Is it safe to purchase compatible HP printer toners?
Whether used in the home or office, printing costs can soar – OEM ‘genuine’ ink created by the printer manufacturer is expensive, designed to provide a boost to their profitability. Instead, many people seek out alternative means to get their ink – namely compatible HP printer toners from third party vendors. But are they safe to use? Well, yes, they are – many compatible printer toners will be remanufactured from the originals; they’ve simply been cleaned, repaired and refilled. Some compatible printer cartridges have been made from scratch – the quality of these third party cartridges have advanced so much that you wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference between their prints and the ones produced by the originals. The only difference will be in the money you’ll save. Here, we’re going to explore just how purchasing remanufactured cartridges for your HP printer is not only safe but what else you should think about before taking the purchasing plunge.
Everything you should know before purchasing compatible HP toners
Before we look into how to make the right purchasing decision, you may be asking what constitutes an OEM and ‘compatible’ cartridge?
The differences between printer cartridge types
An ‘Original Equipment Manufacturer’ (OEM) is a branded cartridge made by the printer manufacturer – an HP cartridge for your HP printer. Compatible HP printer toners are also brand-new but have been made by a third-party manufacturer – in terms of functionality though, it has been specifically designed to mimic the workings of the original (so there is little difference between the two). Confusingly, remanufactured cartridges (mentioned above), will often be referred to as ‘compatible’ cartridges too – but they are not the same, as they’re essentially refills of older cartridges.
Why are compatible HP printer toners cheaper?
The price of OEM printer cartridges are impacted by the brand’s overheads, not simply a drive for profit. Brands like HP invest heavily into their research and development, as well as marketing – something that third parties don’t have to worry about. This means that they’re able to concentrate on making their products and pass the savings down to the customer.
How do I know I’m buying a good quality compatible cartridge?
It should be noted that low-cost isn’t always best – some third parties will offer basement-price products after making a compromise on quality. It’s always a good idea to do your own research about the vendor you’re buying from before you go ahead with the sale – look at their website in detail (do they seem knowledgeable and professional?) and look for reviews of their products. Ultimately, like most things in life, you will get what you pay for – the best deal you can do for compatible HP printer toners is one that is able to balance price with quality. You’ll be circumventing the vast cost of OEM products yet avoiding paying for poor quality cartridges – all it takes is a little due diligence.
I’ve heard that non-OEM printer cartridges will affect my warranty?
Absolutely not. This is a myth – trade laws do not allow the use of a specific product as a condition of warranty unless it is provided at no cost to the user. A printer manufacturer cannot void your warranty simply because you have chosen a different brand of toner cartridge. Therefore, you can use compatible HP print cartridges safely without having to worry about your machines if they were to ever break down.
Browse our range of compatible printer toners
Now you know what to look out for, why not take a look around our website? Here at Zinetic, we offer a wide selection of compatible and remanufactured HP printer toner cartridges. Produced by us directly, our compatible HP toners are designed to closely mimic the qualities of the originals – and to be of sufficient quality, an HP compatible toner must guarantee clear and smudge-free prints, as well as meet the declared page yield. If you have any questions about our compatible HP printer toners or on anything printer-related in general, our dedicated team would be happy to help. Call us on 0118 328 2005 or click on our ‘Contact Us’ tab to send us an e-mail.