Laser Printer Review

Toner Cartridges - How They Work

2005-11-18T00:10:00.000-05:00

by Martin Smith

In the past computers and their accompanying printers were huge. Toner reservoirs and toner cartridges were used instead of ink cartridges like the ones in use today. Toner cartridges were difficult and messy to fill. The toner cartridges were an advancement. Some printers ran on print wheels and some used ribbons.

Computers are compact and printers now do more than just print on some cases. Cartridges with self-contained reservoirs are used in printers. Refilling some cartridges is possible and it isn't as messy as adding toner was. Two types of printers cartridges now exist. Hewlett-Packard and Epson printers primarily, used the first type the Peizo Electric.

An electric current is applied to a small crystal causing it to expand about every five microseconds (20,000 per second). The ink, because of the expansion, squirts through the print heads rapidly and precisely. Piezo Electric can do more precise action and tend to last longer because it has fewer print heads than do bubble jet/ thermal printers.

Bubble jet printer cartridges heat the ink into a bubble and is squirted through the ink nozzles thousands of times a second. The printer that is quieter than Piezo based printers is the bubble jet. It prints with exceptionally high resolution color printing. Ink is squirted through the nozzles as they move over media in the inkjet method not the mega pixel method.

Liquid ink, is squirted, in various colors on the paper to create an image. A motor assembly is used to enable the print heads to scan the page horizontally while the page is rolled vertically. A narrow band of an image is printed and the paper moves on ready for the next step. For speed it prints a strip across the page while it also prints vertical rows of pixels in each pass.

There are several types of inkjet technology. DOD-drop on demand squirts small drops of ink on to the paper through tiny nozzles. It is akin to a hose being turned on and off 5,000 times per second. The amount of ink dropped on the paper and which nozzle fires and when is controlled by the driver software. The ink tends to smear right after printing in inkjet technology.

This is getting better as new ink compositions are developed. The Thermal Technology of printing allows the ink to shot onto the paper. This is a three stage process. The squirt begins in stage one when the ink gets heated to create a bubble. The initial pressure breaks the bubble and hits the paper. The vacuum that results pulls the ink from the reservoir to replace what was ejected.

In the past printers were highly priced because the print head that would imprint the image on paper was contained within the printer. Printers are fairly low in price, but the expense comes when you have to buy cartridges for it. It would almost be worth it to buy a new printer rather than the cartridges because the cost of cartridges is often more than the most basic inkjet printer.

Although cartridges are expensive they have some complex technology in them that would make them cheaper over-all than it would be to keep replacing printer heads. Cartridges now have print heads contained within in themselves. If you use the correct cartridges in your printer, you could have the printer for a long time. Black cartridges work by squirting the ink through tiny nozzles onto the paper as they move back and for the page as do color cartridges.

Color cartridges have three reservoirs; one is filled with magenta, one with cyan, and one with yellow ink. A lot of things can have a bearing on the image quality. The quality of the paper you choose could determine the image you get. The two main influences on image quality are brightness and the absorption of ink. The vividness of an image describes its brightness while how effectively ink is put to the paper is absorption.

It is best to use paper specifically designed to be used with an ink jet printer. Using the proper type of paper will result in the best possible image. The settings of your display properties and/or printer settings can affect your printing project. The type of paper you use and the printer may suggest leaving your documents to dry for awhile. Check your printer for settings that may save ink by putting out less ink allowing documents to dry faster and provide you with a near perfect print image.

Knowing your printer and how it works is important.

About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Discount ink cartridges which includes Cheap ink cartridge, if you have time drop by his site for some tips and information.

Affordable Color Printer For The Home & Small Office

2005-09-08T23:48:00.000-05:00

If you're in the market for a low cost full color laser printer then you'll want to take a good long look at the Color LaserJet 2550L from Hewlett Packard. The HP 2550L is part of a new breed of low cost color laser printers that is making it easier to move up from inkjet printers.

One of the advantage of using a color laser printer over an inkjet is the HP 2550L color laser printer can created really high quality images on plain white paper. An inkjet printer requires special paper that can cost over $1 a sheet. Even though the 2550L resolution of 600 x 600 which is lower than most inkjets or HP's higher end color laser printers the quality is still excellent thanks to the HP ImageREt 2400 technology print engine.

