Save Time and Money on Your Laser Printer – Part 2

Are you considering a purchase in the near future for your printing needs? Being informed in advance could save you a substantial amount of money immediately and in the future when you shop. The two areas to consider are the new printer and the consumables.

First let’s deal with the new printer. One question to ask yourself is, do I really need the option of colour? If the answer is no, then an ink-jet printer may not be the solution for you. Although the initial cost of these printers is becoming more and more attractive, the cost of replacement cartridges is still quite high relative to the cost to print a page. It has been estimated that a page printed with an ink-jet printer is about 3 times as much as the same page printed with a laser printer. Manufacturers are making up their losses on pricing the ink-jets by charging exorbitant amounts for ink!

Another way to save on your new printer is to purchase a quality re-furbished laser printer. Often users dispose of perfectly good printers because they believe the cost to repair them outweighs the cost of replacement. Printers that originally sold for $3000 or more are now being offered as re-furbished printers for as little as $300. Recently, I worked on such a laser printer that had well over one million pages passed through it. Try to get that performance on an ink-jet!

Now, we will take a look at consumables. Ink-jet cartridges as I stated earlier are very expensive when purchased as manufacturer originals. Re-filled cartridges are available for some models and their performance has been improving. However, re-filling them yourself with kits can cause you grief. If the tiny suspended granules in the fluid are slightly off in size (too large), the print head could be ruined. Result? Perhaps you will have to replace the printer.

In part 3 of this series, “Saving Time and Money on your Laser Printer,” I will discuss details on the subject of toner cartridges. In the early days of laser printers, it was common to find individuals with basement operations where they would simply drill a hole in an empty toner cartridge, pour in new toner, patch the hole with tape and sell the cartridge for much less than the cost of a regular replacement. Did this cause problems? You bet! These “drill and fill” companies have been mostly displaced by reputable businesses that “re-manufacture” toner cartridges, offering quality, guarantees and excellent savings for your laser printers. Next time, I’ll tell you what to look for in a “re-manufactured” toner cartridge.