When your printer alerts you that you’ve run out of ink, you can either run out to a store to buy some right away (if the printer has run out of ink while you’re printing something important) or you can go online and do a search for printer cartridges if you have some time. At a store, your options are typically all from the original manufacturer (HP, Canon, Brother, etc.), but online you’ll find more options, which can be confusing. Before you buy your next printer cartridge online, read on to understand the differences between OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) printer cartridges versus non-OEM printer cartridges, including “compatible”, generic, and remanufactured ones.

The True Cost

While you’re shopping for a new printer cartridge, you’ll come across lower prices for non-OEM and remanufactured cartridges that may be more appealing than OEM, but be forewarned there are risks that come with that reduced cost. OEM (otherwise known as name-brand) printer cartridges are more expensive than non-OEM cartridges because they have the reputation of the company behind them along with the company’s research and development brains; and they’re built for the specific printer.

When you purchase non-OEM printer cartridges instead of OEM to save money, you’re not really saving money. Instead, a SpencerLab Monochrome Reliability study showed that the cost of the non-OEM will be up to 10% more than an OEM cartridge when you add on the reprints and service calls you’ll need to fix your printer. The calculations for this study included the costs of paper, cartridge replacement for one that prints, and labor for reprints.

Technology

Did you know that up to 70% of the technology that’s needed to print is located in the printer cartridge itself? This statistic is based on an HP study that looked into all-in-one cartridges and the EP process steps required to print a page. Knowing that, why would you buy a non-OEM cartridge that wasn’t built for your printer and instead simply tries to replicate it?

Quality

As you’re printing out your resume, for example, how do you want the final result to look? Do you want to hand over a perfect resume to the hiring manager, or do you want to hand them one that’s streaky, dotted, or smeared because you tried to save money by purchasing a generic or remanufactured printer cartridge? The answer is simple: OEM printer cartridges will give you the high quality printing that you need to put your best foot forward.

Safety

When you’re buying anything online, safety should always be a factor. A remanufactured printer cartridge is one that has been used and refilled. But you don’t know what kind of ink has been poured into that cartridge, nor if there is previous ink or paper debris still in the cartridge from before it was refilled. Any of these issues can cause the printer cartridge to leak and damage your printer.

Who to Trust?

Adams Imaging Systems has an extensive inventory of Genuine OEM Brand toner and ink cartridges from all major brands, including HP, Dell, Lexmark, Brother, Canon, Konica, Infoprint, Samsung, Xerox, Sharp, Ricoh, and more. They offer quality products, service, and technical support that sets them apart from their competitors. Give Adams Imaging Systems a call at 978-462-9206.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, more employees are planning on keeping their shift from commuting in an office to working from home every day for even longer. In fact, according to Gartner, 88% of organizations have encouraged or required their employees to work from home until part way through 2021. Read on to learn how to create a productive home office working space with technology that will make you feel like you’re in the office.

Where to Work

When you’re home, it may be tempting to work from your bed or couch. But, if you have the space, it’s better to create a separate working space in a guest room, a corner of your bedroom, or at the dining room/kitchen table. Or, you can place your desk in a spare closet and invest in a solid office chair. Wherever you carve out your home office space, you want to be able to literally close a door to your “office” at the end of the day, or not have it be somewhere you sleep or eat, as sleeping will be impacted.

6 Pieces of Tech You Need for Your Remote Home Office

• Computer or laptop
• A solid WiFi connection, with the better solution being to connect your laptop directly to your router through an Ethernet cable; HDMI to Ethernet cable; or USB to Ethernet cable
• Computer monitor to go with your laptop if you’re used to two monitors at work
• Wireless keyboard
• Webcam, as most laptops come with lesser-quality cameras, which will make you look pixelated on Zoom meetings
• Multi-function printer, especially if you need to print out, scan, or fax materials for your job

Other Ways to Outfit Your Home Office

For non-technology, first, a comfortable office chair is a must. A wooden chair may work for an hour, but you’re going to be uncomfortable sitting there for hours on end. If your chairs are wooden, get a plush cushion and/or backrest for the chair for support and comfort.

Also, consider what’s behind you when you’re sitting at your desk, especially if you have a number of Zoom meetings. If there’s a blank wall behind you, and you’re not doing a Zoom virtual background, put a painting or two up for a point of interest.

Who to Go to for Your Home Office Technology?

Adams Imaging Systems has an extensive inventory of HP computers as well as copiers, printers, fax machines, multi-function printers, and scanners from Brother, Canon, Hewlett Packard, Toshiba, and Samsung. What sets Adams Imaging Systems apart from their competition is their personal service. The devices you receive are set up and ready to go, and they’ll assist you in connecting them to your network and the other technologies in your home office. Give Adams Imaging Systems a call at 978-462-9206.

Think for a moment about your office printer or printers. Do you have backup ink or toner cartridges stored in your supply closet? Or do you just have the toner that’s currently being used in the printer? Read on to learn why you should have stock up on toner, including the tax advantages in doing so.

Backups for Color Printers

For each one of your color printers, you should have at least one complete set of unused toner cartridges in the four colors that make up CMYK:

• Cyan
• Magenta
• Yellow
• Black (this is known as K because it’s the “Key Color”)

So, that’s one set that is being used in the printer and one that’s stored with your office supplies for when you need it. If you have more than one complete set of backup on hand, that’s even better.

Here’s a special offerregarding color printer backup compatible cartridges for great savings: If you buy three compatible color cartridges from us at Adams Imaging Systems, we’ll give you the compatible black cartridge free. Plus, you’ll receive free service on site at your office for any issues that come up. Through December 31, 2020! Call us today to see how you can SAVE!

Backups for Black and White Printers

Black and white printers are also known as monochrome printers because they only print in black ink. For these printers in your office, you should keep one spare toner cartridge set on hand.

Emergency Toner Supplies

We know that offices are worried about delays in shipping, but you don’t have to worry when you purchase your toners from Adams Imaging Systems. Along with a full inventory of copier and printer equipment, we also keep most toners in stock in our warehouse. This has been crucial, especially for our accountant clients who print out a lot of documents during the accounting season. Our customers know that if they buy toner from us regularly, we keep it in stock in case of any emergencies that might come up.

Unused Backup Cartridges

If you stock up on backup ink and toner cartridges from us, and you have to replace your copier machine for one that doesn’t use that specific cartridge, you’re not stuck with those cartridges. Instead, we’ll take back the unused toner cartridges and provide you with full toner credit.

Tax Advantages

There’s one last reason to purchase backup ink and toner cartridges for your printer and it’s a big one. It’s a tax deduction. Yes, your office supplies are a legitimate tax deduction and write-off for your business. Why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of that? In fact, while you’re thinking of it, this is also a great time to upgrade or trade in your current printers/copiers for new ones before the end of the year, since you can also write that off in your taxes as a deduction.

Who to Trust?

Adams Imaging Systems has an extensive inventory of toner and ink cartridges from all major brands, including HP, Kyocera, and more. They offer quality products, service, and technical support that sets them apart from their competitors. Give Adams Imaging Systems a call at 978-462-9206.