Getting the Most Out of Your Printer’s Consumables

Maximizing Your Printer’s Consumables and Eliminating Wastage

A lot of us have already embraced the work-from-home set-up. Besides the most common equipment like computers and laptops, some have already invested on printer for higher productivity and efficiency.

While this trend has increased over the past years, it’s likely that your consumables and printing cost have also increased drastically. Not to mention the added waste of those empty ink or toner cartridges that you simply throw out once they run dry.

Well, here’s the good news – there are several ways you can get the most out of your consumables.

We will share some handy tips to maximize your consumables, keep your running costs low and more importantly, reduce waste!

Ensure your printer fits your needs!

If you have not decided on the type of printer to buy yet, then this is the time for you to consider and answer these questions to make sure you will make the right choice.

  1. Type of document you expect to print. Are they in color or monochrome?
  2. Print volume. How many pages a month do you expect to print?
  3. Does the multifunction device support cloud connectivity or include scanning features that allow you to digitize your work?

Remember that making the wrong decision in terms of printers and consumables can result in paper and toner or ink wastage. This will leave you with an increase in running costs and worse, damage to the environment.

Do our printers have sustainability features?

Our printers feature a technology that allows you to print smarter and in a way that reduces your printing cost and the wastage of consumables.

For instance, you can opt to print in draft mode, in monochrome or black and white when printing internal documents with simple texts, and when color ink is not necessary. Some of our MFCs also have a toner save function that allows you to save toner when printing this type of document.

You can also maximize the page by using both sides to minimize the use of paper. This is particularly cost-efficient when printing high volume of documents.

Lastly, our printers have the option to keep them in eco mode, sleep, or deep sleep to avoid unnecessary electricity consumption when not in use.

Ever considered high-yield cartridges for your machine?

Purchasing high-yield cartridges may be a bit expensive on the initial investment. However, with the number of pages you can print and the less frequency you need to change the cartridges, you can significantly reduce your Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in the long run.

Remember as well to wait until the cartridges are completely empty before you replace them. Some printers will give a warning before the ink or toner comes to its end. But guess what? you do not need to rush to replace them. In fact, you can do a quick check-up by taking the cartridge out and giving it a little shake to distribute the remaining powder inside. You may be surprised how many more printouts you can produce before they actually run out! 😊

What Value-Added Benefits you can offer to the Workflow?

With the continuous adaptation of the work-from-home set-up by most companies, the digitalization of documents and automation of process workflows have also been embraced tremendously. These changes allow the employees to work effectively even in a remote setting.

Brother MFCs can help with more than just printing your documents. With its added features such as cloud connectivity and advanced scanning capabilities, they can very well help with digitizing documents. This allows you to not only work with continued efficiency but to also minimize the usage of your consumables.

Recycle!

It has been a usual practice by most of us to simply throw cartridges when they ran out. The heavy metals composing the cartridges badly pollute the soil and water, and it takes hundreds of years for a single cartridge to decompose. Unfortunately, 375 million empty cartridges are not recycled, thrown, and left in landfills every year. Imagine how many centuries it will take for all those to decompose?

The good news is, there is actually a responsible way to dispose of your empty cartridges without damaging our environment. You just have to exert a little effort to release that desire and commitment to help save the earth.

Brother is a proud sponsor and full funding partner of the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark recycling program. The program provides you with a free, convenient, environmentally accredited, and guaranteed way to recycle used printer cartridges.

To learn more about Brother Group’s commitment to realizing a sustainable society, please visit https://sdgsstory.global.brother/e/environment/

Get that Best Budget-friendly Printer for your Home with these Tips

Get that Best Budget-friendly Printer for your Home with these Tips

If you are reading this, we assume that you are a professional working from home, or you have kids with lots of printing requirements, and you are thinking of getting yourself your own printer at home.

With your busy schedule, going somewhere else for printing needs might be a hassle, especially if you frequently need them. Like many others, using your time efficiently for more important chores is preferable.

Owning a printer could cost you a bit initially, but it will save you time, energy, and money in the long run. Besides, there are hundreds of affordable printers on the market nowadays, so you don’t need to worry too much financially to get one!

So, how do you choose the best budget-friendly printer for your home?

In this guide, you will learn the key and quality factors to consider in choosing the best budget-friendly printer for your home.

Choosing a Budget-friendly Printer for your Home

When you think of buying just about anything, including a printer, price is the first thing you will consider. You will surely look for the cheapest in the market, sometimes overlooking and compromising the quality.

But is the price the most considerable factor when buying a printer? Remember that a printer is more of an investment, expecting it to give you some returns or at least help you save some money after some time.

Instead of the cheapest, go for a printer that gives the best value for your money while solving your printing needs.

To get the best value for money from your printer, you should also look for the following features and functions:

  • Single or Multiple function
  • Monochrome or Color Printer
  • Type and cost of printer (Laser or Inkjet)
  • Cost of ink and toner cartridges
  • Page yield
Multifunction printer

Single or Multifunction

­Printers come in different quality, features and multiple functions such as scanning, faxing and copying. When deciding to choose between a single function or a multifunction printer, always take into consideration your need for the other functions beyond just printing.

