InkJet Printer Ink Cartridge

Page yield is the number of pages that you can print with a printer cartridge. It is also known as cartridge yield. Many cartridge manufacturers use the terms “standard yield” or “high yield” to describe their printer cartridge but each cartridge should have a page yield value. It is the number of pages a cartridge can print under normal condition. Page yield is one of the factors you should consider when purchasing a printer cartridge because it gives you an estimate of the cost per page for a given cartridge.
Page yield is affected by many factors and the result is highly variable depending on the testing methods. In the past, different cartridge manufacturers used different testing standards to measure page yield so the consumers were comparing “apples to oranges” sometimes. A standardized method is thus necessary for a meaningful comparison. In recent years, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) has established reliable and standard methods to test page yield / cartridge yield. These standards allow the consumers to compare “apples to apples” in an objective way.
ISO has established two standard testing methods, ISO/IEC 24711 and ISO/IEC 19752 for measuring the page yield of inkjet cartridges and monochrome toner cartridges respectively. In both methods, the printer cartridges are tested using default setting on plain paper. Standard test documents representing approximately 5% coverage are printed almost continuously with normal breaks for adding paper. The printing job stops when the cartridge reaches its end of life, which is indicated by a signal that the ink or toner has been depleted. To reduce the error due to individual printer variations, a total of 9 cartridges are tested on 3 different printers (i.e. 3 cartridges per printer) and the average yield is measured. The tests are done under controlled environmental conditions with temperature and humidity similar to ambient conditions in homes and offices.
Although an ISO standard has not been established for photo printer cartridges and laser toner cartridges, major printer manufacturers use robust methods similar to ISO standard in their testing. Their goal is to provide reliable page yield / cartridge yield value for the consumers so you can make an informed decision when purchasing a printer or printer cartridge.
As you can see, page yield testing is conducted under strict standard conditions. If you are shopping for printers or discount printer supplies, don’t just look at the price of the printer or the printer cartridge, compare the page yield as well and estimate the cost per page of different types of cartridges. This should give you a better picture if you are getting a real bargain.
And finally, please note that the number of pages you can print with a printer cartridge depends on the content or image you print, printer settings, paper size, paper type, frequency of use, the interval between printing jobs, and environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. The page yield value should be used as a reference only. If you are going to print a lot of photos or graphic works, or you print in the highest resolution each time, you may print fewer pages than expected.

With so many printer models available it can be daunting doing all the necessary research before making a purchase. Samsung are well known for their high build quality and excellent printouts, but with such a huge range of inkjet and laser printers, how do you choose one to suit your needs? Below are 3 suggestions for the best Samsung printers to use in the home office.Samsung ML-2851ND Laser PrinterThe Samsung ML-2851ND is a monolaser printer with great attributes for a home office. Its size is compact and would take up little room on a desktop. The printer is capable of printing 3,000 quality pages a month and is shipped with a toner cartridge that can fulfill 2,000 pages. Installation is very simple and can be connected to the computer or to a network with a wireless router. This printer also has a feature that saves toner and will reduce toner usage by up to 40%.Samsung SCX-4200 Multifunction PrinterThe Samsung SCX-4200 is a great idea for a home office on a budget. This printer is a multifunctional machine with printing, scanning and copying capabilities. The print quality is great and the print speed is comparable to higher priced competition. This machine is small for the number of functions it carries out and would fit nicely on a standard office desk. This printer ships with a cartridge capable of printing 1,000 pages and retail stores offer 4,000 page replacement cartridges. There is also a 2 line LCD screen on the printer with menu options.Samsung ML-3051N Monochrome Laser PrinterAnother printer that is great for home office use is the Samsung ML-3051N. This printer offers impressive paper handling features and can print on up to legal sized paper. The paper cassette holds 250 sheets and the printer also houses a multipurpose tray to hold additional stacks of paper. Included in the purchase is a 4,000 page printer cartridge and retail stores sell ink for up to 8,000 pages. The printer is capable of 19.22 pages per minute and is also able to print color pages. The print quality is comparable to higher priced printers and impressed reviewers with its text print quality. Another nice feature of this printer are the hand grips on either side. This makes picking up and moving the printer easier and the risk of dropping it is lower.These printers are ideal for small to medium volume home offices and can produce for multiple users. Samsung offers a 1 year warranty with the printers described above. Telephone support is available 7 days a week from 9AM to 9PM.

