{"id":4614,"date":"2018-01-24T17:54:29","date_gmt":"2018-01-24T17:54:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ldproducts.com\/blog\/?p=4614"},"modified":"2023-03-20T17:42:37","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T17:42:37","slug":"whats-the-difference-between-ink-and-toner-cartridges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ldproducts.com\/blog\/whats-the-difference-between-ink-and-toner-cartridges\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Difference Between Ink and Toner?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Knowing what cartridges work in your printer is incredibly important.\u00a0 Order the wrong product and you might end up costing your company hundreds of dollars or at least an inconvenient return shipment if the error is caught in time. Ink and toner are two completely different kinds of printer cartridges, each with their own distinct advantages and disadvantages.\u00a0 If you’re looking to learn more about your printer cartridges or looking for a new printer and you’re on the fence about what to buy, this article and infographic below<\/strong> will tell everything you need to know. Keeping reading to become your office’s ink and toner expert!<\/p>\n

What’s the difference between ink and toner?<\/h2>\n

In a nutshell, ink cartridges contain liquid and are used by inkjet printers and toner cartridges contain powder and are used by laser printers.<\/p>\n

The ink inside an ink cartridge<\/strong> can be either dye-based or pigment-based, depending on which cartridge you have. Most inkjet printers on the market traditionally include dye-based inks. \u00a0They are more economical than pigment based ink cartridges and are appreciated for their ability to produce vibrant, true to life color prints and photos.\u00a0 Dye-based inks are not waterproof and can be susceptible to smudging, with many prints tending to fade after 25 years.\u00a0 Pigmented-based ink offers a crisper finish and a quicker dry-time than dye-based ink.\u00a0 It is valued by professional photographers and graphic designers for its ability to print archival quality images and text. Pigment ink also tends to resist water and UV light better than dye-based ink, and is able to resist fading for up to 200 years.<\/p>\n

Toner is a dry powdery substance<\/strong> that won’t stain like an ink cartridges, but it can get messy if handled improperly.\u00a0 Monochrome laser printers print with just a black toner cartridge.\u00a0 Color laser printers use four separate black, cyan, magenta and yellow toner cartridges to produce a print.\u00a0 The drum unit is another very important term you should also be familiar with, because without it, you won\u2019t be able to print!\u00a0 The drum works with the toner cartridge to fuse the toner powder to paper.\u00a0 A drum unit can be built into the toner cartridge<\/strong> or sold separately as a single unit, depending on the consumable requirements of your printer.\u00a0 Toner cartridges with a built-in drum unit are generally more expensive than a single toner cartridge but most consumers find them more convenient because you never have to worry about replacing the drum.\u00a0 Every time you buy a new toner, you are essentially replacing the drum.\u00a0 Separate drum units can typically be replaced after the use of 3-4 toners.\u00a0 To learn more about the difference between a toner and drum unit, check out our blog article on the topic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Who should use it?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Now the big question, which printer is right for you?\u00a0 It all boils down to your printing needs!<\/p>\n

Inkjet printer advantages and disadvantages…<\/em><\/p>\n

Many families, photographers and small home offices prefer inkjet printers.\u00a0 Every inkjet machine prints text, color images and photos. All-in-one inkjets include some combination of fax, scan and copy functionality too.\u00a0 If you plan to print at a small volume on a regular basis or are in need of quality photos, they are a solid choice.\u00a0 However if you are not careful, cartridge replacement may get pricey (more on that later).\u00a0 There are two common ink cartridge combinations.\u00a0 Some printers require just two ink cartridges, a black and tri-color.\u00a0 The tri-color handles handles your color prints, but the downside is you’ll need to replace the entire cartridge if one color is running low.\u00a0 Other printers use individual ink cartridges.\u00a0 You’ll find most printers require a black, cyan, magenta and yellow cartridge but some photo printers may require additional cartridges like a light cyan or light magenta.<\/p>\n

Laser printer advantages and disadvantages…<\/em><\/p>\n

Consumers with high volume printing needs will likely want to go with a laser printer.\u00a0 These machines are best suited for small-medium businesses and schools that print a lot of text heavy documents and color prints.\u00a0 Although the technology seems to be improving every year, photo printing is not recommended on a laser printer.\u00a0 Due to the powdery nature of the toner cartridge, photos can’t reproduce the same tonal distinctions as an inkjet printer and photos tend to end up looking dull.\u00a0 We aren’t saying photos can’t be printed with a laser, but if you are photographer, you’ll likely be dissatisfied with the results. We recommend buying a monochrome laser printer if you just need to print in black. Color laser printers are available for those needing to add a a bit of color to everyday documents.\u00a0 Similar to the all-in-ones mentioned previously, multifunction laser printers provide print, scan, copy and fax capabilities.\u00a0 Practically every printer these days is Wi-Fi ready as well, meaning you can print wirelessly from your laptop, tablet or smartphone.<\/p>\n

