Why You Should Only Use OEM Cartridges from a HP Toner Supplier

There is an ongoing argument about the performance of different types of printer and toner cartridges. Manufacturers insist that their Original Equipment Manufacturer products produce better results overall. Many a third-party toner supplier, however, insist that generic or third-party toner can perform just as well as an OEM product. Most manufacturers of branded toner products charge noticeably more than their generic counterparts.

When people need to bring down the costs of printing, they tend to opt for generic cartridges on advice from their printing consumables supplier. The challenge here is to find out whether the non-HP toner cartridges can perform as well as the original HP toner cartridge. Here are some myths and facts that you will not always hear from your toner cartridge supplier.

Myth: An OEM Cartridge Always Outperforms a Generic or Third-Party Cartridge

Fact: According to a study performed by the Photizo Group, generic printer or toner will not perform as well as the real thing. It was found that close to half of people who use generic consumables tended to experience problems with printing or their printers further along the line. Overall, HP printing consumables worked from the first go, while around half of generic products displayed problems, such as the inability to print, blotches or lines on the paper, or just a complete inability to print.

Myth: Generic printing consumables last just as long as OEM consumables

Fact: In most cases, according to the study mentioned above, the generic printer cartridge ran out way before the HP toner cartridge. Your supplier may tell you something different, but the facts speak for themselves.

Myth: Third-party printing consumables will not damage the printer

Fact: A good printing consumables supplier should know that a good fit is essential when it comes to printing consumables. Because your HP cartridge is specifically designed to work with a particular make and model of HP printer, the fit is snug and all the right components are in the right positions to connect well. Generic consumables are made for a wide range of printers and not tailored to any particular fit. This may cause vibration during printing, and result in damage to sensitive components. The printer may also need to be cleaned or repaired at a later stage. This will often involve intervention from an external non-HP technician or printing supplier, which may even exacerbate the problem.

Myth: Both generic and OEM cartridges can produce high-quality prints

Fact: This is where your toner supplier will usually tell you that OEM print quality is better than generic print quality. If you are heavily dependent on excellent print quality, you should only invest in OEM products from your printing consumables supplier. While generic products may cost less, reprints or reinvestment in OEM products to fix the problem will make it more expensive at a later stage.

Myth: Third-party cartridges produce the same yield as OEM consumables

Fact: Because HP adheres to strict quality testing and conformance with ISO standards, they have to put measures in place to ensure that page yields are regularly measured. This means that the page yield number you can obtain from your printing supplier will usually be accurate. Manufacturers of generic cartridges do not always (or hardly ever) test their page yields simply because they do not have to, so they cannot comment on the number of pages customer can expect to print with their products. As such, there is no guarantee that they can compete with the page yields of your OEM products.

Myth: The pigments used on HP toner cartridges are the same as the generic products

Fact: Because HP adheres to various ISO and other industrial quality control standards, they are only allowed to use certain pigments and inks. Because third-party toner manufacturers are not obligated to use these standards, they can use virtually any pigment that works. This often means that their prints fade faster or prints are not as clear as when HP products are used.

If you are looking for an HP product supplier that will always be able to tell you the difference between the myths and facts when it comes to printing consumables, come to CH Africa! We have a wide distribution network across the country, and have a large product range in store. Give us a call to find out why we are one of the top HP toner suppliers in the country today!
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