An Ink or Toner Cartridge can be described as a container of liquid or powder that is loaded into a device such as a printer. (do you remember ‘fountain pen’ re-fills as being a big hit?) A cartridge that has been refilled for use in a printer is considered a Remanufactured or Refurbished Cartridge.

Many people use the terms ‘toner’ and ‘ink’ interchangeably but they’re really two different things. Toner is a dry powder used in laser printers and ink is a liquid that is used mainly in ink-jet printers. It is generally accepted that laser printers typically cost less to operate than ink-jet printers, but you can save on either of the two by using the less expensive Remanufactured cartridges that are available in today’s marketplace.

Most of the printer manufacturing companies will warn against using remanufactured or refurbished cartridges. You see, they make most of their revenue from selling cartridges, not printers, so they do everything they can to try to encourage you to buy theirs alone, and not some Remanufactured cartridge coming from an “upstart” trying to duplicate their product.

Some manufacturing companies still assert that by using a remanufactured or refurbished cartridge your warranty will be voided.  However, unless it is found that it somehow damaged the printer (which is extremely unlikely) the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act which was passed and signed into law way back in 1975, specifically prohibits a manufacturer from voiding your warranty simply for using another brand— Refurbished, Remanufactured or new!

Poor print quality claims submitted by some manufactures are a bit more of a gray area. Yes, if you use poor quality cartridges (do a little research), this can happen but consider that if poor print quality occurs simply find another supplier, and this time make sure they’ve been around a while; and when you find a good supplier, stay with them.

There are several advantages associated with the use of Remanufactured & Refurbished ink cartridges. In addition to offering a cheaper substitute for new cartridges, such cartridges are much more environmentally friendly, given that they are former new cartridges that have been refilled and are being used again instead of being sent to a land fill for disposal.

There are no physical differences between a new ink or toner cartridge and a Remanufactured or Refurbished cartridge; thus, installing a Remanufactured or Refurbished cartridge requires the exact same procedures as that for installing a new one.

Fortunately, there are plenty of companies who sell Remanufactured or Refurbished toner & ink cartridges which generally cost anywhere from 25% to 50% less than the brand-new version from the printer’s manufacturer.  So, why not start saving today?