There are many different toner cartridges online and it can be confusing to decide which option is best for you or your company. This post will provide some insight into the differences between OEM, Compatible and Remanufactured toners.

What is OEM Toner?

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, also called genuine or original, which are cartridges manufactured by the company that produced your specific printer/device.

What is Compatible Toner?

This is an alternative to an OEM toner and is manufactured by a company other than the OEM. It is made with 100% new parts and designed as closely as possible to the original, without infringing on the patent of the original manufacturer.

What is Remanufactured Toner?

Also known as refilled, it is a combination of the OEM and the compatible toner. These used OEM cartridges are recycled and purchased from companies that empty, clean, and refill the cartridges.

What if the Toner is Defective?

With all toner cartridges whether that be OEM, compatible or remanufactured there is always a possibility of a defective cartridge. This can only be known once the cartridge is inserted into the printer. Unfortunately, there are errors within production and although not frequent at all, it happens from time to time. If a purchased cartridge is not responding once inputted into your printer, please contact your representative, or fill out a return form following our return policy.

Are There Any Risks to Buying Compatible/Reman Toners?

While maintaining our integrity of providing full transparency to buyers, yes. An error that does occur from time to time is a chip reading error. Although not exclusive to these cartridges, it does happen more frequently with compatible and reman toners. The primary cause for this is due to updates on the brand name printer. When this is done without the compatible toner chip being updated, the chip will not be read once inserted into the printer. However, compatible toner manufacturers are very good at keeping up with these updates and ensuring that the chips are updated promptly. Same as a defective cartridge, these can be returned for a new cartridge that has been updated.

What is the Biggest Difference Between OEM vs Compatible/Reman Toner?

Price. In any aspect, paying for the brand name item will always cost more compared to the compatible brand. A well-made compatible toner cartridge is designed to have the same yield, colour output and print quality as the OEM.

At PrintersPlus we pride ourselves in carrying both OEM cartridges and reputable compatible and remanufactured toner cartridges. It should be known that whatever toner you decide to purchase is your choice completely. If you require any additional information or would like to know the different parts available for each manufacturer for your printer. Please follow the ‘contact us’ option at the top of our website, a sales representative would be more than happy to assist you.

**Tricks of the Trade**

If you want to save costs and have a good pair of tweezers, we have a good trick for you. In the toner world, the chip is the most expensive part of the cartridge. Some compatible toner cartridges can be purchased without the chip in them. If a compatible toner cartridge without a chip is purchased, you can remove the chip from your OEM brand cartridge and insert it into your new compatible cartridge. It takes a delicate hand to do so, but there are also plenty of videos online that will explain how to specifically go about this. The more you know the better!