HP 12A Toner (Q2612A) for LaserJet 1010/1018/1020/3050

If you own an HP LaserJet 1010, 1018, 1020, 3050 or any of the other printers in this family, the cartridge you need is the HP 12A (part number Q2612A). Our compatible version delivers 2,000 ISO pages and costs €9.98 (VAT included) — that works out to roughly 0.5 cents per page. Compared with the branded original, you print for far less and with exactly the same quality.

Is it compatible with your printer?

The HP 12A (Q2612A) toner is the consumable for the entire LaserJet 1010 range and its 3000-series all-in-ones. Check whether your model appears in the list below; if it's there, this is your cartridge:

• HP LaserJet 1010
• HP LaserJet 1012
• HP LaserJet 1015
• HP LaserJet 1018
• HP LaserJet 1020
• HP LaserJet 1022
• HP LaserJet 3015 All-in-One
• HP LaserJet 3020 All-in-One
• HP LaserJet 3030 All-in-One
• HP LaserJet 3050 All-in-One
• HP LaserJet 3052 All-in-One
• HP LaserJet 3055 All-in-One
• HP LaserJet M1005 MFP
• HP LaserJet M1319f MFP

Not sure which model you have, or unsure about the part number? Take a look at our guide on how to tell which toner your printer needs. The part number is usually printed on a label inside the cover, right next to the cartridge.

The cartridge and its real-world yield

Our Compatible HP Q2612A 12A Toner · 2,000 pages · ISO 9001 is manufactured to the ISO 9001 standard, with a brand-new hopper and drum — not simply refilled. That 2,000-page yield is measured to the ISO/IEC 19752 standard, the very same one HP uses for the original, at 5% coverage per page (a typical text document). Print a lot of images or dark backgrounds and you'll use a little more; stick to letters and invoices and it will last exactly as long as the spec sheet says.

At €9.98, the cost per page comes to about 0.5 cents. In plain terms: 1,000 sheets cost you around €5 in toner. In a small office or with heavy home use, the difference against the original really shows up over a full year.

Quick comparison

Same declared yield, same format and a far lower price. If you want to see the proof with our own hands, we cover it here: original vs compatible toner, printed side by side.

How do I know it's time to change the toner?

These LaserJets don't have a precise toner-level gauge, so you go by what you see on the paper. Clear signs it's running low:

• Prints getting lighter or more faded, especially towards one side.
• Vertical white streaks or bands that weren't there before.
• Smudges or loose toner dust on the page.

An old-school trick: pull out the cartridge and gently rock it from side to side, horizontally, to redistribute the toner that's left. You'll squeeze out a few more pages while your replacement arrives. Once it starts printing faint again, it really is time to swap it.

Chip, HP Dynamic Security and firmware: what you need to know

Good news for this family: the LaserJet 1010, 1018, 1020 and the 3000-series all-in-ones are older printers with no aggressive lockouts, so there's none of the "cartridge not recognised" drama you get on newer models. Even so, our compatibles come with an updated chip whenever the model calls for it, so they work first time.

The much-talked-about HP Dynamic Security mainly affects newer printers, and every so often a firmware update tightens up how consumables are recognised. Our advice: if everything is working, don't force automatic updates. We explain it in full in HP firmware blocks cartridges: the truth and how to avoid it. And if a warning ever does pop up, here's the step-by-step fix: my printer won't recognise the compatible toner.

Installation in under a minute

It's one of the simplest on the market. Open the front cover, remove the old cartridge by pulling it towards you, take the new Q2612A out of its bag, pull off the plastic seal (the sealing strip) with a firm tug, rock it a couple of times to spread the toner, and slide it in until it clicks into place. Close the cover and you're done: on these models there's no counter to reset. The very first page comes out at full quality.

Buy with a guarantee

All our cartridges are covered by the legal guarantee for compatible cartridges in Spain: using a compatible does not void your printer's warranty — it's your right as a consumer. Looking for more options for your HP machine? Browse our ISO 9001-quality compatible HP toner collection, or the full compatible LaserJet toner from every brand catalogue.

Frequently asked questions

Which toner does the HP LaserJet 1020 use?

The HP LaserJet 1020 uses the HP 12A cartridge, part number Q2612A. It's the same consumable shared by the LaserJet 1010, 1012, 1015, 1018 and 1022, and by the 3015, 3020, 3030, 3050, 3052, 3055, M1005 and M1319f all-in-ones. Our compatible version delivers 2,000 pages for €9.98 including VAT.

How many pages does the compatible Q2612A yield, and how much does it cost to print?

It delivers 2,000 ISO pages at 5% coverage, the same measure as the original. At €9.98, the cost comes to around 0.5 cents per page: roughly €5 for every 1,000 sheets of text. If you print photos or dense backgrounds, the toner cost per page climbs a little.

Is it as good as HP's original toner?

For the everyday work these LaserJets are built for (text, invoices, documents) the print quality is equivalent, and it's manufactured to the ISO 9001 standard. The big difference is the price: it works out much cheaper than the branded original, with the same declared yield of 2,000 pages.

Will my printer recognise the compatible cartridge?

Yes. The LaserJet 1010, 1018, 1020 and the 3000-series models are older machines with no HP Dynamic Security lockouts, so they run without annoying warnings. Our cartridges include an updated chip where it's needed. If you ever see an odd message, check our guide on firmware and unrecognised consumables.

Does fitting a compatible void my HP's warranty?

No. European and Spanish law protects your right to use compatible consumables without losing your machine's warranty. The manufacturer could only make a claim if it proved the cartridge caused specific damage — something very rare with an ISO 9001-quality product. You'll find the details in our article on the legal guarantee.

Ready to save? Order the Compatible HP Q2612A 12A Toner for €9.98 and have your LaserJet ready to print today. And if you run several HP machines, now's a great time to stock up from the compatible HP toner collection.