Printer Ink & Toner – A toner cartridge, also called laser toner, is the consumable component of a laser printer. Toner cartridges contain toner powder, a fine, dry mixture of plastic particles, carbon, and black or other coloring agents that make the actual image on the paper. The toner is transferred to paper via an electrostatically charged drum unit, and fused onto the paper by heated rollers during the printing process. It will not stain like ink cartridges, but it can get messy if handled improperly.

Low-end to mid-range laser printers typically contain two consumable parts: the toner cartridge itself and the drum unit. Some toner cartridges incorporate the drum unit in the design, and both drum and cartridge are replaced simultaneously; cost of a cartridge is higher than a toner-only cartridge, although separate drum replacement is avoided. Toner cartridges have the same function as ink cartridges used by inkjet printers.

Consumers with high volume printing needs will likely want to go with a laser printer. These machines are best suited for small-medium businesses and schools that print a lot of text heavy documents and color prints. Although the technology seems to be improving every year, photo printing is not recommended on a laser printer. Due to the powdery nature of the toner cartridge, photos can’t reproduce the same tonal distinctions as an inkjet printer and photos tend to end up looking dull.

We aren’t saying photos can’t be printed with a laser, but if you are photographer, you’ll likely be dissatisfied with the results. We recommend buying a monochrome laser printer if you just need to print in black. Color laser printers are available for those needing to add a a bit of color to everyday documents. Similar to the all-in-ones mentioned previously, multifunction laser printers provide print, scan, copy and fax capabilities. Practically every printer these days is Wi-Fi ready as well, meaning you can print wirelessly from your laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Cackle Telecommunications is proud to provide Printer Ink & Toner to NZ businesses. Choose from a selection of vendors, explore our products to find the right solution for you.