What’s the Difference? OEM vs Remanufactured vs Counterfeit Printer Cartridges
Choosing the right toner cartridge for your printer or copier can be quite a task. You have to be cautious with a market saturated in counterfeit products. Being sure to purchase only from reliable distributors can help increase the longevity of your printer and the quality of your printed items.
Read below to learn more about the three most common types of cartridges you will find:
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)
OEM are name brand cartridges made by printer manufacturers. For example, HP produces printers as well as the original cartridges for those specific printers.
Manufacturers claim that these ink cartridges are the ideal solution for providing the best print quality and offer the best performance. Furthermore, they have the lowest probability of damaging the printer. They are the most expensive of the three options on this list, due to the technical know-how, expert technologies, and man power required to produce them.
OEM cartridges are made from superior quality plastic and manufactured with the highest level of precision and quality by the original manufacturer. Because of this, they can be properly recycled or remanufactured.
Remanufactured
Remanufactured cartridges are made from used OEM cores. Because the OEM cores are made from superior quality plastic, remanufacturers can effectively give a second, or even third, life to these cartridges, which reduces the environmental impact.
These cartridges are typically lower in cost, since the cores did not have to be constructed from scratch. You can save up to 40% on print costs by using remanufactured cartridges! This is great for the budget-conscious buyer.
There are many misconceptions around remanufactured cartridges, but our partners at Clover Imaging Group assure that their remanufactured cartridges offer the same page yield, quality, and reliability as the OEMs. They offer a 100% performance guarantee, so you can be certain you will get the high-quality output you need.
Counterfeit
Counterfeit cartridges are where issues begin to arise. These cartridges are typically labeled as “remanufactured” and sold online by unreliable distributors or third parties, many of which originate overseas. However, these aren’t “remanufactured” cartridges at all. They are cheap fakes made with low quality plastic that cannot even be recycled, making it a single-use plastic that will end up in our overcrowded landfills.
In addition, counterfeit toners are often poorly made and can not only create issues inside your printer, but can be health hazards due to low production standards.
This video by the International Imaging Technology Council shows exactly why these products should be avoided, and how to identify if you’ve purchased a counterfeit cartridge:
We’re Here for You!
As a certified distributor, Perry Office Plus makes sure to only provide authentic OEM and Remanufactured cartridges here on our website. Our Customer Support Team is knowledgeable in helping find you the ink and toner you need for your printers. We also offer a comprehensive Managed Print Service to simplify your printer supply purchases and streamline your maintenance.