For more tips on choosing the right inkjet printer or laser printer, check out a few of our in-depth articles here:<\/p>\n

Best Home Printers for 2023<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s a Good Photo Printer?<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Best Inkjet Printer for Home and Office Use?<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Best Laser Printer For Home and Small Business Use?<\/a><\/p>\n

Which printer cartridge is right for me?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Deciding what features and print options you are looking for in a printer is just part of the story.\u00a0 The cost of printer cartridges is an equally important factor to consider and often overlooked by first-time printer buyers.\u00a0 \u00a0It is no secret that cartridges can be expensive. Cartridge price, cartridge size and the number of pages you get from a cartridge varies wildly across printer models and what printer you choose can ultimately make or break a printing budget, depending on the cost efficiency of its cartridges. First time buyers are often swayed by a big box store\u2019s weekly printer sale, only to later find out that cartridge replacements cost twice as much as the printer.\u00a0 Please don\u2019t get stuck in that trap.\u00a0 Before you buy, map out operating costs for the life of the printer and make sure those costs line up with your printing needs and budget.\u00a0 We will show you what to look out for here:<\/p>\n

Cartridge Cost Considerations<\/h4>\n

Page Yield<\/h5>\n

Every cartridge offers a specific page yield<\/a><\/u>, or an estimated number of pages you can expect to get from a cartridge.\u00a0 Page yield is different for every cartridge series and is based off a 5% page coverage. In order to hold manufacturers accountable to the same standards, every cartridge is subjected to page yield testing based on ISO\/IEC 24711 specifications. This test helps determine what the page yield of an ink cartridge will be, giving customers a reliable way to compare competing products.<\/p>\n

Cartridge Size<\/h5>\n

Cartridges come in a couple of different sizes so understandably their page yields vary. High yield or XL cartridges<\/a> print much more than a standard cartridge and are generally a better value for consumers with high volume printing needs.\u00a0 Standard yield cartridges are less expensive than high yield cartridges and are good option for consumers that print occasionally.\u00a0 Some printers offer extra-high yield cartridges as well, consult the specs on your manufacturer\u2019s website to see if this cartridge option is available for your printer.\u00a0 To learn more about how printer manufacturer’s name their cartridges, check out our cartridge naming guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

HP 63\u00a0\u2013 This standard size ink cartridge prints\u00a0190 pages<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

HP 63XL\u00a0\u2013 This is the larger version (high yield)\u00a0 prints\u00a0480 pages<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Cost Per Page<\/h5>\n

Cost per page<\/a> is the dollar value you will be spending per page to print a document.\u00a0 To determine the cost per page for a particular printer, check the printer\u2019s cartridge yield.\u00a0 Cartridges with a higher page yield are generally more efficient in the long term.\u00a0 We\u2019ll illustrate this by breaking down the cost per page of an HP ink cartridge and compare it to a Brother toner cartridge.<\/p>\n

An original brand standard yield HP 63 black ink cartridge offers a yield of 190 pages and sells for $21.99*.\u00a0 Cost per page is calculated by dividing the page yield by the cost of the ink cartridge, offering a cost per page of 11.5 cents.<\/p>\n

The high yield original HP63XL black ink cartridge is priced higher at $41.99 but offers more prints.\u00a0 Given a yield of 480 pages, the cost per page is slightly better at 8.7 cents.<\/p>\n

Laser toner cartridges, like the Brother TN850 cost more than your typical ink cartridge but they print a lot more too.\u00a0 The original TN850 sells for $115.49 and yields 6,000 pages, or cost of 1.9 cents per page.\u00a0 The TN880 super high yield is about 15 dollars more and prints 12,000 pages at 1-cent cost per page.<\/p>\n

Ways to Save Even More on Printing Costs<\/h5>\n

Compatible brand cartridges from LD Products offer comparable print quality and page yield to an original brand cartridge for a fraction of the cost. Choosing a compatible cartridge will bring your cost per page down significantly and best of all, they are backed by an industry best lifetime guarantee.\u00a0 For example, our LD brand compatible HP 63XL cartridge offers the same page yield as the original cartridge for half the price.\u00a0 Currently selling at $26.99<\/a>, this brings the cost per page down to 5.6 cents. \u00a0The TN880 laser toner cartridge is an even better deal!\u00a0 We sell a compatible for $27.99<\/a>, offering a page yield of just .23 cents!\u00a0 We carry thousands of compatible options for practically every printer model on the market, check them out on our website.<\/p>\n

For a quick breakdown of the key differences between ink and toner, check out our infographic!\u00a0 If you have any questions about printer cartridges or are looking for suggestions on what printer to buy, reach out to us in the comments.<\/p>\n

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*Savings based on price comparison between remanufactured\/compatible cartridge prices on\u00a0www.LDProducts.com<\/a><\/sub> and OEM cartridge and printer prices from the listed retailers: Staples. All prices effective as of June 27, 2022.\u00a0 OEM names are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with, and do not endorse LD Products.<\/sub><\/p>\n