The HP Color LaserJet 2550L is ideally suited for home office and small office use. At 18.98" x 17.8" x 12.8" the 2550L is extremely compact for a full color laser. Print speed is 20 page per minute for black and 4 page per minute for color. Monthly print volume is recommended at 30,000. This should be more than enough for most home and small office users.

Price wise, the HP Color LaserJet 2550L looks like a bargain. At the time of this review the printer sell for $289 to $500. However this low price point was achieved with a few sacrifices. For one, the only connection available is through the parallel or USB port - there is no built-in networking. To share the HP 2550L will require you to go through Windows or buy an external printer server. However, at the price the Color LaserJet 2550L sells for, we're not complaining.

You can get toner at the best prices at laser toner

7 Steps to Clean the Laser Toner from Your Laser Printer

2005-03-02T15:17:00.000-05:00

Cleaning a laser printer, fax, or copier of laser toner can
be easy, provided you know what you're doing and use the
right tools. This article will share with you some simple
tips to help you clean your laser printers of laser toner
like a pro.

A word to the wise: Before I begin, I'd like to stress that
this article is intended only to assist you with basic
cleaning of the laser toner from your laser printer. If
you're unsure of your ability to perform any sort of printer
maintenance, or if performing such maintenance will void the
printer's warranty, you should contact a qualified service
professional.

Some safety issues: Though laser printers come in various
shapes and sizes, they all use laser toner (that messy black
powder). While cleaning your laser printer, the last thing
you want is to have laser toner in your lungs or on your
skin. The tips provided in this article should help reduce
the chance of you being bathed in laser toner while cleaning
your printer.

Laser toner particles are so fine that they
can take more than fifteen minutes to settle if they become
airborne—make that hours if you have fans or air-
conditioners circulating them through an office. To avoid
inhaling laser toner particles, try to keep the air in the
cleaning area stable and leave the printer area for several
minutes after cleaning. When you return, move slowly, open
all windows, and begin vacuuming any laser toner from the
floor, tabletops, and so forth.

Another dangerous area common to all laser printers is the
fuser-roller compartment. The fuser roller gets extremely
hot during the printing process and is usually covered for
safety. Burns can occur, however, if you accidentally
uncover and touch the roller. I recommend that you leave
your printer off for at least one hour before cleaning it of
laser toner.

As with all electrical equipment, make sure that the power
cable is unplugged before you begin any work.

Here are the basic tools you need to clean the laser toner
from the laser printer:
-Vacuum
-Compressed can of air
-Wash cloth
-Mask
-Cotton Swabs
-Isopropyl Alcohol (99 percent pure)
-Paint Brush (soft bristle, about a half-inch wide)
-Latex gloves (optional)

Compressed air:
You can buy this in any department store or
office supply store. Ranges in price from $3.00 to $10.00
per 10 oz. bottle. Use adequate ventilation please.

Mask:
You'll want to prevent laser toner particles from
entering your throat and lungs. While laser toner inhalation
has not been proven to cause serious health problems,
respiratory tract irritation can occur with exposure to
large amounts of laser toner dust. Laser toner can also
contain potentially hazardous compounds, such as styrene,
ethyl benzene, and xylene isomers. Use a mask that filters
both odors and fine particles, such as the ones used for
painting and sanding. You can usually find these at local
hardware stores.

Cotton swabs:
You can use the regular cotton swabs found in your local
drugstore or those made especially for cleaning printers.
The printer swabs come with six-inch-long sticks.

Isopropyl alcohol:
Do not use regular rubbing alcohol. Either use chemicals
that are specifically designed to clean the heads of VCRs,
cassette tapes, tape drives, and the like or use 99 percent
pure isopropyl alcohol, which evaporates without leaving any
residue.

Paint brush (soft bristle, about a half-inch wide):
This is used to brush out toner from tight crevices. Since
bristles may fall out during the cleaning process, pull out
any loose ones before you use the brush. I don't recommend
using toothbrushes.

Latex gloves (optional):
These must fit tightly on your hands since you want to
maintain skin sensitivity. Drugstores usually sell them in
boxes of 100. This is to keep your hands clean but if you
don't have them you can just wash up with soap and water
afterwards.

Okay, let's begin cleaning that laser printer of the laser
toner. Now that you have the tools, it's time to unplug the
laser printer, let it sit for one hour, and then follow the
steps below:

1. Put on your mask and latex gloves if you have them.

2. Open the printer and gently remove the laser toner
cartridge or laser toner bottle.

3. Use your wash cloth and wipe the laser toner cartridge.
Place the laser toner cartridge aside.

4. Use your vacuum to remove spilled laser toner from within
the printer's internal compartment. Try to prevent the
vacuum's nozzle from actually touching any of the printer's
internal surfaces.

