So what do you mean by printer consumables? These are items that are regularly refilled or replaced in your printer to ensure that the printer functions and produces high-quality prints. Simply put, these consumables are a must-have for the printing process to continue. Below are some of these essential printer consumables:
Toner Cartridges
These are often needed in laser printers, and they come with a powdery and dry substance which is called toner. The toner is fused into paper aided by heat to result in a printed image. A laser printer has a separate toner cartridge for every color along with a black cartridge. Once the supply of toner is low, you have to replace the cartridge.
Ink Cartridges
These cartridges are the ones used in inkjet printers. The cartridges have liquid inks. These inks are sprayed on the paper to form the desired images and text. They are usually found in different color cartridges with colors such as magenta, yellow, and cyan together with a black cartridge. When the ink runs out, it’s time to replace the cartridges.
Drum Units
These are often found in laser printers. Drum units are the ones that transfer the toner to the paper. They are not known to have longer lifespans compared to toner cartridges. When they wear out, you have to replace them.
Paper
This is not exactly a printer consumable, but there’s no print without paper. Different printers come with different capacities for holding paper. They also support different types of sizes of paper from plain paper to photo paper and also envelopes.
Maintenance Kits
These kits contain different printer components that are required for the printer’s functions. Some of the common items found in the kit are rollers, fuser units, cleaning supplies, and transfer belts. Such kits are usually recommended after a considerable amount of prints and when certain parts of the printer need replacements.
Waste Collection Units
Most high-volume printers are designed with waste collection units which are also called waste toner containers. They collect any excess toner or waste created during the process of printing. When such units become full, they need to be emptied if not replaced for the printer to continue working efficiently.
Remember that these consumables differ according to the type of printer and its specific model. It’s a must to check the prices and availability of printing consumables before you decide on a printer to invest in. Always make sure that the maintenance costs are suitable to your budget.