As an exclusive user of Compatible Toner Cartridges for twenty years, there have been a lot of changes in the toner cartridge market. Today, the estimated market for toner cartridges is about twenty billion dollars a year. There is no question that you can save on your toner cartridges. However, before you jump in and purchase a toner cartridge, you would be wise to do a little homework. An informed choice can save you a lot of headaches.

When companies first began selling compatible toner cartridges, these cartridges were primarily recycled toner cartridges. They were referred to as "drill and fill" toner cartridges. What these companies did was take an old discarded toner cartridge and drill a hole in it. Then, they simply poured in new toner, plugged up the hole and offered the consumer this great deal on a compatible cartridge.

Many times these drill and fill toner cartridges produced poor quality print and fewer printed pages. The other problem with these type toner cartridges was the inconsistency between cartridges. One toner cartridge printed much better than another toner cartridge, even though both cartridges were processed identically.

Today, the technology has vastly changed and improved. There are many reputable printer companies producing compatible toner cartridges. The technology they use is as good as the technology used by major printer manufacturers. These reputable toner companies use all new parts. Many of the components they use are identical to those specified by the original equipment manufacturer. For example, they use the same types of toner, drums, rollers, etc.

Know What Toner Cartridge You Are Buying

The problem today is that a compatible toner cartridge sometimes has a dual meaning. When some companies use the term compatible toner cartridge, they are really talking about "remanufactured" toner cartridges. Other company's use the term compatible toner cartridge to refer to a "new" toner cartridge manufactured by a third party toner company. Both types of cartridges could be a good buy.

Learn About the Toner Company

All toner companies are not the same. Both the remanufactured and the new compatible toner cartridges offer the consumer significant cost savings.

A reputable toner company will use a quality control testing process for remanufactured toner cartridges. This means they do more than simply empty the old toner and replace the cartridge with new toner. They will check the toner cartridges for quality of printing. They double-check the toner parts for wear and tear. When a problem is spotted, the cartridge part in question is replaced.

A reputable toner company that produces new compatible toner cartridges will also have a quality control program in place. What matters most is the long-term quality and quantity of print. The consumer dictates this. The toner cartridge user must be satisfied with both the first page printed as well as the last.

Even though you do a massive amount of research, you may never truly know all you'd like to about a toner company. However, you can learn exactly what type of compatible toner cartridge you are purchasing.

You should know at least ten things about a company before your purchase a toner cartridge online. Visit our website and review our special section "Purchasing Compatible Toner Cartridges Online".

One important key to identifying a quality toner company is to study their toner warranty and money back guarantee. A quality company will stand behind their toner cartridges. If a company does not offer a one-year warranty and money back guarantee, keep looking.

Today you can get a quality compatible toner cartridge at significant savings. Do your homework. Visit several online sites. Look up your exact toner cartridge. Find out the exact type of toner cartridge they sell. Study their warranty. If possible, talk with someone that has purchased toner cartridges from the company. When you make an informed decision, you'll find that a compatible toner cartridge can significantly reduce your printing cost without sacrificing quality or quantity.

About the author:

Larry Andrew has owned and operated his own educational consulting business for over twenty years. He has extensive experience in teaching, computers and software. He is the publisher of www.compatible-toner-cartridge-guide.com.