Refill Toner: Instructions for almost all printers

New printer cartridges often cost disproportionately and pollute the environment. This practical tip shows you how you can simply refill toner.

Refill toner - the advantages

If you use your printer toner several times, it protects your wallet, especially in the long term, because ink is much cheaper than the already filled toner.
You also reduce plastic waste by simply reusing the toner made almost exclusively from this material, similar to plastic bottles.
However, you should also be aware that refilling the cartridges is not as easy as it may seem. Skill, (time) effort and a basic understanding of printer and toner are essential.
But even then there is a risk that the printer will suffer irreparable damage.

Before you begin to top up your toner, be sure to pay attention to some key details.

First of all, the ink itself is important. Although universal ink is usually very inexpensive, it destroys many printers. That's why you should make a point of using ink specially made for your printer.
The filling quantity also plays an important role. If you put too much ink in the toner, it runs into the printer, which can lead to printing errors, ink stains on the surface and even a defective device.
Finally, the time of filling is important. Under no circumstances should you wait until the toner is completely empty before refilling. This could cause the print head to suck in air, which in turn causes streaks on the print copies.
In addition, each print cartridge has its own peculiarities. Some have two chambers, one contains the ink, the other the sponge. In other cartridges, ink and sponge are in the same chamber.
That is why it is important to inform yourself beforehand as extensively as possible about the structure of your cartridge, the correct filling and any special features.

You need a syringe, enough compatible (!) Refill ink, a small drill, a cutter knife, a chip resetter and also a sufficiently large pad for the process.
The first step is also the most difficult - drilling the filler hole. You have to choose exactly the right place, otherwise the ink will not run into the intended chamber and the sponge will be irreparably damaged. Therefore, here again the reference to the structure of your respective cartridge.
Then use the syringe to fill the ink into the hollow chamber - the area without a sponge. However, you should exercise absolute caution here, as there are easily ink stains on clothing or furniture.
Now the cartridge chip must be reset, after all the cartridge fill level is stored on it, which is still set to "empty".
To reset, you need the chip resetter, which is tailored to your printer and cartridge model. We will explain how the reset works in detail elsewhere.
If you have not filled in too much ink, you should now be able to use the cartridge again.

A possible alternative is an "ink filling station". Send your empty toner there and get it refilled. Since specialists are at work here, there are fewer complications in this way.
Nevertheless, you should make sure that the toner is filled with high-quality ink that is compatible with your printer.
In addition, the refilling process naturally costs money, but usually less than when you buy new cartridges.
Another option is to buy refill or rebuilt cartridges. These are cartridges that have been elaborately cleaned and refilled.
Sometimes the individual parts of the cartridges are even replaced by new parts so that there are no problems.
In addition, there should be no problems with the ink.
The last option for recycling or exchanging your cartridges is to send them to purchase points such as "GeldfuerMuell".
They pay you a determined purchase price for your empty toner, from which you can buy new cartridges. The highlight: the environment is only negligibly polluted, after all the toners sold do not end up in the trash, but are reused.

We will explain in another practical tip how you can dispose of toner properly and in an environmentally friendly manner.