Why are Dell toner cartridges expensive?

Why are new generation color toner cartridges very expensive? This observation covers all color toner cartridges and not only those that loads the DELL 5100cn color laser printer. Well, technically the main reason would point out to the design of the print engine. The color laser printer uses four CYMK (cyan, yellow, magenta, black) cartridges to print color images and graphics. In the previous print engine design, all 4 toner cartridges were placed in carriages that turn around a central OPC Drum. All cartridges synchronically supply required amounts of toner over the latent image created on the OPC Drum by a single laser scanning assembly. Therefore, cartridges back then were designed for the sole function of storing toner and that is why cartridges were built smaller, much more simpler and cheaper.

Recent print engine design for color laser units is different in a sense that all toner cartridges are fixed and stationary, and arrayed either vertically or horizontally. Moreover, the cartridge alignment makes it impossible for cartridges to supply toner to a single OPC Drum. Designers added 4 OPC Drums and 4 Laser Scanning Assemblies - one for each cartridge. And what better way to make the process work but to attach the toner cartridge assembly to the OPC Drum component. This results to better printouts delivered at a much faster turnout. In line with the new print engine design, the OPC drum is now housed together with the toner cartridge. So when the cartridge runs out of toner, the user technically replaces not only the cartridge but also the OPC Drum.

Solo cartridges produced in the past were already very expensive. Well, the new toner and OPC Drum cartridge combo is even more pricey. But one simple fact remains. The lifecycle of the OPC Drum is at least 3 times or more than that of the toner cartridge. The Dell 310-54808 toner cartridge (yellow) is rated 8,000 pages at 5% coverage and the OPC Drum has a life expectancy of over 30,000 pages; also at 5% coverage. Every time a user discards an empty cartridge combo, the OPC Drum is also disposed even when the component has not even reached 20% of its full potential. And considering that the toner cartridge alone can last over 3 lifecycles, imagine how much money is wasted because the Dell OEM toner cartridge combo costs $210.

However, users can prevent the ‘printing blues’ by administering toner refills on the empty toner cartridge combo. Bear in mind that a compatible DELL 5100 toner refill kit sells for only $28.95 and since it is manufactured along similar lines with the OEM toner, it is guaranteed to perform at par with the genuine cartridge. Moreover, the user can institute refills on an empty cartridge several times over the industry recommended refill frequency. This way, substantial savings could really be generated.

So, why do OEM color toner cartridges cost so much? To reiterate, the consumable has evolved to a toner cartridge and OPC Drum duo.

EA-HG Toner Technology: Now Applied to Aftermarket Toner!

Laser printing has improved several times better over the last decade with the development of the Chemical Toner some 7 years ago. This toner technology was the brainchild of Xerox Corporation, having invented the toner technology that all other printer manufacturers adopted for their own line of toner cartridges. The Chemical Toner developed by Xerox is marketed as the EA-HG (Emulsion Aggregate – High Gloss), aptly described because toner was devised to literally grow in a water-based chemical emulsion. Thus the size and shape of the chemically grown toner is environmentally controlled; resulting in toner sizes 3 microns to 10 microns in diameter, and in shapes that are consistently spherical or oval.

The spherical shape of Chemical Toner is ideal for laser printing because toner can conveniently roll over the latent images created on the OPC Drum surface. This toner type is entirely different from jet-milled toner of the previous years that sported irregularly shaped edges, resulting in toner waste as the jagged edges prevent the easy movement of toner particles. For a while, printer manufacturers enjoyed the advantage over the aftermarket toner consumable. But not for long because around 22 months ago this toner technology has likewise been replicated in the production laboratories of third party manufacturers. This only goes to show that both OEM and aftermarket toner today stand on an even keel with no one asserting supremacy over the other.

With the coming of age of aftermarket consumables - particularly toner refill kits; consumers are fully assured that printouts (laser prints) herewith will no longer show any form of disparity to the OEM toner. The bone of contention being print quality and yield in printed pages are addressed feasibly. A good example of a toner refill kit that employs this novel toner technology is the Dell 5100 toner refill kit that is intended to refill the 310-5810 toner cartridge. Retailed to users at $28.95, the consumable is rated 8,000 pages at 5% coverage. Compare this to the OEM toner cartridge that is sold at Dell outlets for $210 or over 85% more than its aftermarket counterpart. With both toner products exhibiting similar printing potentials (print quality and yield); toner refill kits are obviously the better option.

Never hesitate to use toner refill kits to support your laser printing requirements for after all both OEM and compatible toner use the same toner technology.