Choose Language
Order by Phone   Phone (877) 626-2676

Customer Service Hours: Monday-Friday (8:30am to 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time)

Printer Ink Explained: Your Complete Guide to Purchasing Printer Ink

Seeing those dreaded streak lines through your freshly printed document is painfully frustrating, however knowing exactly what ink replacement to order for your machine can both lessen the hassle and have printing schedules back online in no time!
Sourcing laser toner or ink cartridges isn’t necessarily problematic, but some general office wisdom regarding equipment and ink types doesn’t hurt to minimise downtime and other printer-related catastrophes.
Let’s delve into common printer setups a little deeper, outlining how they work and the range of products you’ll encounter when choosing toner cartridges or ink cartridges.


Laser vs. Inkjet – What’s The Difference?

Although designed to carry out essentially the same task, laser printers and inkjet printers are fundamentally different in terms of ink requirements and how they work.
Put simply, laser printers utilize laser toner while inkjet printers use ink cartridges. Toner comes in powdered form and is adhesively applied to pages with a laser producing prints of pioneering quality. Inkjet printers use a ‘spout’ to finely dust the paper with liquid ink droplets using a fine misting.


Laser Printers

Laser toner consists of a non-toxic combination of granulated plastics and other polymers forming a powdered chemical solution that is applied via a laser. These printers are an efficient, long-term option using small amounts of toner to project or fuse the ink onto paper using heat.

Convenient and ultimately more affordable, laser toner printing lasts considerably longer than its inkjet counterpart, eliminating the risk of having it dry-out during prolonged periods of non-use. You’ll pay more for quality laser toner upfront, however their low replacement frequency can far outweigh the price of several conventional ink cartridges.
Laser printers continue to be the preferred alternative for both home and commercial use due to their speed, impeccable print quality and value for money.


Inkjet Printers

High-speed liquid ink droplets are expelled onto paper through the inkjet’s printhead. Producing a dye-like finish, text and images often appear glossier or more ‘cloudy’ than what you’ll see among laser toner outputs.
Photo-quality imagery with inkjet printers is typically superior with its denser, thickset ink administration, however their jet-charged application proves to be rather wasteful leading to a number of cost vs. performance concerns depending on the print environment.
Ink cartridges also vaporize or dry out comparably fast, and as you’ve probably experienced, predominantly when you’re relying on them most.


Buying Printer Ink – Points to Ponder

While storing up ink in bulk can be a smart move, it’s important to ensure you’re purchasing both suitable and quality replacement cartridges prior to placing mass orders.

Here’s what you can do to guarantee the best possible ink-seeking experience avoiding those rookies, yet often costly errors stemming from common misinterpretations:

  • Is it Black and White or Colour I’m running low on? – With colour ink cartridges generally more expensive, pinpointing which individual colour (Cyan, Magenta or Yellow) requires replacing could save you big dollars.

  • Familiarize yourself with specifications – Purchasing any old laser toner or ink cartridges and assuming they’ll ‘fit’ could see you significantly out of pocket. Brush up on labels, manuals and model requirements to match a supported, high-quality ink option with your printer.

  • Special conditions and warranty – Should your cartridges turn out to be defective, purchasing warranties can make bulk-bought returns a breeze!

Less Common Ink Categories

Like most office supplies, not all printer ink is created equal. Understanding how ink products vary, their properties and their output differences provides you with enough knowledge to confidently purchase suitable, high-grade ink.
Aside from the ‘standard’ laser toner and liquid ink options found in almost every workplace or office environment, you’ll want to consider these general variants next time you’re browsing:

  • Ribbon Ink – Dot matrix printers produce print-outs using impact by pressing its ‘ink ribbon’ onto paper. Although an economical printing option, ribbon ink machines are fairly uncommon, however those still utilizing them are likely paying significantly less for their ink replacements.

  • UV Ink – This quick-drying ink type is designed to be cured onto a page using UV lighting. Often considered more vibrant, robust and eco-friendly, UV Ink is widely used where a sharper, more refined print is required.

  • Solid Ink – Boasting a wax-like consistency, solid ink is applied with heat for a cost-effective print solution where high-quality graphics are frequently printed. This ink is jetted from the ‘drum’ for enhanced consistency and overall clarity.

  • 3D Ink – 3D printing requires raw resin or plastic-based materials such as ABS or PLA. While it’s not technically ink, this remarkably advanced method is beginning to take the printing world by storm among a range of industries worldwide.


How To Conserve Ink

As you’ve likely learned, ink’s not cheap. Fortunately, a few remedies exist to help squeeze every last squirt of dye out of those ink cartridges. Some of these top tips include:

  • Opting for an ink-saving printer setup
  • Play with your settings – Switch up print preferences to draft mode when ultra-high quality is unnecessary
  • Fiddle with fonts – Heavier fonts can wreak havoc on liquid ink conservation especially when printing large page volumes.

Let Us Help!

By now you should be acquainted with the types of printer ink available, how different machines produce your print-out and what to consider when selecting fresh toner cartridges or ink cartridges.

Although the many ink types and products available make purchasing seemingly overwhelming, it’s actually a rather straightforward process once you know your ink!

Get in touch with a Supplies Connect printer ink expert to discuss all of your laser toner and ink cartridge requirements or for any other office supplies questions or enquiries you may have! For more information, please check out our website! www.suppliesconnect.com.



Subscribe Deals