Although Hewlett Packard along with Canon in best known for the development and popularization of the now common inkjet style of printing is was Hewlett Packard so to speak who “broke the dam”.
The cultures of both Canon and Hewlett Packard were predominantly “Engineer Companies”.
Hence the personalities at both ends were able to “speak the other’s language “even though there may have been cultural and language barriers of sorts.
As well the two groups - Canon and HP were able to jointly corroborate on the development of the ubiquitous ink cartridge printers in the same manner even though in a business sense they it may have been strictly considered competitors ..
There were considerable technical and practical difficulties in the developments of both product streams.
As engineers the two sides saw the development as a puzzle to solved, a project to finish to satisfaction rather than two competitors.
It is an interesting historical footnote that the HP Inkjet product development was almost repeatedly killed due to antithesis from an engineer’s point of view that that a product (the inkjet cartridges) should be made only to be thrown out in the trash.
At the time Dot Matrix Printers with a “Daisy Wheel”, which were much like the typewriters of the day with an ink ribbon which rolled past the paper to replenish itself, were the standard and norm? As well color inkjet printers although available somewhat in different less standardized, less advanced forms were not widely used.
People in offices liked the new LaserJet printers. They were tired of waiting around for slow, noisy Dot Matrix printing of their documents. Laser printing was quick, silent and indeed “Magic”.
The first LaserJet’s were somewhat expensive at approximately $ 4000 a machine.
However it must be remembered that this was not out of line with the cost of a computer at the time.
The LaserJet’s were often connected to a number of computers through early Local Area Networks (LANS). The printer was thus shared among a number of computers and the objections of cost in both marketing and purchasing departments to the perceived value of the early laser printers
As noted employees loved the speed and management as well as the ever controlling executive secretaries loved the peace and quiet. Indeed it was both very impressive and intimidating site to both visitors and competitors that such a quiet work area could both so productive and deadly.
Along the way printer sharing devices were commercially introduced to present low cost and easily set up (Non LAN) answers to the high cost of laser printing.
These printer sharing devices were often so advanced in their features and ease of use in their print queuing and print spooling capacities that they put the mainframe computer systems of the day to shame.
Because of the acceptance of this product line both 3rd party software and hardware support was provided by the progressive vendors of the time.
Those by and large are the basis of the features we take for granted today both in terms of Word Processing / office software programs be they WordPerfect of Microsoft Office or the widespread use of fonts and supportive device drivers for graphics in the Windows , Macintosh operating systems among others.
At an earlier point the sign that you war e dealing with a major corporation or enterprise was that the document your received was printed with the distinctive font of the IBM Electric Typewriter ( then $ 3,000 or so the price of a car).
That standard now became the print and feel of the then special Laser printers.
Since the corporate environment is a very lucrative as well as trend setting focuses of the computer industry it was not long before “LaserJet Clones “became available on the marketplace.
Luckily this spurred on both product development, and ultimately increased market penetration, product support and reduced costs.
Thus the die was set for the major acceptance of Laser printers as ” The Standard ” of Business document presentation and image.

