HP 218 toner: frequently asked questions

Both fit the same printers and print the same quality; the difference is how much toner is inside. HP states about 1,300 pages for 218A black and about 3,200 for 218X black; for the colors about 1,200 versus 2,500 (ISO/IEC 19798, continuous printing).

Which one is cheaper per page follows from one division: price ÷ stated yield. That depends on today's prices, not on how much you print — our 218A vs 218X page does the math with the prices we checked.

Your volume decides something else: how many cartridges you buy per year, how much cash you tie up at once and how often you swap. Light users may prefer 218A's lower upfront price; heavy users save swaps with 218X.

HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201/3301 printers use four separate cartridges: black (K), cyan (C), yellow (Y) and magenta (M). The printer's control panel or the HP Smart app shows the level of each. Replace only the color that is low.

The OEM codes per color: black W2180A/W2180X, cyan W2181A/W2181X, yellow W2182A/W2182X, magenta W2183A/W2183X. A or X is a capacity choice, not a color — black in X with colors in A is fine.

Yes. Every color slot takes either the A or the X version of that color, so you can mix freely — for example 218X black with 218A cyan, yellow and magenta. HP lists all eight cartridges as replacements for each of the U.S. 3201/3301 models.

Mixing is often the most sensible setup for offices that print mostly black: the black cartridge empties first because it is used on color pages too.

Not automatically. HP sells the cartridges individually; U.S. "4-packs" are retailer or marketplace bundles of the same four Original HP cartridges (for example model W2180AQ1 or W2180XQ1). Our checks have found a four-pack that cost more than the same four singles at the same retailer, and another that cost less.

Always compare the set price with the sum of the four single prices on the multipack pages. Some marketplace sets are sold "without manufacturer warranty" — read the listing title before you buy.

We check the exact listings at HP Store, Staples, Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg, Quill and Toner Buzz for the originals, plus specialist sellers for compatibles. Prices move often and several stores tend to cluster within a few cents of each other, so the useful differences are shipping, the actual seller and the return route.

The comparison on each product page ranks by checked price and shows who sells and ships the item, the shipping we saw and the date of the check. We never rank by commission.

Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg and Amazon run marketplaces: the website is the platform, but another company can be the seller and ship the order. Returns, warranty handling and shipping then follow that seller's terms.

We record the platform, the seller and (where shown) who fulfils the order separately, and show the seller on every row. A marketplace listing of an Original HP cartridge is not the same as buying from HP or from the platform itself — check the seller before you order.

No. U.S. prices are shown before sales tax, because the tax depends on your address and is only calculated at checkout. Where the listing showed the shipping cost, we add it and label the result "before sales tax"; where shipping was not shown, we say so instead of treating it as free.

Amazon's rules only allow prices from its own approved product feed, which this site does not use yet. Rather than copy a number that could be wrong or out of date, we link to the exact Amazon product page (identified by its ASIN) and leave the price to Amazon. The same applies to B&H, Office Depot and CDW, which blocked our checks.

In the United States: the HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw and the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301sdw, 3301fdw and 3301cdw (the 3301cdw is sold through Costco). HP's U.S. store and support pages list all eight HP 218 cartridges for these models.

Look-alike numbers are not automatic matches: HP's U.S. support page for the 3203dw lists HP 222 cartridges, and the 3204dw and 3304fdw show no U.S. supplies at all. The printer finder explains each case.

Yes. HP lists the A and X versions of every color for the same printers; the high-yield cartridge is the same shape and slot, it just holds more toner. You do not need a setting change when you switch.

They are HP's part numbers. "W218" is the HP 218 family, the next digit is the color (0 black, 1 cyan, 2 yellow, 3 magenta) and the last letter is the capacity (A standard, X high yield). So W2182X is high-yield yellow.

Retailers also add their own item numbers (Staples, Best Buy SKU, Walmart item) — the W218… code is the one to match. Four-pack model numbers such as W2180AQ1 or W2180XQ1 identify retailer bundles.

An "e" at the end of an HP product code marks an HP+ printer. HP's HP+ FAQ says HP+ requires an HP account, an internet connection and Original HP supplies for the lifetime of the printer, so compatible and remanufactured cartridges are not an option on an activated HP+ printer.

The cartridge numbers themselves are the same HP 218 series. Note that HP Store's "3201dwe" address currently shows a certified refurbished 3201dw, not a new HP+ model.

