Non-OEM Replacement Toner Cartridges

[flyinghaggis]

We've been looking at replacement cartridges for our printers and have noticed that our normal supplier (Misco) has started selling 'Inkrite' branded non-OEM cartridges for about half the price of the HP branded equivalent.

 

What's everyone's experience of non-OEM toner cartridges? Are they a worthwhile saving from manufacturers who've been ripping us off or are they a false economy and more hassle than they're worth?

 

TIA

[vizubeat]

Personally, and these are probably not the thoughts of the rest of our team, I would avoid them.

 

In my experience of using them here at school they're just a pain in the behind. Endless problems of the wrong colours sent in the wrong boxes, the cartridges even labelled up incorrectly, the yield doesn't seem to be that great and they sometimes report as empty when they've just been installed, or indeed full when they've been heavily used.

 

Also I don't think the print quality is that great either, especially compared to the genuine stuff. Having said that, I'm mostly talking about non-OEM colour ones. The one or two mono-only replacements we have had aren't too bad, as they're just used in offices for odd jobs though really. But on the whole, for good quality prints, I'd stick with the genuines.

 

Now of course these are the ones from our supplier, others may be better, just writing from experience

[AngryTechnician]

I'm not a fan, but I have been using them on many of our printers given that money is tight. The brand-X cartridges do vary a LOT in quality in my experience, so if you do go down that route, get a generic brand that someone can recommend.

 

All that said, have you looked around at other suppliers for your OEM cartridges? Who are you using at the moment?

[carvjo]

I've used some compatibles from UKtonercartridges.co.uk

 

The carts are properly packed, wrapped in a bubble-bag, labelled and have similar pull-out plastic strips to HP originals. They work great..

 

The only difference I have noticed is the price - A HP53X is circa £100 - one of these is around £35

 

I did try some refills from one of the highstreet refillers - awful..!

[Ric_]

I exclusively use Xerox compatible toners for my HP printers. The build quality is as good as HP's and the yields are good. At £30-£40 a cartridge they are less than half the price of HP original and they even come with a garauntee not to harm your printer so you can't really ask for better than that.

 

I use a company called Document Express.