Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people buy the TK3162 as a pair instead of one at a time?

Because a printer that runs dry on a deadline day costs more than a spare on a shelf. With this two-pack at $47.48, one cartridge goes into the machine today and the second waits, still sealed, for the exact moment the first one fades — no emergency order, no waiting on a delivery truck.

Are both cartridges in this pack identical?

Yes. Each is a TK3162 black cartridge rated at 12,500 pages, and each is sealed separately, so the spare is genuinely new when you finally open it. There is no "main" unit and "backup" unit — they are interchangeable.

How should the spare be stored while it waits?

Flat, in its sealed bag, in a dry cupboard away from heat and direct sunlight. Stored that way, a cartridge sits patiently for a long stretch without the toner degrading, and it will print at full density when its turn comes.

Can the two cartridges go to two different printers instead?

Of course. Nothing ties them together. If your office runs more than one machine that takes this code, split the pack however the workload demands — each unit works on its own.

If one cartridge from the pair turns out faulty, do I send both back?

No. Every unit is covered individually under the 1-year warranty, and returns are free for a full year. A problem with one cartridge is handled on that cartridge alone; the other one stays in service.

Where do orders for this pack ship from?

From the closest of our four warehouses — IL, PA, GA or CA. Delivery windows and the returns process are laid out on our shipping and returns page, and our support team answers Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM CST.

The first cartridge is fading, but the job has to finish today. Can I squeeze more out of it?

Usually, yes. Pages going light is often toner that has settled toward one end of the cartridge rather than a truly empty unit. Take the TK3162 out, rock it slowly side to side several times to level the powder, and refit it. That commonly restores even density for a useful run of extra pages — long enough to finish the job and swap in the sealed spare at a calmer moment.

Why might I get fewer than 12,500 pages from a cartridge?

The 12,500-page rating is measured on standard test documents with light, even text coverage. Real office pages are not all like that: forms with shaded boxes, letterheads with solid logos, presentation handouts and dense tables all lay down far more toner per sheet. A printer fed mostly light memos can pass the rating, while the same TK3162 under heavy graphics work will finish noticeably sooner.

What should I do with the empty cartridge when I swap it out?

Slip the spent TK3162 into the bag and box the new one came in so loose toner stays contained, then route it through your office's electronics or cartridge recycling stream rather than the general trash. Keeping the packaging until the replacement has printed a few clean pages is a sensible habit too — if anything looks wrong early on, you still have everything the old unit came with.

When I reorder, how do I make sure I get this exact cartridge again?

Order by the code, not by a description. TK3162 is printed on the cartridge label and on the end of the box, and it is the code your ECOSYS P3045dn asks for on its supplies status. Reading the full code off the empty unit before you order removes the near-miss risk that comes with similar-looking Kyocera part numbers and generic black-toner descriptions.

About This Two-Pack

Sold here as a pair, these compatible Kyocera-Mita TK3162 black cartridges are made for the ECOSYS P3045dn. The $47.48 pack suits anyone who has been caught out by an empty printer once and does not intend to repeat the experience: one cartridge working, one in reserve, each rated at 12,500 pages and each backed by a 1-year warranty with free returns for a year.