5 Myths about Non-OEM Printer Cartridges – Separating Fact & Fiction
So your printer just ran out of ink or toner…again. As you look for the best price, you might stumble upon compatible or non-OEM printer cartridges. Original equipment manufacturers (OEM), which would be brands like HP or Canon, typically issue alarmist warnings about non-OEM printer cartridges - also known as compatible or generic cartridges. They claim that the quality is inferior, that they could damage printers and even their printer warrantie would be voided as a result of using non-OEM products. Let’s examine these claims individually and see if they stand up to scrutiny.
1. Non-OEM Ink and Toner Cartridges are of Inferior Quality
MYTH – Non-OEM products are created by third party companies (i.e. not the original brand you bought the printer from), and this fact alone sometimes scares people away. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t print just as well as OEM products from brands like Dell or Brother. Just read reviews online, and you’ll many people commenting that non-OEM printer cartridges have the same print quality and the number of pages printed as OEM ones. More of then than not, OEM companies are the ones who claim non-OEM don’t print well or might damage your printer. The truth is, non-OEM printer cartridges all have to meet certain standards and go through a number of quality tests before going out in the market.
2. But They Look Different!
TRUE – The packaging is different in compatible printer cartridges, and yes, they may even be less attractive and look “cheaper”. That said, why should you care about the packaging? You’re not using the packaging but the cartridge inside, so the packaging shouldn’t sway you away from making a purchase. In fact, you don’t even see the cartridge once in it’s the printer, no one will know. Plus, certain packaging sometimes even makes prices higher and can harm the environment - less is better!
Just as a reminder, the real reason why compatible cartridges look different is because they are designed not to because of copyrights from the original product manufacturers that you’ll find in major stores like Best Buy.
3. Only OEM Cartridges are Built to Precise Specifications
MYTH – No, not true. Compatible printer cartridges are also made to meet exact specifications and requirements for the printer they’re made to work with. No matter what printer brand or model you have, you will find a compatible product that matches the exact requirements of your specific printer.
4. Reviews Reveal All
TRUE – All compatible printer cartridges compatibles are not created equal. Sometimes you’ll find really great quality compatible ones from a certain company, and the not-so-good ones in terms of quality. Our advice is to always check out reviews first - that may be on their Facebook page, Google + page, Yelp, Go through the reviews first, and then make up your own mind about what works and what doesn’t.
5. Using Non-OEM Products Voids the Printer Warranty
MYTH – When OEMs issue such warnings, these are couched in ambiguous language - “could”, “may” are some of the terms used. This is because printer warranty is not and by law cannot be voided by using a different brand of cartridge so long as it is made to specifications. Congress enacted the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act in 1975 precisely so that company monopolies would not thrive; so that consumers would have access to competitively priced products rather be forced to buy monopolistic products with inflated pricing.
6. Compatibles Will Damage Your Printer
MYTH – Not true, just because a printer cartridge is non-OEM doesn’t mean that it will damage your printer or be defective.Yes, sometimes you will find a “bad” printer cartridge, whether it’s OEM or non-OEM, but that’s most likely due to human error or a glitch at the factory. “One bad apple ruins the batch” doesn’t apply here. This has nothing to with the brand or lack thereof. Any ink or toner cartridge may damage your printer if it is defective or is used incorrectly. The occasional defective product may be produced by OEM companies as well as by manufactures of compatibles.
7. But the Studies Say…
You’ll find many OEM companies often talk about studies that say compatible ink and toner cartridges are less reliable. However, if you look closely, you’ll see that these so called ‘studies’ are usually funded by those OEM companies themselves! When you examine studies not funded by OEM companies, such as this 2004 study on using a compatible ink, you will find that it’s been proved that there is little or no difference in quality between the compatible and OEM printer cartridges.
In fact one study conducted by PC World and the Rochester Institute of Technology (a highly respected research university) found that the third-party ink cartridges used in the study test group actually created more prints per cartridge and cost less. For small businesses and home offices this factor can result in considerable savings and may make a significant difference in your savings or “bottom line”.
8. OEMs Cost So Much More, So They Must Be Better
People often think price and quality go hand-in-hand. When we look at brand-name and generic medicine, we’ll see that the generic medications often cost less but they work the same as the name-brands. Similarly, a lower costing cartridge may not have a popular and well-known name attached to it but it can still work just as good (or even better) than a household brand name. Yet, we often automatically think it will be poorer quality.
The fact is that the pricing of printers and OEM cartridges doesn’t just happen accident or randomly. The OEM Company reels you in with a cheaply priced printer – a one-time purchase. It then makes you pay ridiculously high prices for their toner and ink cartridges - a frequent purchase.
Now that we’ve looked into the different types of claims, which are often untrue, made by OEMS - why shell out so much more for a brand name product when it makes all round good sense to go with compatible products? If you have a different opinion based on your personal experience, please share this with us and our readers.