If you simply need a printer and not the other features, then go ahead and save yourself some money. For this purpose, Brother HL-L2375DW may likely be your cheapest and best option.

On the other note, if you think you would also require fax machine, scanners or photocopier, then it may be more cost-effective to buy all in one printer like the Brother DCP-L3551CDW Multifunction LED Laser Printer instead of buying them individually.

Monochrome or Color Printer

Monochrome printer is obviously significantly less expensive than color laser printer as it is limited to generating only black and white printouts compared to multi-colored prints that a color printer can produce.

The decision to buy either mono or color printer simply boils down to what type of document you assume to print. If you mostly print simple text documents or black and white images, then it is wise to keep your costs low by choosing a monochrome printer like DCP-L2550DW. However, if you produce pictures, brochures, flyers, and other promotional materials, then a color printer such as DCP-T520W would be the most suitable option for you.

Type and Cost of Printer (Laser or Inkjet Printer)

Laser printer or Inkjet printer are both good options for home use. Once again, it all depends on your requirements as the other type may be more appropriate than the other in some ways or features.

To help you understand better, here is a cost comparison of these two printers:

Printer Cost

Inkjet printers use liquid ink from separate ink cartridges or internal ink tank and are expelled onto the paper. On the other hand, laser printers use toner powders which are melted onto the paper to add colors.

Generally, Inkjet printers are less expensive than laser printers. However, although a laser printer is more expensive on the initial investment, the features such as exceptional speed and lower printing cost, make up for its initial investment and still make it a value for money option in the long run.

Cost of Ink and Toner Cartridge

Cost of Ink and Toner Cartridges

One of the critical factors to consider when buying a printer is the cost of the ink or toner cartridges.

While inkjet printers are cheaper than laser printers, the ink cartridges of inkjet printers are relatively more expensive than the toner cartridges of laser printers. However, several factors affect the printing cost so you will have to consider the document type and printing frequency.

Assuming you will be printing frequently and in high volume, Brother DCP-L3551CDW Laser Printer is the best and value for money option for you as it requires affordable toners. And since toner cartridges are in dry powder form, laser toners last longer than ink cartridges, thus, you can avoid unnecessary wastage when left unused for long.

Whereas, if printing is an occasional task for you, then an inkjet printer may be a better choice. To help you save even more, some like DCP-T420W come with an internal ink reservoir that can be easily refilled. Keep in mind though that if left unused over a prolonged period, dried ink might cause issues to the printer.

Page Yield

So what exactly is page yield?

Page yield is the approximate number of pages you can print with a cartridge. When buying a printer, you need to consider and compare the page yield to minimize your overall printing budget. You can easily find this information on online catalogs, or on the boxes of the cartridges.

Page yield is usually based on a 5% page coverage, which means a page worth of short paragraphs or emails. Hence, if you are printing more full-bodied prints or a full-page color photo, then the page yield will decrease. Remember that the actual number of prints changes depending on the volume and the type of documents to print.

In general, laser toner cartridge has a higher page yield than an inkjet cartridge. A toner cartridge can print roughly 3,000 to 20,000 pages, whereas an ink cartridge can do between 135 to 1,000.

If high page yield is your requirement, consider the DCP-T220 Ink Tank Printer, which offers 7,500 page yield.

Tips for Extra Money-saving Printer Functions

When searching for the best budget-friendly printer, try to consider other important features and look for some “hidden” extra values. This way, not only do you get the cheapest, but the most value for money printer.

Apart from the main features, printers can also help you save electricity, ink, and paper. Like the HL-L3270CDW that has a deep sleep mode so you can use it more efficiently. Or the DCP-T720DW with an auto-duplexing capability eliminating the hassle of turning the paper manually – saves you more time too!

Conclusion

There is actually no “best” budget-friendly printer on the market as it will always come down to what you need. However, with these tips and information, you can now make a well-informed decision about your new printer!

Your three-point checklist for buying the best printer toner

When looking to purchase printer toner, there is a very important distinction between cost and value. Achieving genuine business value means looking beyond the headline price and yield figures.

To help businesses avoid falling into a false economy toner trap, we’ve identified three essential pillars of print value to help focus business procurement efforts.

The three pillars of print value

  • Quality – Corners can’t really be cut in printing. After all, you can’t share documents that are smudged, blurry, faded or illegible. Without the full spectrum of manufacturer and machine know-how, output quality of third-party toner often declines steadily throughout the print cycle, necessitating early cartridge replacement. Reduced quality can also be evident from the first page. This very quickly unravels claims of high yield and any initial cost savings. High quality from first page to last is essential.
  • Reliability – Non-genuine toner cartridges may promise comparable performance, but this often hides a picture of reduced reliability. Common issues that can arise include non-compatibility, toner leakage and maintenance issues such as jams and parts damage that create downtime. Avoid time spent fixing print problems by opting for original manufacturer toner as it is engineered and optimised for your specific print device.
  • Yield – After cost, the number of printed pages available in a cartridge is an essential consideration for businesses. But if viewed alone, yield can be misleading. The true picture of print value can only be determined by taking quality and uptime into consideration. If declining quality and illegibility prompt you to change the cartridge early, it hasn’t achieved close to its headline output figures. Likewise, if the product has a compatibility issue, leaks or causes a jam, yield figures become the least of your concerns amid the rush to fix the machine.

