How Long Does Toner Last (And Why)?

Exact Answer: Up to 2 years

Some toners will last for a long time without getting expired. The owner needs to store the printer properly to make it last forever. Many toners come with a shelf life of around 2 years. The use of a printer is also important to know how long the toner would last. People who print many pages daily or use the printer very frequently may not store the toner forever.

As the toner would get empty in a short time period. Printing images can take a huge amount of toner than printing a few lines on a page. It means, if someone prints images or heavy pages, then the toner would not last for a long time. The expiry dates of the toners are sometimes provided by the manufacturer.

The expiry dates may also depend on the brand of the toner one is using.

How Long Does Toner Last?

There are many things that can be done to make the toner have a long shelf life. Some toners may expire in just 24 months. A compatible cartridge toner would not last after 36 months. There will be some exceptional conditions where the toner can last after the expiry date.

Everyone should always keep the laser print clean as it would maintain the quality of the toner. A good and clean laser print would prevent the wastage of toners. By keeping the laser print clean, the person can increase the shelf life of the toner. Use a lint-free cloth to keep the laser print clean.

People can also use damp cloth carefully to clean any dirt present in the laser printer. To remove the grime, everyone should use soft bristles. Everyone can use moistened Q-tips to clear or remove the grime. The rubber feeder rollers should be cleaned with the help of isopropyl alcohol. The use of vacuum cleaners can damage the printer.

Therefore, avoid using the vacuum cleaner or any type of compressed air for cleaning purposes. Always use the correct mode for using the printer. For example, if someone would do the printing using the print mode, then it would help in increasing the shelf life of the toner.

Never compromise on the quality of the toner. The quality of the toner is very important. Always try to purchase high-yield cartridges as they would last extremely long. The shelf life of regular toner cartridges would be less as compared to the high-yield cartridges.

Why Does Toner Last This Long?

The toner would last long if the quality of the toner is maintained well. Some toner would have a shelf life of around 15 years and more. The high yield toner could run for printing more pages. As it would have more toner dust and it would have a long shelf life. If the toner would not work, then shaking the toner may help.

The people can shake the toner and can shake it for making it work again. It’s necessary to get the toner that would be suitable for the model of the printer. Before getting the toner, try to learn more about the printer. As some printers may not support the brand of the toner the person is using. The HP canon cartridge would last around 24 months.

After some time the toner would start printing low-quality pages, but this doesn’t mean the toner is expired. If the toner or ink of the printer is opened, then not using it for years would degrade its quality. The product’s packaging would state how many pages can be printed by the toner. Everyone should see all the instructions mentioned in the toner’s packaging.

Conclusion

A toner is a type of powder mixture that would be used in the printers. Mainly, laser printers use toner for printing purposes. It’s better to invest in the high-priced toner as the quality would be up to the mark. Toners are very different from ink, as they don’t dry out very quickly.

The shelf life of the toner would be around 2 years or more depending on how the person keeps it.

References

1. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/857659/
2. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/MEQ-05-2018-0088/full/html