Toner-based printers are called as such because of the use of toners for printing. Toners are a kind of powder that is made out of either carbon or synthetic polymers. Originally, toner-based printers are only able to print text and images in black and white. It was only recently that colored toners have been manufactured allowing these printers to print text and images in black and white and colored.How do Toner-Based Printers Work?An electrostatic charge is distributed evenly around a light-sensitive device in the printer called a drum. The image or text that is to be printed on the paper or board is then projected on the drum through some form of light source. This light source keeps the static charge on the drum to stay on the drum. Any portion of the drum that is not lighted will loose the electrostatic charge that was distributed when the printer was started. The paper or board is then fed. The toner, being in powder form, is immediately caught on the drum and then transferred onto the paper. There are two kinds of toner-based printers that are available in the market today. The most common is the laser printer. These use laser beams that precisely lights the drum surface during the printing process. Because of this, it is able to produce high quality text and images.The other kind of toner-based printer is the LED printer. The only difference between this kind of printer and a laser printer is the light source. Instead of using laser beams, these printers use LED light to project the image and text onto the light-sensitive drum.Common Brands of Toner-Based PrintersThe most common brands of toner-based printers used today are:Hewlett-Packard Canon Epson Brother LexmarkAdvantages of Toner-Based PrintersOne of the advantages of using toner-based printers is their ability to print on both pages of the paper, allowing many users to cut their paper usage by half. This ability has also lessened the bulkiness of the end printing materials like reports and manuals.Another advantage of toner-based printers is that they are not prone to water damage that is normally experienced by users of liquid inkjet printers.Disadvantages of Toner-Based PrintersMany health experts have stated that using toner-based printers can cause a number of health problems which is not experienced by those that use other kinds of printers. This is because these printers use toners which are made of extremely fine particles. Another disadvantage is the cost. Although these printers are able to provide high quality printed text and images, the initial cost of buying these kinds of printers are higher than other kinds of printers. Even the toner cartridges, especially colored toner cartridges, are more expensive than inkjet cartridges.

The customer reviews for Epson printers vary from too bad to very good. Customers have widely different views regarding the performance, speed, print quality, durability and reliability of Epson machines. Most of the compliments are about the remarkable print quality and colors of Epson inkjets. An example is the review written by D. Childress from San Diego which says that “The 1280 is destined to be a great workhorse printer as the high resolution print quality is superb and the durability is excellent.” Yet another customer G. Marshall from Searcy writes that “The Epson 1280 is one of the best inkjet printers on the market today.”

Many reviewers have rated certain models of Epson as five star machines owing to the fact that the print quality is worth the ink costs and is comparable to the lab quality print outs. Epson machines are often praised by the customers for sharp colors and effective usage in printing photographs, technical drawings and graphics. Another compliment that an Epson machine receives very often is its excellent paper handling mechanisms.

Machine settings work perfectly well and are easy to apply. Epson Stylus Photo 1280 Inkjet Printer is believed to produce prints that are better than all laser jets. Many customer comments say that Epson machines are remarkably fast and reliable. Quite a large number of customers have appreciated in their online comments that Epson machines are quiet and smooth in their operation.

In spite of a large number of compliments, there are certain critical reviews about Epson printers as well. While an Epson machine produces excellent large format prints, it is not considered very suitable for printing small format prints. When printing small prints, it produces blurry results and false colors.

The most common complaint against Epson is the excessive ink costs and extraordinarily large consumption of ink. Many customers have criticized the fact that certain Epson models allow no other ink cartridge to be used except those manufactured by the company itself. A reviewer called Maurice from Maidenhead states in her critical review of Epson CX6600 that “I’ve sworn to never buy an Epson printer as company has tried to prevent third party cartridge competition via use of proprietary chip in their printer cartridges.” Customers have complained that large amounts of ink are wasted in cleaning the nozzles whenever ink is put in.

Customers have generally complained against the fact that an Epson machine needs high maintenance. Certain Epson machines are criticized for creating a smell in the surroundings if used continuously for long durations. The sponge employed for absorbing extra ink often fails to fulfill its purpose well, and gets stuck into the wheels.

In short, the customer reviews about Epson printers vary widely in their nature, ranging from one star to a five star rating. The nature of comments also varies from one model to another.

There is no doubt that in all walks of life, things have to change in terms the consumption of the earth’s resources, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the recycling of electrical and electronic waste.

Estimates show that the amount of electronic, electrical and chemical waste produced in a lifetime per person in the western world is about 3.3 tonnes. In the UK alone, 1 million tonnes of electrical and electronic waste goes into landfill every year. Surely this will only increase as time goes on unless actions and attitudes change? Current trends are just not responsible or sustainable. An estimated 1 billion people live below the poverty line, 2 billion people lack safe water, 3.1 billion lack sanitation and millions of children live on rubbish dumps around the world.

