Do you know the different types of printer cartridges?

V4ink Knowledge Base Updated: October 18, 2017

With the increasing prevalence of printers in both home and office environments, the usage of printer cartridges has increased more than ever. Printer cartridges are designed to fit a specific type of printer or a family of printers, and they come in single color or combined colors depending on the type of device.

Ink Cartridge and Toner Cartridges

Often, people get confused between an ink cartridge and a toner cartridge. These two are distinct products designed for different types of printers. Toner cartridges are used in laser printers, whereas ink cartridges are used for ink printers.

Not only are they made for different printers but they also work differently. Toner cartridges contain a dry powder that bonds to the paper to create the print, on the other hand, ink cartridges contain liquid ink that is transferred directly onto the page.

Types of Ink Cartridges

There are various types of ink cartridges available in the market depending on its make. Understanding the different manufacturing processes will help you to make an informed buying decision.

OEM Ink Cartridges: OEM cartridges are manufactured and designed by the same company that manufactures the printers. These cartridges tend to be of superior quality, since they are designed in accordance with the printer's specifications, and thus yield the highest print quality with a consistent output. However, they also command a high price due to the brand name.

Compatible Third Party Ink Cartridges: Compatible ink cartridges are manufactured from scratch by third parties other than the original manufacturer according to the specifications laid down by the manufacturer. They are designed to be compatible with the printer for which they are designed for, to give you similar output and print quality. They also cost much less than the OEM cartridges and helps to bring down high printing costs.

Compatible ink cartridges prove to be an excellent choice when you primarily need them for rough drafts or prints that are often discarded. However, when you buy them from reputed online stores, you can find high-quality compatible ink cartridges that produce the similar yield and quality as branded cartridges.

Remanufactured cartridges: Remanufactured cartridges are used or empty OEM cartridges that have been refilled, refurbished, and reassembled by professionals. Each part is thoroughly inspected and damaged and worn parts are replaced to meet the high quality of OEM cartridges.

Remanufactured cartridges are less expensive and help to save printing cost. Since, they are manufactured from the old cartridges, they also help to save the environment as they prevent dumping cartridges in landfills.

Refilled cartridges: There is a common misconception that refilled and remanufactured cartridges are similar. The remanufacturing process involves replacing damaged or worn out parts to make them work again, whereas refilling a cartridge simply involves refilling the spent ink in the used cartridge.

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