Advice for Toner on a color laser printer
Advice for Toner on a color laser printer
I have an
HP Color LaserJet MFP M277dw
printer. I have been disappointed with the color and have been hounded by toner that wipes off and stray lines and yellow streaking. I suspect it is the off brand cheap replacement toner I put in it. HP brand is however obscenely expensive. Is there a way to distinguish decent replacement toner from c#$p that will break my printer?
A link to an article or any leads would help.
It's often difficult when using third-party toner products. Similarly, purchasing HP toner from authorized sources can be costly. But you might find savings by signing up for HP's Instant Ink and Toner subscription service. I personally use HP inkjet cartridges, which have significantly reduced my previous cartridge expenses at local stores. The subscription has helped extend the life of the cartridges—my last big-box purchases exceeded $120, usually lasting about nine months, with occasional extra costs for individual colors. Previously, annual cartridge prices were around $180.
The current subscription is priced between $7 and $8 per month, totaling under $100 a year. The main drawback is the monthly page limit; exceeding 100 pages adds an extra $1 each month. I can adjust my page usage if needed. I tend to be more mindful about printing and avoid wasting pages.
My advice is to compare the cost of buying toner separately versus the subscription. Checking the printer’s admin pages or reports can show how many pages are printed monthly.
For more details: https://www.hp.com/us-en/printers/instant-ink.html
Please review the terms carefully and calculate your potential savings.
Overall, print quality will improve and your printer may last longer. Unless there are lingering problems from previous toner issues, this could be a worthwhile option.
I don’t own an HP printer like that, so I haven’t had direct experience here. However, I’ve used a Lexmark Colour Laser printer for many years, mostly with third-party toners from a company called Moustache. They consistently performed well for me, and I always thought the print quality matched what I got from original Lexmark cartridges. About a year ago, that printer stopped working due to a burnt-out heater in the fuser area, and my family gave me a colour Laser from Brother, model HL-L3290 CDW. I’ve bought Moustache toner cartridges for it already, but the original “start-up” cartridges haven’t run out—though I recently had to replace a Black one. So far, there’s no noticeable difference.
I’m based in Canada, so I purchase from 123Ink.ca, an online retailer here
https://www.123ink.ca/
All prices listed are in Canadian dollars, but the concept applies elsewhere. I usually chose the “High Yield” versions because they offer better value per page. On that site, a set of all four colours as Re-Manufactured HP units (not brand new) costs C$350, while the equivalent set from Moustache is C$220.
I want to mention something about toner issues. Certain toners can simply be wiped away. There are specific paper types that won’t work in a laser printer. I’m aware that glossy photo paper isn’t compatible with laser printers—it won’t let the ink bond properly. Even though prints from a laser on plain paper aren’t identical to those from an ink jet on photo paper, they’re still acceptable for decorative photos. I place them in frames with glass fronts to mimic a glossy look.
Streaky prints can often stem from a faulty toner cartridge. Some toners can be cleaned gently with a dry cloth. Others, like the ones in my Brother unit, include a small wiper that you can use by swiping it a few times before returning the cart to the printer. Certain printers also have a “cleaning utility” for removing dust and toner buildup in the paper feed—check your manual for details. This usually requires discarding a couple of sheets or using extra paper.