5. Use your paintbrush to remove laser toner from any
crevices. Use gentle motions and vacuum as necessary.

6. Many laser printers use very fine wires (called 'corona
wires') that are often exposed. If your printer has such
wires, take care to avoid vacuuming or brushing them.
Breaking a corona wire can be a costly mistake. Dip a cotton
swab into isopropyl alcohol and gently run it along the
length of the wire. Also be sure to clean the underside of
the wires. Never apply pressure.

7.Reinsert the laser toner cartridge, close the printer,
reconnect the power cord, and you are done.

Avoid using the wash cloth inside the printer. Though you
can use the wash cloth to clean the inside, I do not
recommend it. There are many sharp points that can tear the
cloth's fiber and leave loose strands inside the printer.

OEM vs. Remanufactured Laser Toner Cartridges Although many
people buy OEM Name Brand laser toner cartridges, little do
they know, they really are remanufactured! Can you believe
it? Seriously folks, why spend many more dollars on OEM's
when you can get THE SAME quality laser toner cartridges for
half or less than half the price? When you buy an OEM laser
toner cartridge, just look at the box! It says "Made of new
and recycled materials". The OEM companies want you to send
your laser toner cartridge back to them , so they can
remanufacture it , and sell it back to you as new! Buying
remanufactured laser toner cartridges saves the environment.
Millions of laser toner cartridges get dumped in landfills
every year. So, please, save the environment,and save your
money!

Happy Cleaning!

About the Author

Rafael Nunez is responsible for all product quality at Alchemy Toners, Inc.
Find out how to get money for your empty laser toner cartridges while saving money and the environment by visiting: laser toner cartridges

Where to find the best prices on laser toner cartridges?

2005-02-06T21:10:00.000-05:00

So now that you've selected which laser printer to buy, how do you find the cheapest, highest quality toner cartridge? The answer to that question is:
AlchemyToners.com

This company has every popular as well as hard-to-find laser toner cartridge at the best price on the internet. The product ships in 24 hours for most items, shipping is FREE, and the quality of the laser toner cartridge they sell is excellent. Alchemy Toners is the manufacturer and all of their cartridges are tested on the actual printers they are made for before shipping to the customer.

Also, they have great customer service. Give them a try the next time you laser toner for your laser printer. You'll be glad you did.

Lexmark Optra E312 Laser Printer User Review

2005-01-03T21:09:00.000-05:00

Lexmark Optra E312 Laser Printer

"Good overall printer, paper jams"
Jack R on 11-Dec-2003 06:44:27 AM
Pros: Good Value, ram is cheap if you shop on pricewatch, don't buy direcly from Lexmark.

Cons: Jams frequently, takes more than one sheet of paper, regardless of paper weight.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

HP Laserjet 1012 Laser Printer Review

2005-01-03T21:03:00.000-05:00

Hewlett-Packard's most affordable laser printer, the $199.99 monochrome Laserjet 1012, is reliable and easy to use, turning out crisp text and graphics. This printer picks up the pace, too, printing at almost 13 pages per minute (ppm) in CNET's tests (HP rates the Laserjet 1012's print speed at a snappy 15ppm). And HP packs plenty of useful features for SOHO users, such as double-sided printing and watermarks, into this small and lightweight package. But beware: background applications can interfere with the Laserjet 1012's software installation, and you'll need to buy your own USB cable and pay above-average per-page costs for printing. With its small-capacity paper tray and limited RAM, this printer won't survive as an office workhorse, but it is a quality choice for students and families.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

HP Laserjet 6L Laser Printer Product Brief

2005-01-03T21:00:00.000-05:00

Description: The HP Laserjet 6l is a 6 ppm, black and white laser printer.Compared to other black and white laser printers on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $220.This unit features 600dpi.

Pros: Only measuring 13" x12" x9", this printer is compact and easy to fit into a small office.

Cons: Only has a 100 sheet media capacity.This unit does not support duplex printing.

Suitability: A black and white laser printer, suited for basic SOHO printing.This printer is capable of accepting pages up to A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in) and legal (8.5 in x 14 in).

Value: Given its relatively inexpensive price, this laser printer has great features for the money.Furthermore, considering the resolution, similar black and white printers usually cost $288.

