Re: Toner refill

[Stan Hoeppner <stan@hardwarefreak.com>]

Rodolfo Medina put forth on 10/27/2010 12:42 PM:
> Hi all.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with laser printers toner refilling, such as
> sold here:
> 
>  http://www.refilltoner.com

I was damn close to ordering one a $15 refill kit off Ebay for my
Lexmark e120n.  However, I did not.  The reason is that they state a new
cartridge chip comes with the refill.  I found a half dozen companies
selling these toner kits on Ebay.  All of them said they included the
chip, but non of them had a chip in the photo, just a toner bottle.
Assuming a new chip is required for the refilled cartridge to work
properly, and not being able to verify the chip would be included, I
opted to pay $28 for a new "compatible" cartridge.  Such a cartridge is
simply not the OEM design, built a little differently, but functions the
same.  It has to be a little different to avoid a patent lawsuit.  Look
at the aftermarket automobile parts industry.  They've been doing the
same thing with alternators, starters, etc for 40 years.  A non OEM
replacement part has to be a at least a little different to avoid a lawsuit.

It's interesting this is even an issue today.  I was buying replacement
ribbons for my Okidata 182 back in the late 1980s and not one of them
was OEM Okidata.  Yet, the replacement manufacturers and the mail order
office supply places I purchased them from never used any words like
"compatible" or "non OEM".  They just said "Oki 182 ribbon".  No
qualifying statements, or any other description to cause a potential
buyer consternation.

Anyway, if you've ever put toner in an old copy machine, this will be a
no-brainer for you.  If you haven't, it shouldn't be difficult unless
you have absolutely zero eye-hand coordination or wear really thick
glasses.  If you have to buy one of the "burn a hole" kits, I'd probably
steer clear and buy a "compatible" cartridge instead.

-- 
Stan