Copier Toner

TonerKits - The Eco-Friendly Copier Ink Cartridge Solution

I recently started sending out a monthly newsletter to customers of my husband's business. I use our Canon ImageClass MF6550 multi-purpose copier to print up over 400 of them a month, on legal-sized paper, both sides.

It didn't take long to realize I wasn't saving nearly as much on printing costs as I had hoped. Besides, while I appreciate that Canon takes back toner cartridges for recycling, it was a hassle. Plus, we're always looking for more eco-friendly alternatives. I figured refilling the cartridges would save the energy it would take to send them back and turn them into new ones. I began to look for a way to do it.

I was pleased to find my solution within 60 seconds of beginning my search. TonerKits.com offers just the product I was looking for: do-it-yourself toner cartridge refill kits. They had a whole page of good customer feedback, and I figured at $11.99 a fill for my model copier it was worth a try.

The kit came quickly, two days after I ordered (which was a relief, because my cartridge had run out of toner half way through a print run.) It was packaged in a yellow padded paper mailer. I eagerly pulled out the contents and found exactly what the company promised - everything I needed to make my toner cartridge go again, along with detailed instructions. I quickly got down to work.

It was pretty close to brain-dead easy. I had ordered the optional hole-punch tool they recommend for poking a hole in the cartridge. It's a modified soldering iron that easily melts a clean round hole through the plastic and avoids getting plastic bits in there from drilling, the alternative method. We own several drills, but I've done enough handy projects to realize the value of a specialty tool, and figured for under 10 bucks it was worth it.

The tool did its job admirably. I was left with about a half to inch hole into which to pour the toner. The toner is a fine black powder shipped in a small plastic bottle. The kit comes with a very effective pour spout that works like a funnel. You just carefully pour the stuff in. I appreciated the company's warning not to squeeze the bottle. (If you do, you'll blow toner all over the place.) I might add that it helps to wear plastic gloves, because you WILL spill a little even if you're careful.

Once the cartridge was filled, I wiped off the outside and used the included sealing tape to close up the hole. The whole process took me about 10 minutes - just what the company promised.

My only complaint - and it is minor - is that the hole tool really stunk when I heated it up. I'm hoping that with subsequent use this will be less of a problem.

All in all I am extremely pleased with TonerKits. They have an eco-friendly copier solution that saved me $40 on my first use, even with the hole tool. And it works flawlessly. I'll be ordering more for sure!