Printer Ribbon, Ink Roller, Toner or Drum: What's the Difference?

Introduction

If you are looking for a replacement supply for a printer, a typewriter or a cash register, you have probably noticed that the words used are not always the same: printer ribbon, ink roller, toner, drum. They are not interchangeable. Choosing the wrong type means a supply that simply will not fit or work in your machine, even if the brand looks right.

This guide explains, in plain terms, what each type is, which kind of machine it belongs to, and how to check that you are ordering the right one at Accuprint Québec.

1. Printer ribbons: for dot-matrix and POS printers

A printer ribbon is an inked fabric strip, usually held in a cartridge, that a dot-matrix or receipt (POS) printer strikes to print on paper. You will find them in dot-matrix printers used for invoices, forms and multi-part documents, and in receipt printers at a checkout counter.

Printer ribbons come as single cartridges or in boxes of several cartridges. A box price is not a single price: always check whether the listing says "single", "box" or "pack", and how many cartridges that format contains, before comparing prices.

Browse the collection: Printer Ribbons

2. Typewriter ribbons: for typewriters, including correction ribbons

A typewriter ribbon works on the same principle, but it is made for a typewriter rather than a printer. Some typewriters also use a separate correction ribbon, often called a lift-off tape, which lifts a typed character off the page so a mistake can be corrected. A correction ribbon is not a printing ribbon: it does not print, it corrects.

If your machine is a typewriter, start with the typewriter collections, not the printer ribbon collection, even if the two kinds of ribbon look similar at first glance.

Browse the collections: Typewriter Ribbons and Correction Tapes

3. Ink rollers: for printing calculators and cash registers

An ink roller is a small inked roller, not a ribbon cartridge. It is the supply used by many printing calculators and some cash registers: as the machine prints, the roller turns and inks the characters.

Do not confuse an ink roller with a printer ribbon. They have different shapes, different fittings and different machines. If your machine takes a small round roller, search among ink rollers; if it takes a cartridge with a fabric strip, it is a ribbon.

Browse the collection: Ink Rollers

4. Toner and drums: for laser printers — these are not ribbons

Toner is a fine powder used by laser printers, supplied in a toner cartridge. A drum unit is a separate part of a laser printer that transfers the toner onto the paper. Neither one is a ribbon, and neither one fits a dot-matrix printer, a typewriter or a printing calculator.

This distinction matters because the words are sometimes used loosely in online searches. If your machine is a laser printer, you need toner or a drum. If it is a dot-matrix printer, you need a ribbon. Checking the type of machine first avoids ordering the wrong category entirely.

Browse the collections: Toner Cartridges and Drum Units

5. How to check before you order

Once you know the type, check three things on the product listing:

1. The machine type. Does the listing describe a printer ribbon, a typewriter ribbon, an ink roller, a toner cartridge or a drum unit?
2. The compatibility information. Does the listing name your machine or a machine from the same family? Never guess from a similar-sounding model name: if your exact machine is not mentioned, ask before ordering.
3. The format and the quantity. Is the price for a single item, a box or a pack? How many units does that format contain?

The collections by type on the Accuprint Québec catalogue are a good starting point: each one gathers only products of that type, which makes it easier to narrow the search before reading individual listings.

Browse all collections: Shop by Category

Conclusion

A ribbon, an ink roller, a toner cartridge and a drum unit all put marks on paper, but they belong to different machines and they are not interchangeable. Identify your machine, identify the type of supply it takes, check the compatibility information and the format on the listing — and you will order the right product the first time.

Accuprint Québec is an online shop, open 24 hours a day, with delivery in Canada. Browse the catalogue at accuprint.ca and order online at any time.