Solved Printer running low on toner. Continue using it?

stormy13 · Apr 21, 2022

Ed Tittel said:
@stormy13: thanks for the info. It's like accessing a router or WAP over the network but of course focuses on printer relevant info. Works for both of my network-attached printers, and glad of it. Blogged about this today: Printer IPv4 Address Produces Reports. Good stuff!
--Ed--

Funny thing is I don't even remember where I found that info, just know that I have had it bookmarked almost as long as I have had the printer (over 2 years).

As far as the info that can be found there, not sure about your printers but for my Brother it gives more than the maintenance app without having to actually install anything.

Wynona · Apr 22, 2022

Try3 said:
Dan,

The [UK] Consumers' Association ["Which"] ran a survey on third-party ink cartridges & toner. They concluded that there is no quality / technical / cost benefit in sticking to manufacturers' brand ink or toner.
The ink that printer firms don't want you to use - Which
The best laser printer toner - Which
One exception to note is HP's Instant Ink plan [a subscription scheme] which has remarkably low charges. Costs can apparently work out as almost half of standard retail prices. HP post you new ink when needed [usage is monitored & reported back to HP by the printer's control centre]. One price I saw mentioned was £9.99 a month for usage of 300 pages a month [with rollover facilities of up to three months].

I'm almost in the same boat as you.
- I'm still using the toner that the printer came with four years ago. Its main use is as a very good scanner because I hardly ever need to print anything out these days; I printed a page this afternoon & I printed out two pages in January.
- I am getting an occasional faint printout on black typing.
- I am not getting any low toner warning yet.
- I'll keep trying the shaking trick until the black toner is exhausted.
- I've bought a complete set of third-party large capacity toner replacements from Office World. They were given decent ratings in the Which review and happened to be the ones I found the lowest known-name prices for in Amazon [UK].
- The set should have cost only £49 but I took the additional risk of buying from the Amazon [UK] Warehouse [i.e. returned goods] so it only cost me £35. I'll be glad to get the chance to try them out.

All the best,
Denis

@Try3 I followed the link but wasn't able to see the "results" unless I joined Which!

I don't think I've ever encountered this issue before! Why on earth would I pay for information that's freely available all over the Internet!?

Try3 · Apr 22, 2022

Wynona said:
@Try3 I followed the link but wasn't able to see the "results" unless I joined Which!
I don't think I've ever encountered this issue before! Why on earth would I pay for information that's freely available all over the Internet!?

I tested those links in a few browsers and had no problems, including using InPrivate modes. The pages just had this in the top-right corner

I'm in the UK and access is open for me. Perhaps Which have a geographical lock on their site with a bypass allowing members who happen to be abroad to log in???

Or are you referring to the Show full table link?

That is restricted even in the UK.
I thought the article was of interest even without that bit because the main point was not to dismiss all third-party brands out of hand.

If you can get the information elsewhere then fine. Third-party toner suppliers tend not to be international brands so you'd want to find recommendations relevant to your country anyway.

All the best,
Denis