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Choosing the Right HP Ink or Toner: A Comprehensive Guide
August 26, 2024
Today’s printers have become so advanced that you can have professional-quality prints created in your office. Modern printers print with increasing accuracy, while features like remote printing have also enhanced what they can do for us.
Understanding Different Types of HP Ink and Toner
Regardless, you should choose the best printer for your needs to get the best results. To help, you should first define how you will use your machine and which features are most essential for you. For example, many printers are designed to create high-quality prints for designers and photographers, while some models are designed to print in high volumes.
While it’s essential to choose the right printer, you will also need to choose the right ink or toner cartridges for the best results. As such, we’ve created this HP ink selection guide to help you find the best choice for your needs.
Printer cartridges can be broken down into two main categories:
Ink cartridges
HP Ink cartridges contain liquid ink which is applied to your print medium (usually paper) through nozzles in the cartridge. The ink is blended accordingly so you can reproduce any colour you want and with impressive accuracy. The ink dries quickly and the print is ready to use almost immediately.
As such, ink cartridge printers are a good choice for those who need high quality prints like photos and marketing materials. While ink cartridges are ideal for high-quality prints, toner cartridges are usually better for large jobs.
Toner cartridges
Toner cartridges contain a very fine powder known as toner. A toner printer will apply the powder to paper with heat to help melt and cure the fine granules. HP toner for office printers can also print in different colours and the finish usually looks just like ink.
Toner cartridges can be significantly more expensive than their ink counterparts, although this additional cost is offset somewhat by their longevity. Toner printers also tend to cost more upfront, which is often recouped for frequent users.
Toner cartridges are not made for printing in the detail that design professionals need, but still offer a print quality that’s fine for most people’s needs. This makes toner ideal for businesses that print in large volumes.
Other advantages include greater print reliability because toner is less likely to smudge or leak than ink printers are. Regardless, follow our HP toner buying tips and you should find just what you need.
Factors to Consider When Choosing HP Ink or Toner
Choosing the right ink or toner might seem daunting at first, but follow our advice and you should find exactly what you need. HP Printers and cartridges offer a wide range of features to look out for, including.
Printer compatibility
You must use the right type of cartridge for your printer. Ink cartridges will e only work in ink printers, and vice versa, making it essential to choose the right type. You must also ensure cartridges are made for your model to ensure they fit correctly.
Compatibility with existing systems
Ideally, your choices should be fully compatible with existing systems, letting you print without further financial investment. Compatibility is not usually a problem, but you might need to reconsider if your legacy systems are unsuitable.
Print volume
Toner printers and cartridges are the better choice for users who need many prints. For starters, a toner printer is more likely to have a larger tray capacity which is necessary for larger jobs. While toner is more expensive than ink, you will get more pages per cartridge, helping to offset the original cost.
Print quality
If you’re an artist of sorts then you will likely need a printer that delivers professional quality prints. In such cases, an ink printer is probably your best option. Ink printers not only offer vivid colours, but also have a higher dots per inch (DPI) metric. The higher your machine’s DPI, the finer the details you can print.
Cost-effectiveness
Using a lot of ink or toner can become expensive for any business. If you want to keep the cost down you should look for the cost per print (CPP) which is the average cost of printing each page. Note that this metric only addresses printing volume, not others like print quality.
Printer maintenance
Printers have many moving parts, making them prone to malfunctions and other issues. One way to prevent breakdowns is with regular maintenance and our HP printer maintenance tips below will help ensure your printer is reliable.
Keep it Clean
Everything in your printer must be kept clean for the best performance. Check the print head is clear of dust and clean internal printer components as best you can.
A thorough cleaning will often involve opening the printer’s case which can be daunting for some but your machine should come with a manual to guide you through the process. Remember to always unplug your machine from the mains power supply before opening anything.
Check cartridges
Faulty cartridges are a common cause of printer problems. Remove your cartridges from your printer and check them for damage or anything else that might affect performance. You should also ensure you are using genuine HP cartridges compatible with your printer. Using counterfeit cartridges can lead to poor quality prints.
Align cartridges
Today’s printers print to astonishing accuracy thanks to the precise alignment of cartridges. If your cartridges are not aligned as they should be then you can expect poor quality images. Many printers have tools that help you with cartridge alignment.
Check paper
In many cases, the paper you’re using is the problem. For example, sheets might stick together too easily, resulting in jams. Alternatively, the paper you’re using might not have the required absorbency, resulting in smudged prints. Investing in a better quality paper may be the solution to numerous printer issues.
On-board maintenance tools
HP printers typically come with onboard software that will help keep your machine well maintained. For example, tools include those that automatically align your cartridges or clean cartridge heads.
Some models also let you schedule maintenance, ensuring your printer is in optimal condition when you need it. Even better, you can schedule routine maintenance during down times, helping you work undisturbed.
HP cartridge recycling
Printer cartridges will eventually run out of ink or toner, meaning you must buy more. HP offers cartridge recycling which offers several benefits of buying new each time, including:
Cost reduction
Recycling print cartridges helps to slash the cost of buying ink or toner. Using the same materials again makes manufacturing cartridges more affordable, a cost saving that is passed onto you. Lower costs also put pressure on other manufacturers to keep their prices down.
Constant supply
Less costly cartridges mean you can afford to buy more for back up if you run out unexpectedly. With spares on hand, you can eliminate the risk of running out which might otherwise bring productivity to a halt.
Protect the environment
Making ink cartridges from new can be harmful to the environment. Potentially toxic chemicals are often required, not to mention the plastics and other materials involved. However, our recycled cartridges use fewer natural materials, helping you do your part for the environment. Many HP printers also have features that help you use less ink/toner and energy.
The future of printing technology
Printing technology has advanced to the point where businesses can print pages themselves rather than outsourcing. Numerous users can access a single machine through a LAN or remote connection, making the technology more cost efficient.
Modern printers also incorporate other tools like scanners and copiers, letting you have multiple tools in a single unit. As technology develops further, we can expect to see current capabilities enhanced, and new functionalities to arise. For example, technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) could transform how we use printers in the future.
Alongside improved print quality and other tools, we can also expect to see printers become more efficient and kinder to the environment. As the technology develops, printers might eventually become carbon neutral.
Conclusion
Choosing the ink or toner for you depends on numerous factors, such as how many pages you print in a typical day. If you’re not sure whether you need ink or toner, defining what you need from your printer can help you decide. Bear in mind that your printer also impacts quality, quantity, and other essential metrics.
Whether you’re looking for the best HP ink for home use or a state of the art printer that delivers photographic quality, this HP ink selection guide will help. Not only are we at the forefront of printing technology but we also continue developing our machines as new technologies arise.
In the meantime, bear in mind that HP’s cartridge recycling programme will help save costs and offer other benefits. Regardless, follow our HP ink selection guide, and you will get the results you’re looking for.
