Toner Cartridges - Genuine OEM vs. Compatible vs. Remanufactured

07/18/2024

Most printer owners and toner cartridge consumers have encountered terms like "genuine," "original," "OEM," "compatible," "generic," "remanufactured," and "refilled" when shopping for toners online. However, many are unclear about what each of these terms means.

Generally, people know that genuine (OEM/original) toners are priced higher than compatible (generic) and remanufactured (refilled) toners. But why is this the case?

To understand this, it's important to distinguish between the three main types of toner cartridges:

Genuine OEM toner cartridges
Compatible toner cartridges (generic)
Remanufactured/refilled toner cartridges

Each type of toner cartridge has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Before diving into the specific strengths and weaknesses of each type, let's briefly describe what genuine OEM, compatible, and remanufactured toner cartridges are:

Genuine OEM Toner Cartridges

Genuine OEM cartridges are manufactured by the original brand manufacturer of the printer they are being used for.

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer.

For example, genuine HP toners are manufactured by HP and genuine Brother toners are manufactured by Brother.

Here is how OEM toner cartridges look. As you can see from the image, these Brother OEM toner cartridges feature clear branding, high-quality materials, and precise construction. Non-OEM third-party toners typically lack these characteristics.

Genuine toners are designed specifically for their corresponding printer models, ensuring perfect compatibility and optimal performance.

They are crafted to work seamlessly with the printer's technology and recommended paper types, providing consistent, high-quality prints.

Unlike third-party options, genuine toners are original and brand new, manufactured by the printer's original maker, which ensures they meet strict quality standards and deliver reliable results.

Compatible Toner Cartridges

Compatible toner cartridges are produced by third-party manufacturers and are often referred to as generic toners.

These cartridges have no affiliation with the original printer manufacturer.

Compatible toner cartridges

Best compatible toner manufacturers and the best generic toner brands essentially attempt to replicate the original toner design without infringing on the original manufacturer's product patent.

The process is similar to pharmaceutical companies manufacturing generic prescription drugs that are meant to mirror the original brand name drug.

Like generic prescription drugs, many compatible toners are very close replicates of the original toner model, however many also are very far off from the original.

With compatible toners, although many compatible toner manufacturers are able to produce toners that tightly mirror the original model, the fact remains that you are putting a product into your printer that was not manufactured by the same manufacturer of the printer and problems can and often do arise when using compatible toners.

The quality of the toner is inconsistent across different compatible models and you never truly know what you’re getting.

Remanufactured Toner Cartridges

Remanufactured cartridges

Remanufactured toner cartridges are toners that have been used and refilled.

Remanufactured toners are also referred to as refilled toners. Many companies will purchase empty cartridges, clean them, and refill them.

On average, about 90% of old toner cartridges are able to be kept and used in the remanufacturing process, with 10% of the cartridge typically being broken down for recycling.

Similar to how the quality of compatible toners is inconsistent, the quality of remanufactured laser toner cartridges is also inconsistent because the remanufacturing process fluctuates between remanufacturers.

The quality of the toners being remanufactured also fluctuates - some companies remanufacture genuine toners and some companies remanufacture compatible toners and many companies remanufacture both.

Again, as a consumer you never truly know the quality of the product you’re putting into your printer.

Now, let's compare OEM, compatible, and remanufactured toners in terms of page yield, print quality, price, and warranty.

Page Yield

Genuine toners typically have the highest page yields.

Except in rare cases, compatible and remanufactured toners do not last as long as genuine toners and print far less pages .

Genuine toners are more durable and are able to maintain print quality while printing more pages.

Many genuine toners have page yields of up to 20,000 pages, which cannot be matched by compatible and remanufactured toners.

Print Quality

Toner cartridges are a pivotal component of the printing process and directly influence the print quality of a printer.

If you want your printer to deliver its highest potential for text and image quality, it is important to use the highest quality toner.

When it comes to print quality, genuine toners are in a league of their own when compared to compatible and remanufactured toners.

Genuine toners deliver crisper text and image quality that is brighter and sharper with more accurate coloring.

When using compatible or remanufactured toners, the print quality is often lacking and the colors are often inaccurate.

For example, genuine HP 414A Black toner is designed to produce crisp, deep black tones that are essential for sharp text and vivid images. This genuine toner ensures that your documents have the professional quality that can be lacking with non-genuine products.

While compatible and remanufactured options may be available at a lower cost, they often do not meet the exact standards set by HP's genuine cartridges.

Another important aspect of print quality is longevity. Prints produced with genuine toners typically maintain their integrity and resist fading over time. In contrast, prints from compatible and remanufactured toners generally do not last as long and tend to fade significantly faster.

Price

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

Genuine toner cartridges are higher quality products and come at higher price tags as a result. However, when you factor in the improved durability and higher page yields of genuine toners, they often turn out to be more cost effective over time.

For example, the HP 212X Black Toner Cartridge is priced at $255 at Toner Buzz. In contrast, compatible versions of the HP 212X can be found at other stores for around $130.

While the initial cost of the compatible toner is significantly lower, the genuine HP 212X toner offers higher page yields and more consistent print quality, which can justify its higher price over the long term.

Also, when you factor in the legitimate risk of damage to your printer that comes with using compatible and remanufactured toners and the potential repair costs, the higher initial price of genuine toners is often well worth it .

Wholesalers like Toner Buzz narrow this price gap by offering genuine OEM toners at significantly lower prices than big-box retailers like Staples and Office Depot, with price reductions up to 40%.

Buying bulk toner can provide further cost advantages, especially for businesses with high printing needs.

Warranty

Manufacturers like HP, Canon, and Brother often provide warranties for their printers that include coverage for using their genuine toner cartridges.

These warranties cover any malfunction or issue caused by genuine toners, protecting your investment in both the printer and the toner.

When using compatible or remanufactured toner cartridges, most printer manufacturers void their warranty.

For example, Brother's limited warranty does not apply to any problem caused by the use of third-party drum units, toner cartridges, or toner.

This means that any damage or malfunction resulting from the use of non-genuine toner cartridges will not be covered, potentially leading to higher repair costs.

Risk of Malfunctioning

Manufacturers like Brother strongly recommend using only genuine drum units and toner cartridges for optimal performance and reliability.

According to the official Brother website:

“Brother strongly recommends that customers use only genuine Brother drum units and/or toner cartridges. Each Brother laser printer is designed to work at pre-set temperatures that are matched exactly to each of our individual toner formulations. Each individual component is designed to work with the other to ensure quality and reliability. Using non-Brother supplies may affect the hardware performance, print quality, and machine reliability. The Brother limited warranty does not apply to any problem that is caused by the use of third party drum units, toner cartridges, or toner.”

With compatible toners, the problems that can arise are caused by several factors such as variation in electrostatic qualities, melting points, pigments and particle sizes. These factors can and often do result in the toner leaking and damaging the printer.

With remanufactured toners, waste toner and paper debris can be left in the cartridge from each print job, which often leads to backgrounding issues and the remanufactured toner becoming contaminated.

Genuine OEM toners are manufactured by the manufacturer they are used for and as a result do not carry the risk of malfunctioning that compatible and remanufactured toners carry .

Conclusion

Nothing beats the original.

Genuine toners are higher quality products that perform at a higher level than compatible and remanufactured toners.

In summary, genuine toners produce superior text and image quality that does not fade over time, more accurate coloring, higher page yields, and carry no risk of malfunctioning and damaging the printer whereas compatible and remanufactured toners carry significant risk.

However, due to being higher quality products, genuine toners come at a higher price tag.