[ale] OT: laser printer cartridges

[Sean C. McCord]

On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 11:43:39AM -0500, Sean wrote:
> My HP laser needs new color carts. and HP wants nearly $100 apiece.
> 
> OUCH!
> 
> Wandering around the web, I see a number of remanurfactured carts.
> available. I have found "New, not in original box" from Amazon at $250
> and "remanufactured" for $175. All these are sets of four, but I can
> always use an extra black cart.
> 
> Anybody have any advice on using "remanufactured" laser toner
> carts.? Anybody to stay away from?

I have tried many, and I have been most disappointed.  There is nothing
inherently wrong with the concept, but the products that I have tried
have generally been disasterous.

The problem is simply quality control.  You will frequently get several
which work well.  Then, you will get a bad one.  If you're lucky, all it
does is streak, but in my experience, I get ones which leak
_everywhere_.  You'll have toner all over everything in the printer.
Your rollers will be soiled with it, your fuser will be overcome by it,
and it will be the biggest mess your printer has ever produced.  If
you're lucky, it will clear out by printing a dozen blank pages or so.
If not, you'll be disassembling and cleaning your entire printer.

I used to be a proponent of these, but there just isn't anyone I know
who has the QC/QA necessary.

Sean C. McCord