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Buying Ink For Your Printers

Here at PrinterInks.com we stock a large range of ink Cartridges, Toners as well as both, original and compatible inks for most common printers in the UK and as such we take pride in being subject matter specialists. This is our basic guide to buying the right ink product for your printer.

Ink Cartridge Vs Ink Toner (Differences)

The first step is to understand the difference between the two.

Simply put, Ink Cartridges are used only in inkjet printers. As the name suggests, inkjet printers use “jets” to distribute the ink on your paper, and the actual ink is in liquid form.

On the other hand, ink toner, or Toner Cartridges are used exclusively by laser printers. Unlike ink jet printers, laser printer ink is not in liquid form; rather the “ink” is actually a powdered concoction that works with the help of heat and a rolling drum within the printer.

Understanding Key Printer Ink Language

There are a number of different industry abbreviations and naming conventions, and as an ink buyer it is important to understand them:

OEM Cartridges: When you are looking for “original, branded” cartridges, chances are you are referring to the OEM. These are basically “Original Equipment Manufacturer” or in other words cartridges made by the same company as your printer maker. Unless there is a specific offer, these tend to be much more expensive than compatible cartridges.

Compatible Cartridges are usually cheaper than the OEMs as they are normally made by specialists in cheap printer ink production. When we mark a cartridge as “compatible” it means it will definitely work with the printer they have been made to fit.