Does laser printer toner dry out?

[Robert Bindler]

I am considering replacing my aging ink jet printer with a low-end laser
printer. My printing habits equate to a very fast ink jet cartridge
replacement cycle. I may go weeks or months without printing anything,
and then will print many (>10) pages at once. I am aware that toner
cartridges can produce thousands of pages. Would my printing habits
affect the output from a toner cartridge. That is, will the toner dry
out if I don't use it in a while?)

 

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

I am considering replacing my aging ink jet printer with a low-end laser
printer. My printing habits equate to a very fast ink jet cartridge
replacement cycle. I may go weeks or months without printing anything,
and then will print many (>10) pages at once. I am aware that toner
cartridges can produce thousands of pages. Would my printing habits
affect the output from a toner cartridge. That is, will the toner dry
out if I don't use it in a while?)

No, not at all. Toner is dry ink. With a well made cartridge, you can
let it sit there for a long, long time with no ill effects.

 

[Andrew Rossmann]

I am considering replacing my aging ink jet printer with a low-end laser
printer. My printing habits equate to a very fast ink jet cartridge
replacement cycle. I may go weeks or months without printing anything,
and then will print many (>10) pages at once. I am aware that toner
cartridges can produce thousands of pages. Would my printing habits
affect the output from a toner cartridge. That is, will the toner dry
out if I don't use it in a while?)

Laser toner is supposed to be dry. In the proper environment, it will
last forever. In reality, in high heat and/or high humidity, it could
start to clump together. Also, it could settle and be hard to properly
spread across the drum. If the toner is in a cartridge, you can remove it
and give it a light talk back and forth a few times every once in awhile
to keep it loose.