And this when around 20% of the world’s population is in the developed world and yet they are responsible for 80% of commercial energy use, 75% of timber consumption, 50% of fish and grain consumption and 40% fresh water consumption

Meanwhile, in 2005, the World Land Trust declared that almost 90% of all office printing and copier cartridges can be reused or recycled. We need to see this happen.

The statistics are scary, but certainly big strides are being made in legislation and environmental standards in the electronics industry. The WEEE directive in the UK and Germany “Blue Angel” scheme are two such initiatives. Sanctions against companies who ignore their responsibilities are severe.

However, on an individual basis when it comes to buying new equipment, everyone can do their bit by taking time to learn a little more about the environmental impact of certain types of equipment. For example, when it comes to office or home printers, we can recognise that longevity and durability is not restricted to the body of the printer only. Just as important are the moving parts and imaging elements of the printer.

Different manufacturers, and different machines across any individual manufacturers range, have configurations which increase user-convenience by integrating all the mission-critical elements into one disposal replacement kit. It is not hard to see that that the short-term cost saving [ which actually in some cases may not be so great] and convenience can have a high cost in terms of correct and managed disposal of the replacement parts.

Inkjet printers are largely configured either with an integrated ink tank/print head or with long-lasting print head with separate ink tank(s). Additionally there are variations on the long-lasting print head configuration. These can comprise those with replaceable heads OR those with permanent units that are factory fitted with no user-replaceable parts. Lexmark are exclusively in the first category, with integrated cartridges only, and Brother and Epson are exclusively in the final category with fixed, long-life print heads only. Canon and Hewlett-Packard are in both categories, with both configurations found in their product range, while Hewlett-Packard also has models based on both replaceable AND permanent long-life print head

Where Laser printers are concerned, the situation is very much the same. Some manufacturers use single-piece toner cartridges where the whole, business-end imaging system is contained within one unit, while others split the unit down into component parts.

These components in essence, comprise the toner cassette, the developing roller and the OPC (imaging) drum. There are configurations that either split all three elements apart or simply split off the toner cassette from the mechanical elements (developer roller and OPC drum) that are contained in an imaging unit. In some instances (more typical of colour laser printers) the developer roller and the toner are combined with a separate OPC drum.

Print engine manufacturers typically employing the single-piece design include (for mono laser printers) Canon; Lexmark; Ricoh; and Fuji Xerox. Those typically employing a two- or three-piece configuration, but also some single-piece units include: Brother; Konica Minolta; Oki; and Sharp.

Lexmark is in the position of being a majority single-piece manufacturer with some printers that have a multi-part build. Kyocera is in a category of its own with an ultra long-life OPC drum configuration.

On the Total Cost of Printing agenda, printers with multipart configurations were once guaranteed to offer a lower Cost Per Page overall. But this is no longer the case because manufacturers have realised the power of marketing based on Cost Per Page and not on the cost of the consumable items with ink or toner.

Generally speaking, at the higher end of the market, mono laser printers use a single-piece toner cartridge with all the imaging elements contained within it. This is because the drum is worked hard and it would be very difficult to guarantee the drum life much beyond the life of the toner contained in the cartridge (particularly at 30,000 pages per cartridge).

However, even in these cases, there are significant environmental implications to following the long-life, multi-part, route ‘ for the printer user as well as for the manufacturer and the planet.

