How to Evaluate Printer Cartridge Suppliers
Evaluating printer cartridge suppliers doesn't have to be a mystery. In June of 2004, the leading suppliers of inkjet printer cartridges came together to support the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for monochrome toner cartridge yields. The big names in ink supplies supporting the ISO include Canon, HP, Lexmark and Epson.
The International Organization for Standardization is recognized globally as having developed many successful standards to arrive at reliable, unbiased standards on the customer's behalf.
The ISO for the monochrome ink cartridge industry include making it possible for customers to accurately evaluate and measure the yield they will receive from each printer inkjet cartridge they purchase. Not only can the standard be used to measure new inkjet cartridges from the original supplier, but also for refill inkjet cartridges.
The ISO determines a printer cartridge yield by testing the following criteria:
- Printing a page in a controlled environment on default printer settings
- Testing nine of each cartridges until they stop printing, giving a 95% accuracy rate
- Cartridges and printers used for testing are those available for purchase by consumers in the open market
- Measurements used that determine exact end-of-life criterion
- Three cartridges tested on three different printers to be sure the printer variable isn't effecting cartridge yield
- Testing takes place in a temperature controlled environment.
In addition to knowing the average yield of the printer cartridge you plan to buy, you should also consider other factors when evaluating printer cartridge suppliers- including reliability, quality, speed, productivity and the ease of using the item.
To run your own testing on your inkjet cartridges, keep track of how many pages each supplier's cartridge gives you, as well as how many pages you get from printing from a refilled cartridge. Once you determine which cartridges give you the best results, you can save money by using that brand!