If any of the above pillars of print value are weak or missing, the longevity of your toner cartridge will be impacted. Ultimately for businesses, this results in downtime, increased maintenance costs and a higher cost per page.

Swapping low cost for high value

To ensure the toner model you use outputs its promised print volumes, delivers on quality from first page to last and minimises maintenance issues – Brother advises opting for genuine supplies.

In a series of gruelling tests conducted Keypoint Intelligence – Buyers Lab, 10 widely available alternative toners were pitted against a genuine model for the Brother HL-L6400DW.

Where “all other brands experienced at least one fault that resulted in early toner replacement or unexpected maintenance”*, “Brother genuine toner produced both the highest total output, the highest average output”* and came top on every test metric.

When comparing the average across all third-party brands, Brother toner produced 57% more output”*, revealing the hidden costs and quality compromise of opting for non-genuine supplies.

Brother engineers its toners to work reliably and optimally with specific printers to ensure full yield and ideal image quality from first page to last.


*All quotes taken from Keypoint Intelligence / Buyers Lab’s March 2018 Custom Test Report entitled ‘Brother Genuine Toner Cartridges for Brother HL-L6400DW versus Ten Third-Party Brands’.

10 easy ways to help the environment

At Brother we work constantly to reduce our impact on the environment.

In fact, we were the first printer manufacturer to receive Blue Angel certification on inkjet devices. A Blue Angel label signifies long service life, low energy usage and minimal environmental impact.

As part of our environmental policy we are also committed to helping our customers to do their bit. We all want to be greener, and we’re here to help. That’s why we’ve come up these top 10 easy environment tips that can help you make a real difference.

10 ways for a happier planet

1. Recycle your Brother print cartridges

Just package them up and send them back to us, free of charge, and we’ll do the rest. Doing this also supports our work with the environmental charity Cool Earth.

2. Print double sided

A simple change to your print settings can halve your paper usage in a single click.

3. Only print the pages you need

It sounds obvious, but we’ve all printed 30-page documents when we only actually want a couple of pages!

4. Don’t leave computers and other appliances in standby

According to the Energy Saving Trust, up to 16% of domestic energy consumption is caused by appliances left in standby mode*.

5. Buy from companies with eco-friendly policies

If customers support greener ways of doing business, more companies will adopt them.

6. Recycle your old or broken printer

Old printers don’t belong in your bin! It’s easy to find your nearest recycling center online.

7. Use newer, more energy efficient machines

When you’re buying a new printer, look for its energy rating and environmental credentials.

8. Print grayscale

If you’re printing a black & white document, go to settings and click on the ‘Grayscale’ option. It can help reduce the amount of ink you use.

9. Consider your print quality settings

Adjust your print quality settings when printing draft documents. Lowering the resolution will save you ink and time.

10. Use genuine supplies

Using original ink cartridges and toner cartridges minimises your energy consumption. Brother printers are designed to work with your genuine supplies to reduce waste and the impact that you have on the environment.

Why genuine supplies are worth it

The advantages of using genuine Brother printer inks and toners

When it comes to running a business, quality is something that should never be compromised, and consistency is key.

When you’re busy running a business, there is little time remaining to focus on basic office needs such as printing. Put simply, you just need these processes to work seamlessly every time.

Third-party printer ink and toner cartridges are widely available, and businesses often opt to use them believing they provide the same performance as genuine supplies. In reality, this could be a costly mistake as non-genuine supplies could pose multiple risks and compromise on both the print quality and performance.

To increase awareness of the risks, we have provided five reasons why genuine supplies are the smart choice for businesses and are worth it all the time:

1. Reliability – Some non-genuine supplies have issues with failure to meet expected yield. A recent study showed 49% of third-party cartridges tested in fact failed to reach stated yield, meaning they can run out faster than they should. Brother genuine consumables are rigorously tested to ensure they work perfectly every time.

2. Environmental – Brother printers are designed to work with Brother genuine supplies to reduce waste and limit our environmental impact.

3. Health and Safety – Health and safety is critical to every business and Brother’s supplies are tested to highest standards, so users can rest assured that they are always safe.

4. Quality – Producing any client-facing documents is a direct reflection of your business and every page needs to be of the highest quality. Using Brother genuine consumables ensures the perfect print quality is delivered every time.

To find out more about why using genuine printer inks and toners are worth it every time, please visit https://www.brother.ae/en/support/genuine-supplies