Often, but with a real risk. HP labels the 3201dw and 3301 models "dynamic security enabled": HP says such printers are intended to work only with cartridges that have new or reused HP chips, and that firmware updates can block other cartridges — including ones that work today.

Remanufactured cartridges that reuse an HP chip (Staples, Clover) and compatibles with their own chip (Swift Ink, True Color Toner, INKFUN) are sold for these printers. We have not tested any of them; we report what each seller states and what its return policy is.

The chip tells the printer which cartridge is installed and tracks the toner level. On dynamic-security printers it is also what the printer checks before it accepts the cartridge.

For compatibles we show four chip states from the listing: chip included; no chip; move your old HP chip over; chip not stated. Only "chip included" counts as ready to install, and none of them guarantees the cartridge survives a later HP firmware update.

It is HP's name for printers that check the chip or circuitry of each cartridge. HP's U.S. support document says dynamic-security printers are intended to work only with cartridges that have new or reused HP chips or circuitry, and that firmware updates can block cartridges with non-HP chips — including ones that work today.

HP's U.S. product pages call the 3201dw, MFP 3301sdw and MFP 3301fdw "dynamic security enabled"; no HP page was found for the Costco 3301cdw. With Original HP 218 toner you will not notice it; it matters when you consider compatible or remanufactured cartridges.

A remanufactured cartridge is a used Original HP cartridge that has been cleaned, refilled and re-chipped or reset — Staples and Quill sell their own. Staples says its remanufactured 218X reuses a reset HP chip, does not support toner-low messages and may make the printer report a "reused" or "non-HP" cartridge.

A compatible ("new-build") cartridge is made new by a third party with its own chip. Both are non-HP supplies for warranty purposes; the reused-HP-chip route is the one HP itself says dynamic security does not target.

Yes. HP states that firmware updates "can also block cartridges using a non-HP chip or modified or non-HP circuitry from working in the printer, including cartridges that work today." Most HP printers can be set to notify you before installing updates instead of updating automatically; HP notes that services like Instant Ink require automatic updates.

If you rely on compatibles, keep a spare Original HP black cartridge and buy from a seller with a clear return or replacement policy.

No — HP says using a non-HP cartridge does not void the HP Limited Warranty or an HP support contract. However, HP also says any printer failure or damage caused by a non-HP cartridge is not covered.

Separately, check the cartridge's own guarantee: Swift Ink states 24 months, Quill states a 2-year defect guarantee for its brand, Staples a 100% performance guarantee, and marketplace listings follow the seller's return window.

Because a compatible cartridge's yield is the seller's own claim, not HP's. We never copy HP's ISO figure onto a third-party product. If a seller states no number — or contradicts itself — we show no cost per page for it.

Many U.S. sellers happen to state the same figures as HP (1,300/1,200 for A, 3,200/2,500 for X) at "5% coverage"; they are still labeled as seller claims.

They are siblings in the same 3301 line with the same HP 218 toner. The 3301cdw is the model Costco sells (item 1842865): print, copy, scan and fax, with single-pass two-sided scanning in Costco's description. The 3301fdw is the fax model HP sells itself and through Walmart, Best Buy and Staples.

HP's 3301-series specification lists introductory cartridges in the box: about 600 pages of black and about 500 pages per color. That is less than half of a retail HP 218A black cartridge (about 1,300 pages), so plan your first toner purchase early.

Not according to HP's U.S. support page for the 3203dw, which lists HP 222A/222X (W2220–W2223). HP's regional table assigns HP 222 to Latin America, ISE, Greater Asia, India and China. If your 3203dw came with 222 cartridges, buy 222 — HP 218 cartridges are regionalized and not intended for it.

It comes down to functions: the 3201dw prints only; the MFP 3301sdw adds scanning, copying, a document feeder and a 4.3-inch touchscreen; the 3301fdw adds fax; the Costco 3301cdw faxes and scans both sides in one pass. All four print at up to 26 pages per minute, take the same eight HP 218 cartridges and share HP's recommended volume of 150–2,500 pages a month.

Start with the physical checks: remove the cartridge, make sure all packing tape and the protective cover are off, and reseat it firmly in the slot whose color chip matches the cartridge. A dirty or damaged chip contact can also cause it.

If it is a compatible or remanufactured cartridge that stopped being accepted after an update, the likely cause is dynamic security — contact the seller for a replacement or refund. An Original HP cartridge that is still rejected needs HP support.

