With the current exchange rates, printer toner is a significant expense for Kenyan businesses. A single cartridge can cost what many employees earn in a week. But there are legitimate ways to make your toner last longer without resorting to questionable refills.

Adjust Your Print Settings Wisely

Use draft mode for internal documents. That memo to your team doesn't need presentation quality. Switch to draft or economy mode and save up to 40% toner on everyday printing.

Choose the right font. This might surprise you, but fonts matter. Century Gothic and Calibri use less toner than Arial or Times New Roman. Garamond is particularly efficient for long documents.

Reduce font size where sensible. Dropping from 12pt to 11pt for internal documents makes a noticeable difference over thousands of pages.

Print Only What You Need

Preview before printing. How many times have you printed a document only to find a blank page at the end or formatting errors? Always preview first.

Print specific pages. Need only pages 3-5 of a 20-page document? Print just those pages instead of the entire document.

Consider digital alternatives. Does that document really need to be printed? Sometimes an email or shared file serves the same purpose.

Maintain Your Printer Properly

A well-maintained printer uses toner more efficiently. Here's what to do:

Clean regularly. Dust and debris inside your printer cause uneven toner distribution. Monthly cleaning of the drum and corona wire improves efficiency.

Store toner correctly. Keep spare cartridges in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Extreme heat common in Kenya can degrade toner quality.

Don't ignore low toner warnings immediately. Most printers warn you well before the toner is actually exhausted. You often have 100-200 more pages left.

The Toner Shake Trick

When your printer shows low toner, remove the cartridge and gently rock it side to side. This redistributes the remaining toner evenly and can give you extra weeks of printing.

Important: Don't shake violently or you'll damage the cartridge. Gentle, back-and-forth motion is all you need.

Beware of False Savings

Cheap compatible cartridges and toner refills might seem attractive, but they often cause more problems than they solve. Poor quality toner can damage your printer's drum, leading to expensive repairs.

If you want to explore alternatives to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) toner, consult with professionals who can recommend reliable compatible options.

At ilexDigital, we help businesses optimize their printing costs through proper maintenance and genuine consumables sourcing. Contact us for advice tailored to your specific printer model.