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> Do you have a link from an ebay seller? I've looked and it seems like every P1006 cartridge I find is either refilled OR as this Item number:110484116522 - "Directly from Factory, New"... then there is the word "Compatible)" meaning it's NOT OEM from my understanding. There is also the matter of HP's smart chip. Stefan, you are buying for Lexmark, so might not have HP info.
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> Chiphead, or anyone? do you have any comments on a source for OEM HP P1006 cartridges? I looked at Staples.com where I think the cartridge was $68 or so? Almost what I paid for the new printer - of course that was with a "starter" cartridge.
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I don't know of a specific seller, but the only time I needed a cartridge for my printer I found one on ebay for $20 that was OEM. Laser cartridges last a very long time with typical home use, I got a couple years out of the first one.
$68 sounds pretty reasonable, that's how these things work of course, the printers are sold incredibly cheaply as they are subsidized by the sale of consumables. A real cartridge will normally last several times longer than a starter cartridge, most will get you 3,000-5,000 pages so the actual cost per page is ridiculously cheap, especially compared to inkjet. I gave up on those after spending hundreds on cartridges over the years that usually got me 20-30 pages before they dried up from infrequent use.
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> I expected a sealed box to be ok for a LONG time, but my concern is the toner cartridge that has been opened and used to print 5 toner transfers, then removed for storage. No longer sealed cartridges - anyone have any idea of shelf life?
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The old LED printer I had was probably 6-7 years old when I got it and I used the cartridge that came in it for another 2-3 years. So long as they are stored in a cool dry place they should last virtually indefinitely.