Suggestions: For help in finding the right printer for you, visit CNet's buying guide for printers

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

Samsung ML-1710 Laser Printer Review

2005-01-03T20:57:00.000-05:00

The good news is that the ML-1710 is one of Samsung's most affordable monochrome laser printers. The better news is that in CNET Labs' tests, the ML-1710's performance and print quality are comparable to that of Samsung's more expensive, high-end machines. The ML-1710 is also compact enough to fit any small desk, and it boasts a user-friendly, eye-pleasing design. If the printer could only produce better graphics, it would be the best personal laser printer we've ever tested. Still, for those who want a simple, quiet, and fast printer with excellent text capabilities, the ML-1710 is good deal.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

Brother HL-1440 Laser Printer Review

2005-01-03T20:55:00.000-05:00

There's no doubt about it: Laser printers keep getting better and better while prices keep getting cheaper and cheaper. Today, just $300 will buy you the top-performing Brother HL-1440 laser printer. For your money, you'll get a printer that ranks at the head of its class for both performance and output quality, with top-notch ease of use to boot.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

HP Laserjet 1200 Product Brief

2005-01-03T20:44:00.000-05:00

Description: The HP Laserjet 1200 is a 15 ppm, black and white laser printer.Compared to other black and white laser printers on the market, it is expensive at around $490. This unit has a maximum resolution of 1200dpi and comes with 8 MB of RAM installed.

Pros: Capable of connecting to a computer with a USB port, this printer also has a parallel port for older systems.

Cons: Only prints at 15 ppm speed.This is not out of line with the product's price, but is slower than the average laser printer on the market today.This printer does not have the ability to make double-sided printouts.

Suitability: For documents and spreadsheets, where large volume printing is not required.This printer can handle legal (8.5 in x 14 in) documents.

Value: Despite its expensive price, this laser printer has great features for the money.However, black and white printers with similar resolution tend to cost closer to $357.

Suggestions: For help in finding the right printer for you, visit CNet's buying guide for printers

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

HP Laserjet 1100 Product Brief

2005-01-03T20:34:00.000-05:00

Description: The HP Laserjet 1100 is an 8 ppm, black and white laser printer.Compared to other black and white laser printers on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $260. This laser printer is equipped with 2 MB of memory and prints at 600dpi.

Pros: None noted, given available product data.

Cons: Only has a 125 sheet media capacity.This product does not support any duplexing options.

Suitability: For documents and spreadsheets, where large volume printing is not required.This printer can handle legal (8.5 in x 14 in) and A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in) documents.

Value: Given its relatively inexpensive price, this laser printer has great features for the money.Still, if you were to judge strictly by printer resolution, you might pay up to 10% more for a comparable personal laser printer.

Suggestions: For help in finding the right printer for you, visit CNet's buying guide for printers

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

HP Laserjet 1300 Printer Review

2005-01-03T20:27:00.000-05:00

The $399 Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 1300 has some big shoes to fill, replacing one of our favorite personal monochrome lasers, the Laserjet 1200. The Laserjet 1300 keeps the same look and feel, right down to its sloped-front design and front-loading paper tray. It also offers a number of options unavailable in the earlier model, such as wireless networkability and more memory. But somehow, the excellent print quality of the LaserJet 1200 got lost along the way--along with a lot of our enthusiasm for this otherwise promising personal laser printer.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

How Do I Judge Print Quality?

2005-01-03T18:56:00.000-05:00

The cardinal rule of purchasing a printer is, whenever possible, print before you pay. There's no surefire way to tell exactly how text and images will appear unless you eyeball print samples. Fortunately, many retail stores let you print demonstration pages to get a feel for the output quality. Here are some things to watch for, courtesy of the experts at CNET Labs.

Quality criteria: Text | Black-and-white graphics | Color graphics | Photos

Text

Most demonstration pages will include rows of text at varying sizes, which can show different types of flaws. At the smallest font sizes, the individual letters should be legible and fully formed with no breaks, and they should not bleed into one another. Medium-size fonts should be crisp with no fuzzy edges. And the largest fonts, especially bold ones, should be filled in with a solid, even black--not a muddy bluish or brownish tone. If the tops and bottoms of characters are slightly offset, that typically indicates misregistration of the bidirectional printers. If you see counters--open parts in letters--they're usually a sign of the printer laying down too much ink. Jagged character outlines are a sign of misregistration and poor printhead alignment.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

How do I sort out the specs?