They are estimates from the cartridge chip. HP calls the levels "estimates for planning purposes only" and says you do not need to replace a cartridge until print quality becomes unacceptable — "low" is a reminder to have a replacement ready. Gently rocking a cartridge near the end can redistribute the toner for a while.

Remanufactured cartridges that reuse a reset HP chip may not show toner-low messages at all (Staples says so for its 218X).

HP's print-quality checklist for this printer family, in order: use genuine cartridges; use paper made for LaserJet printers (not inkjet paper) that is clean, flat and not too rough; check the print settings for the job; check the toner levels; print a cleaning page; inspect the cartridge; update the firmware; then replace the cartridge. Faded output with a low level usually means the cartridge is simply near its end — HP notes that gently rocking it can redistribute the toner for a while.

HP's first fix for specks, smears, streaks, lines or repeating marks is a fuser cleaning page, printed from the printer's Embedded Web Server (Print Quality > Tools > Fuser Cleaning). If that does not help, turn the printer off, take the cartridge out and inspect it: a damaged memory chip or scratches and fingerprints on the green imaging drum mean the cartridge must be replaced — never touch the drum. Streaks in one color point at that color's cartridge. HP adds that with non-HP cartridges its steps may not solve the problem.

HP's steps: open the cartridge access door, pull out the toner drawer by its blue handle, lift the empty cartridge straight up, rock the new one gently to spread the toner, remove all packing material, and set it in the slot whose color chip matches. Push the drawer in and close the door. Hold the cartridge by its ends and never touch the roller.

Levels come from the cartridge chip, so a remanufactured cartridge with a reset or reused chip, or a compatible chip, may report nothing or something inaccurate. With an Original HP cartridge, reseat it, then update the display by restarting the printer. If the level stays wrong, print by quality: replace when output fades.

The most likely explanation is a firmware update: HP says updates can block cartridges with non-HP chips, "including cartridges that work today." Check your printer's firmware update history. Contact the seller — many compatible sellers offer a replacement chip or cartridge — and keep an Original HP cartridge as a fallback.

A chip problem shows up as a message before or right after installing: "not recognized", "unsupported", "used or counterfeit" or a cartridge problem — often while the print itself looks fine. A toner problem shows on paper: streaks, faded areas, a missing color — with no chip message.

Test it: install a cartridge you know is good (preferably Original HP). If the message disappears, the previous cartridge's chip was the problem. If print quality stays poor with a known-good cartridge, work through HP's print-quality steps (cleaning page, paper, settings) — the problem may be in the printer.

HP sells this printer generation in different regions with different cartridge numbers and says the product is regionalized. HP's own table: HP 218 for North America, Australia and New Zealand; HP 219 for the UK, Ireland and Europe only; HP 222 for Latin America, ISE, Greater Asia, India and China only.

For a printer bought in the United States, buy HP 218A or HP 218X.

Do not plan on it. HP regionalizes these cartridges and sells the U.S. 3201/3301 printers with HP 218. The U.S. models also have different model numbers from the European 3202/3302. Buy the 218 series here; we do not recommend importing another region's supplies.

Product price ÷ stated yield. For originals the yield is HP's ISO/IEC 19798 figure; for compatibles it is the seller's own figure. We show it per page and per 100 pages, based on the product price before shipping and sales tax. It is a comparison number, not a promise — real yield depends on how much of the page you cover.

Usually, but not by rule. 218X holds about 2.5 times the black toner of 218A and about 2.1 times the color toner, but it also costs more. It is cheaper per page whenever its price is less than that multiple of the 218A price. Our A vs X page recalculates this from the currently checked prices.

It is measured under ISO/IEC 19798 with a standard set of test pages printed continuously. Pages with photos, large solid areas or heavy color use more toner; short, occasional jobs and frequent warm-ups also cost toner. Treat the yield as a fair basis for comparing cartridges, not as the exact number you will get.

HP runs HP Planet Partners, its return and recycling program for HP printing supplies (hp.com/recycle). Staples lists toner cartridges among the items it recycles. Remanufacturers also buy or accept empties. Do not put toner cartridges in curbside recycling.

It is better not to: a cartridge contains plastics, metal, residual toner and electronics (the chip). Use HP Planet Partners or a retail take-back instead. Seal a leaking cartridge in the bag from the new one before you send it off.

HP's replacement guide says to wipe toner off clothing with a dry cloth and wash in cold water — hot water sets toner into fabric. On surfaces, avoid blowing it around; pick it up with a damp cloth rather than a household vacuum.