Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store a spare cartridge for my MF236n so it's ready when I need it?

Keep it sealed in its original packaging, lying flat, in a cool and dry place out of direct sunlight — an office cupboard or a desk drawer is ideal. Avoid anywhere with big temperature swings or damp: a garage, a boiler room, or a shelf above a radiator. Stored that way, a 137 stays in good condition for an extended period, ready to fit the moment the cartridge in the MF236n runs out. Write the purchase date on the box if you keep more than one, and use the oldest first.

Does toner go off the way ink cartridges dry out?

No, and the difference matters. Ink is a liquid that can dry, thicken or clog while a printer sits idle; toner is a dry powder that does none of those things. A 137BK that sits sealed for months, or sits installed in an MF236n that is only used occasionally, does not spoil on the shelf. The powder may settle during long storage, which is why the fitting routine includes rocking the cartridge gently side to side — that redistributes the toner evenly before its first page.

The printer sometimes sits unused for weeks. Anything to do before a big print run?

One thing: if the first pages after a long idle spell look slightly uneven, remove the cartridge, rock it side to side a few times, refit it and carry on. Settling during inactivity is normal and harmless. Beyond that, an idle MF236n asks nothing of its cartridge — no maintenance cycles, no test prints to keep it alive. Whether the machine prints daily or monthly, the cartridge's rated 2,400 pages are there when called on, at a cost of about 1.15 cents a page on a $27.70 cartridge.

Can I take a half-used cartridge out and store it while I use another?

You can, but handle it as the powder container it is: keep it in a sealed bag, flat, away from light, and label it with roughly how much life it has left so future-you is not guessing. Most owners never need to swap mid-life — the sensible pattern is one cartridge in the machine until it is finished, one sealed spare in storage. Swapping makes sense mainly when troubleshooting: fitting the spare tells you immediately whether a print problem belongs to the old cartridge or to the printer.

What conditions in the room actually harm a cartridge?

Heat, humidity and sunlight are the enemies — the same trio that harms most office supplies. Heat can affect the powder's behaviour, humidity invites clumping, and prolonged direct light is best avoided for anything stored long-term. An ordinary office environment avoids all three without effort. What does not harm it: sitting still. Time alone, in reasonable conditions, does not meaningfully reduce a sealed 137's 2,400-page capacity or its print quality.

If a stored cartridge ever underperforms, am I covered?

Yes. This compatible 137 carries a one-year warranty and one-year free returns, with the details on our shipping and returns page. If a cartridge prints poorly, support is available Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Central. Orders and replacements are dispatched from our warehouses in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia and California, which keeps delivery quick in every region.

About This Canon 137 Black Toner Cartridge

This compatible Canon 137 black toner cartridge (137BK) suits the imageCLASS MF236n owner who plans ahead: dry-powder toner that stores without spoiling, a sealed spare that waits patiently in a cupboard, and a 2,400-page rated yield at $27.70 — roughly 1.15 cents per page — when its turn comes. Buy it before you need it, store it flat and cool, rock it before fitting, and cartridge changes stop being emergencies. It is backed by a one-year warranty and one-year free returns, shipping from IL, PA, GA or CA. See the rest of the range in our Canon range at Clever Supplies.