2005-01-03T18:50:00.000-05:00

When evaluating printers, the first thing you're likely to see is a long list of specifications chock-full of acronyms such as dpi and ppm. Not only are all these specs confusing, they often have little or no bearing on the performance you'll actually get in the real world. Here's how to keep it all straight.

Required specs: Resolution | Print speeds | Connectivity |
Processor and memory | Paper handling

Resolution

One of the most widely used specifications, the resolution refers to the maximum number of dots per inch (dpi) that can be printed, measured both horizontally and vertically. For example, a 600x600dpi laser printer lays down a one-inch square composed of 600 dots across by 600 dots down. In theory, a printer with a higher resolution is capable of producing more-detailed text and images, as seen in this representation:
[pic]

However, manufacturers have inflated the numbers for marketing purposes, and the numbers no longer correlate directly with higher image quality. The number of colors, the types of ink or toner, and the method by which they are transferred to the paper, as well as the paper that's used all have a major impact on image quality.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

What are my options?

2005-01-03T18:46:00.000-05:00

Most buyers start with a general notion of the type of printer they'll need. The reason is that different printing technologies are suited for different printing needs and budgets. Find out more here about the basic types of printers and their pros and cons.

Printer options: Personal laser | Workgroup laser | Inkjet |
Multifunction/all in one | Photo/snapshot | Portable

Personal laser

Though the technology has been around for years (HP introduced its first LaserJet in 1984), laser printers are still going strong because they combine fast print speeds, sharp output, and a low cost per page. Like copiers, laser printers use a photographic drum to attract electrically charged toner and transfer it to paper, where the image is fused using a heated roller. The vast majority of laser printers are monochrome (black and white), and they are best-suited for printing text and simple graphics. They start around $200. Until recently color laser printers were too expensive for individuals or small businesses, but there are now several models for less than $1,000, and these could soon become viable alternatives to color inkjets.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

What Kind of Printer is Best for Me?

2005-01-03T18:35:00.000-05:00

Choosing the right printer can be a daunting task. There are several different types of printing technology to choose from, each suited for different needs. Printers come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny travel companions to workgroup workhorses; some are geared toward photographers, others are for multitaskers. And the many specifications for resolution and speed can be misleading. Here's a cheat sheet to the perfect printer to match your personality.

User types: Home user | Budding novelist | Digital photographer | Entrepreneur |
Corporate cog | Frequent flier

Home user

The home user demands a lot from a printer. The device must tackle everything from a book report to a newsletter to the occasional snapshot--all without breaking the budget. This is why for most home users, the best choice is a versatile and affordable printer, such as a general-purpose color inkjet. These printers cost anywhere from $50 to $150 and are designed to do a little of everything, albeit slowly.

The alternative: Get a personal laser printer for fast, quality text and graphics (starting at around $200) and a second printer--either a color inkjet optimized for photos or a snapshot printer--for digital photography. Or, if you work out of your home, consider a multifunction printer.

Link to Full Article at C|Net.com

What will it really cost me?

2005-01-03T18:28:00.000-05:00

Ink and toner

Inkjets are the least expensive printers available, with many models starting at less than $100. The catch? The consumables, such as replacement inks and specialty papers, can cost you an arm and a leg. Ink typically costs between $12 and $60 per cartridge and can last for 100 to 200 pages. More expensive printers, however, tend to be more economical to operate because they have higher-capacity ink tanks and separate ink tanks for each color so that you don't need to replace everything when only one color runs dry. To save some money, you can purchase a compatible ink-refill kit from a separate company, though you may not get the same reliability or print quality.

Laser toner cartridges vary greatly in price, yield, and print capabilities. Toner cartridges generally cost from $10 for a small cartridge for a personal laser printer to as much as $300 for a high-capacity cartridge for a networked workgroup laser printer. Toner costs seem high, but so is the yield. A cartridge typically prints between 2,500 and 10,000 pages (although some claim to print as many as 30,000), so the cost per page is a few pennies for text (at 5 percent coverage) and not much more for images (with 15 percent coverage). Pay attention to the expiration dates, though; some cartridges (HP's in particular) will stop working at a set time, no matter how much ink is left. Also, consider paying a little more for a separate toner cartridge and drum kit, rather than the usual combination unit. That way, you don't have to replace the drum, which is often capable of handling many more print jobs, every time you replace the toner.

Link to Full Article at CNet.com