Toner is a dry, powder-like substance that acts as the "ink" for a wide range of office equipment, including copiers, laser printers, and many fax machines.

While most businesses spend a great deal of time deciding how much to pay for the equipment, they rarely pay as much attention to the toner. However, over the life of the equipment, the cost of toner needed to operate a machine can be many times the cost of the equipment itself.

This guide is designed to give you the facts you need to shop around for less expensive sources of toner. The various sections are listed in the box above. You can choose to read this guide from beginning to end, or jump directly to a section of interest.