Ink and Toner Cartridges for Your Printer

In the world of printers there are two major types: Inkjet and Laser. While there are other subcategories for each type, these are the major distinctions. Each printer uses a different type of cartridge to make them run: for an Inkjet printer you need an ink cartridge, for a laser printer you need a toner cartridge.

Ink Cartridges

Inkjet printers are the more commonly used printer, due to the fact that they are usually several times less expensive than a laser printer. One drawback to inkjet printers, though, is that the cartridge will need to be replaced more often than with the toner cartridge of a laser printer.

When printing with an average inkjet printer, ink is moved from the cartridge and very gently applied to the paper, to create whatever text, pictures, etc. the print job calls for. The ink itself is in a liquid form, and thus one danger is that the ink may dry up. For most modern ink this is not a major problem unless the printer lies in disuse for extended periods of time.

A cartridge is basically just a little box that holds the ink. They are generally fairly small in size and rectangular in shape. However, as each printer holds its cartridges differently, the exact size and shape will vary.

If you are using a black and white printer, you will require only one cartridge for the printer. For color printers, however, you may require two or more cartridges, depending on the make and model of the printer. Some printers will hold all of the ink in separate pouches of a single cartridge. Other models will provide a cartridge for black ink, and a second cartridge which contains the colored ink. It is also possible that a separate cartridge is provided for each different color. The number of colors used by your printer is usually three, although it can be larger for higher quality color printers.

A relatively new type of ink printer is the solid ink printer. As the name suggests these printers use a specially developed solid form which is then essentially melted onto the page as printing requires. Solid ink printers do not require a cartridge instead the ink comes in solid sticks that are placed directly in the printer.

The price varies widely, however it is usually somewhere in the range of $20-$60. They usually have a lifespan of a few months or so.

Toner Cartridges

Unlike inkjet printers, laser printers don't use ink, they use a special powder referred to as toner, like is used in a photocopier. Laser printers are several times more expensive than their inkjet counterparts, but print much more quickly and quietly.

Although a toner cartridge will usually last much longer than a cartridge, they do eventually run out of powder and must be replaced. Toner cartridges are much larger than ink cartridges, often almost as long as the printer itself.

Just as laser printers are more expensive than inkjet printers, so are toner cartridges more expensive than ink cartridges. While an average ink cartridge will cost somewhere between $20 and $60, a toner cartridge will cost usually at least $100. However, a toner cartridge will generally last much longer than an ink cartridge, a couple of years if not more, depending on how often you use it.

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