Now-a-days, printers can be found in almost all offices and homes. In fact, we can say that printers have become an integral part of the lives of majority of us, especially because most of our personal or office work is done on computers. Printer ink cartridges came into existence in the mid 1980’s and since then they have successfully enhanced the printing experience of the users. There are a number of companies which manufacture Ink cartridges, but one of the companies which have succeeded in maintaining their brand popularity and name in the market is Canon. Canon Ink Cartridges have been in the market for a very long time now and the reason for their continued success in the market is the unbeatable printing experience which they provide to their users. Canon Ink cartridges are very famous among small, medium as well as large businesses as they give full value for money.Many customers even compare the Canon Cartridges with insurance for their printers as they believe that using Canon Ink Cartridges are the best way to ensure the optimum functioning of one’s computer. The use of Canon cartridges also increases the life of one’s printers.Today, when there are so many refurbished and remanufactured cartridges available in the market, Canon Ink Cartridges still continue to rule the market to a huge extent, this is because of their high performance, efficiency and compatibility factor which is absent in the Cartridges manufactured by other companies.If one is not using Printer Cartridges of reputed companies like Canon Ink Cartridges, then it is very likely that the performance of one’s computer will be affected. In some instances, the use of low quality Ink cartridges might result in ink and toner leakages, and might even lead to print outs of very low quality and inconsistency. However, the use of ink cartridges of reputed companies like Canon can definitely save one’s computer from major malfunctioning.The use of Cartridges of non-repute might not only harm your computer, but might also force you to change the ink cartridge before it is actually used up, which might prove to be very expensive for one in the long run. The problems caused by such ink cartridges also include increased downtime, which will undoubtedly result in loss to one’s business.The incompatibility of these cartridges with your printer will increase the repair costs involved and hence will rob you of the very little money which you could have saved by investing in a relatively cheaper cartridge. The use of such products is bound to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the users.The Canon Ink cartridges are manufactured using the latest technology and can be used to print on almost all types of paper. If one is looking for a wonderful printing experience and increased life of one’s computer, then Canon Ink Cartridges will prove to be the best choice for you.

Many printer users often struggle to choose between using compatible or genuine ink cartridges. While one is a big name brand trusted and used by millions, the other seems like the same, except much cheaper in price.

Before we get into more details…..it seems like many people tend to stay away from compatible brands because they are afraid that they could lose warranty of their printer.

Let us help you clarify this!

Will you lose warranty of your printer if you decide to use compatible cartridges?

The answer is “NO”!

You see, customers have the right to choose the brand of ink they want to use and your warranty service cannot be refused…….unless there is proof that the compatible cartridge has damaged the printer.

So, if you were told that your printer warranty will be void if you were to use third party brands….well, guess what! It’s actually against the law!

With original cartridges, while this may not be a worry (Both in quality, performance and warranty), but the expense of using such consumables can become quite enormous!

Let’s just say you decided the purchase the genuine black HP No 02 ink cartridge which costs you $16. You can buy a compatible one at probably around $9 Yes! That’s a new compatible HP No 2 black ink cartridge at almost half price!

Yet, it gives similar, if not better printouts!

But why are the price markups so different? Well…think about it this way, big name companies like Canon, HP, Epson, Lexmark….etc are BIG BRAND companies.

Let’s just say you go and buy yourself a handbag….obviously there are many cheap ones and of course….extremely expensive ones like the LV, Prada and Dior.

However, it doesn’t mean the cheaper handbags will carry less stuff or break within 1 month. Of course, different people have different opinions so it really depends on you. While some may say they only trust big brands…others might say big brands are rip offs.

Of course, if you decide to use compatible cartridges over originals, whether it’s inkjet, fax, copier or laser toner cartridges. The most important thing to look at is the supplier you purchase the supplies from.

You see, there are so many compatible cartridges on the market and you’re always going to find cheaper ones….no matter what! The only question is…..are you willing to take the risk?

Think about this….Would you rather spend $6.50 on a reliable compatible ink or spend $2.95 (Save $3.55) and only found out later that it actually damaged your printer….or the printouts becomes unbearable….???

How about this…you just came home from a long days HARD WORK and extremely excited when your parcel finally arrived, thinking that you can relax and print your favorite photos…..but the second you open your parcel…

ARRRHHHHH !!!!

That’s right….one cartridge was broken and ink were leaking all over it. But fine….there are still 3 cartridges remaining which you can use. You start clipping your compatible cartridge into the slot (still thinking how smart you were saving $30 from the order) and guess what! The cartridge didn’t work!!!

ARRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

That’s right! Now…how much will it cost you to send back to get a replacement….??? (At the same time fearing that your replacment cartridges won’t work)

Therefore, it is important to choose a reliable supplier who can offer Full Guarantee on all their printer cartridges, especially with their compatible brands. This way, you are protected to try out the cheaper alternatives and if everything works well for you. You will be saving heaps of money for many years to come.

Happy Printing!

Every time we mention the term “ink printers,” we immediately think of inkjet printers that use liquid ink to print text and images onto a sheet of paper. There are actually two kinds of ink printers: liquid printers, which are the most common, and solid ink printers.How do Solid Ink Printers WorkAs the term implies, solid ink printers use sticks of ink instead of liquid ink that is used in inkjet printers and toners for laser printers. The ink sticks are loaded into the printer in the same manner as you would load ink or toner cartridges. These ink sticks are then melted by the printer for the ink to be transferred to the paper. Advantages of Solid Ink PrintersThe advantages of using solid ink printers are as follows:Solid ink printing technology was based on offset printing principles. As such, solid ink printers are able to print out text and images with high-quality and vibrant colors. Once solid ink printers are warmed up to melt the solid ink sticks, printing is extremely fast. Less waste materials are produced by solid ink printers. Since the inks are sold in the form of ink sticks, there is no need for these to be placed inside a cartridge. Ink sticks do not leave any residue in the printer nozzles preventing any form of blockage.Because the ink sticks are manufactured using vegetable oil, they are less prone to smearing and blurring which is the common problem in liquid inkjet printers.Solid ink printers are less sensitive to paper thickness and paper fibers. This would allow you to print on a number of different surfaces including recycled and handmade paper.Disadvantages of Solid Ink PrintersWhile solid ink printers have proven to be a good choice for printing in terms of printing quality and printing speed, these have their own disadvantages:Printers take a very long time to warm up. At times, it would cause a user to wait as long as 15 minutes to wait for the printer to melt the solid ink sticks. This is not a good option for people who would need to print a number of pages at a short period of time. Solid ink printers are highly sensitive to movement because it uses melted ink wax sticks. While the printer is turned on and printing, the user must make sure that it would not be touched or moved even very slightly.Solid ink sticks are made of vegetable oils and have a waxy texture which releases a particular odor while it is being melted.

We have reached at a consensus that there is a conspiracy afloat. Every kind of printers from the inkjet printers to the toner printers is incredibly inexpensive. There seems to be more and more of a need for these toner cartridges in the market. Though cartridges are costly they have some compound technology in them that would make them cheaper over-all than it would be to keep restoring the printer heads.

There are three major classifications of inkjet and toner cartridges available in the market. They are Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) cartridges, re-manufactured cartridges, and compatible cartridges. OEM cartridges are those we normally find in our office supply stores. While compatible cartridges meet the specification as per the manufacturer for the ink or tone, re-manufactured cartridges are essentially, OEM cartridges that have been used, cleaned, refilled, and quality checked. .

Toner cartridges are designed to deliver professional quality black image and text printing. The output is far superior to other printing solutions. There are certain misconceptions about the compatible toner cartridges; this article focuses on clarifying them.•

• Compatible Toner cartridges are cheap cartridges.

A cheap toner cartridge doesn’t mean that there is a compromise with the quality. These manufactured by the third party contain the exact toner required for the printer.

• Printer warranty will be void if a Compatible toner cartridge is used.

The government has passed legislation to ensure that it is illegal for a manufacturer to force you to buy certain supplies. This would lead to monopoly with high prices and lack of competition if allowed.

• A compatible toner cartridge will damage the printer.

It is highly unlikely but possible sometimes, for a toner cartridge to leak and cause streaking on the paper. This can be resolved by a simple cleaning and replacement of the toner cartridge.

To cut your printing budget in half and continue to get a high quality print, find reputable online toner merchant who provides accurate information about printer accessories which will help you get your projects done and printed accurately.