Printer Cartridges – the Market Size
It is estimated that more than 1,3 billion printer cartridges are sold every year globally. The International Data Corporation (IDC) reports that more than 12 million laser and ink cartridges are imported into South Africa annually.
Printer Cartridges – The Options
From full colour photos, black-and-white documents, construction plans, and engineering drawings to massive prints for billboards, a range of printers is available, offering solutions for all these applications. Almost all of these devices use consumables to produce a print. The consumables will invariably come in some sort of container or printer cartridge.
Cartridges is a broad generic label for what are actually two vastly different technologies. Printer cartridges encompass ink and toner cartridges. Toner and ink cartridges are obviously sold by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) who manufactured the printer in question but are also offered by third-party or aftermarket manufacturers who do not manufacture printers at all.
OEM cartridges are known as original or genuine units. Third-party cartridges are called compatible or non-OEM cartridges. Some third-party manufacturers offer what are known as “remanufactured” units. These are empty original ink or toner cartridges that are collected, refurbished, refilled, repackaged, and resold into the market.
Ink or Toner?
Although the words “ink” and “toner” are often used interchangeably, ink is employed in the inkjet printing process and toner in the laser printing process. Manufacturers often name their printer models in a manner that indicates which process the particular device uses. For example, “Inkjet 470” or “Laserjet 550”.
A laser device would be the best choice where high volumes of black-and-white documents are printed. Laser devices are capable of printing faster than inkjet ones. Laser printers are built more robustly to allow for higher print volumes without breakdowns.
A laser printer will be larger and heavier than an inkjet device, which may make them less suited to work-from-home environments. Laser devices cannot print photographic-quality images as well as inkjet ones do. For this reason, they are not the first choice for photographers, designers, and high-end graphics applications. Laser technology uses heat to fuse the image to the paper, so it is not suitable for papers that are heat sensitive.
Purchase an inkjet device if you need to print photo-realistic colour images. Inkjet devices produce better tonal variety and are superior at the subtle blending of colours. Inkjet devices are capable of printing on a wide variety of paper types, including high gloss papers. Inkjet devices are not capable of the high print speeds that laser printers do, making them a better option if you print less frequently or if you only print small page quantities at a time.
The Cost of Printing
The upfront cost of a laser device will be higher than an inkjet equivalent. Compared to laser printers, inkjet devices have a lower price because they have a lower expected life span than laser machines, which are typically built more robustly. Accepting that the laser device will be more expensive, an important factor to consider is its cartridge price. Laser cartridges can, in most instances, print significantly more pages than any inkjet cartridge, so while toner cartridges are more expensive than inkjet units, the cost per print will be lower. Cost per page is calculated by taking cartridge price and dividing it by the expected page yield.
An HP LaserJet M401, using the HP 80x high yield LaserJet toner cartridge, will print at least 6,900 pages. A Canon MX922 inkjet device, using the Canon PGI-280XL high yield ink cartridge, will print at least 400 pages. The laser delivers a cost per page of 42 cents versus the inkjet cost per page of 93 cents. The inkjet cost is 121% higher than the laser.
What is the Best Alternative?
Consumers have complained about the high price of cartridges and more, especially those for inkjet devices since the introduction of the technology. In an attempt to address these concerns, companies such as Epson, Brother, HP, and Canon introduced devices that have built-in ink reservoirs or tanks, which hold much more ink than standard ink units. Ink tank printers have slowly grown to become one of the most cost-effective printing solutions available.
These machines are capable of printing thousands of pages at a savings of up to 80% compared to standard inkjet devices. Replacement ink is provided in inexpensive plastic bottles from which the tank is refilled. Ink tank printers are ideal for those who print higher volumes on a daily basis.