in two different stores.

The importance of printers cannot be denied, but this does not mean that you should compromise on the quality. You may take a little bit more time in comparing and then purchasing an inkjet cartridge, but make sure that you are opting for the best one in the market.

Author: Stefan Rockhaus