Frequently Asked Questions

What does black printing on our C2660DN actually cost per page with this cartridge?

At the rating, about 0.51 cents a page: the cartridge costs $30.35 and is rated at up to 6,000 pages. That is the black-only running cost — paper and the machine itself sit outside it. Pages of plain text track close to the rating; pages dense with graphics, bold blocks and shaded tables draw more toner per sheet and nudge the true cost upward.

How will we know the cartridge is running low?

Black output turns progressively lighter and less even — text looks gray rather than black, and fading often shows at the edges of the page first. A gentle side-to-side rock of the cartridge can redistribute the remaining toner and buy a little more usable output, but treat the first persistent fade as the reorder signal rather than waiting for blank pages.

Does the 6,000-page figure hold for every kind of document?

No rating does. The 6,000 pages assume standard coverage, the industry convention behind every yield figure. A C2660DN printing mostly letters, invoices and reports will land near it; one printing presentation decks and full-page graphics will land lower. The figure is best used as a planning budget, not a guaranteed count.

Is it worth keeping one spare cartridge on the shelf?

For most C2660DN owners, yes. One spare, kept sealed, flat, dry and out of sunlight, turns a mid-job fade into a two-minute swap, and at $30.35 it is cheap insurance against a printer stopping on a deadline day. Stock beyond one spare makes sense only if the machine's monthly volume is high.

The name in brackets — (593-BBBU) — why does it matter?

Because that is the cartridge's exact identity. This listing is the C2660DN's black cartridge, part number 593-BBBU. Checking the number on the empty cartridge or on a previous order against 593-BBBU is the surest way to confirm you are reordering the same unit and not a look-alike meant for a different Dell.

What happens if this cartridge disappoints?

It is covered by a 1-year warranty with 1-year free returns: a cartridge that fails early goes back at no cost to you. Full terms are on our shipping & returns page, help is available Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM CST, and stock ships from IL, PA, GA or CA.

The first pages from the new cartridge look slightly uneven — should we worry?

Not on the evidence of the first page or two. When a 593-BBBU is first fitted, the toner inside is still distributing itself, and early output can look a little patchy or light before it settles into the cartridge's normal, even black. Print a short run of ordinary documents and judge from the later pages. The pattern to act on is different: fading that persists across many pages, or that creeps in gradually over weeks, is the cartridge approaching empty. Unevenness in the first minutes is a changeover settling; unevenness that stays is a conversation with support.

What should we note down on the day this cartridge goes in?

Two things: the date, and the printer's page counter reading. Together they convert this 593-BBBU from a purchase into a measurement. When it eventually fades, the counter tells you exactly how many pages your office actually drew from it, and the dates tell you the interval in weeks. If your documents are mostly plain text you should land reasonably near the 6,000-page rating; if you land far short, coverage is the reason, and you now know your real figure — which is the number to plan the next purchase around.

When this single runs low, how do we decide between another single and keeping a spare?

Let this cartridge's own record decide. If it lasted the better part of a year, your volume is light and another single 593-BBBU at $30.35 is the proportionate buy — a spare would sit sealed for a long time to save you a short wait. If it was gone in a couple of months, the machine is a working tool whose stoppages cost more than a cartridge does, and holding one sealed spare turns the next fade into a two-minute swap. The interval you measured, not a rule of thumb, separates those two cases.

Can the paper itself make black look weak even with a healthy cartridge?

Yes, and it is worth ruling out before blaming the supply. Toner bonds to the sheet, so rough, damp or heavily recycled stock can produce gray-looking, uneven text from a 593-BBBU that is printing perfectly onto good paper. Storage matters at the paper end too: a ream left open in a humid room absorbs moisture and prints worse for it. If black suddenly looks washed out, test one page from a fresh, dry ream of your normal paper. If the text comes back solid, the cartridge was never the problem and you have saved yourself an unnecessary change.

About This Dell C2660DN Black Cartridge (593-BBBU)

A single compatible black toner cartridge for the Dell C2660DN, part number 593-BBBU, rated at up to 6,000 pages and priced at $30.35 — roughly 0.51 cents per black page at the rating. It suits a workgroup color printer whose black supply is consumed steadily and replaced on a predictable rhythm. It ships from our IL, PA, GA or CA warehouses and carries a 1-year warranty with 1-year free returns. More of the range is listed on our Dell page.