What Are ComColor Consumables?

A ComColor printer only has two regular consumables — the ink cartridge and, if you use a finisher, staples.

Unlike a Risograph duplicator, there's no master roll and no ink drum to manage. ComColor is a high-speed inkjet machine, so day-to-day upkeep really comes down to swapping a cartridge when it runs dry and keeping a spare box of staples on hand if a finisher unit is attached. That's the single biggest thing to understand before buying anything — most of what people assume they need for a Risograph simply doesn't apply here.

A ComColor high-speed inkjet printer — no drums, no masters, just a cartridge slot and a finisher.

What Ink Does a ComColor Printer Use?

Sealed 1,000ml CMYK cartridges — GL and GD series add a fifth color, Gray.

Each cartridge is a self-contained, sealed unit — there's no manual filling or handling of loose ink. The GL and GD series add Gray to the standard CMYK set, which improves gradient smoothness and black-and-white photo reproduction, so they tend to show up more in professional print shops. FT and FW series stick to CMYK only. Part numbers are specific to each series, so the table below is the fastest way to confirm exactly what your machine takes.

Sealed 1,000ml ComColor ink cartridges — one per color channel, no manual filling required.

ComColor vs Risograph — Are the Consumables the Same?

No. ComColor uses sealed ink cartridges; Risograph uses ink drums and master rolls. The two are not interchangeable.

This is the single most common ordering mistake we see — the machine names can look similar, but ComColor and Risograph are built on completely different printing technologies. A ComColor sprays full-process CMYK ink through inkjet nozzles from a sealed cartridge. A Risograph forces one spot color at a time through a stencil wrapped around a rotating drum. Neither the ink, the packaging, nor the delivery mechanism can be swapped between the two systems.

For the full breakdown of both systems — including drums, masters, and certification — see the complete RISO consumables guide.

Which Ink Cartridge Fits My Machine?

Match your exact model — cartridges are not interchangeable across series, even within the same generation.

The model number is printed on the front panel of the machine, and it's the fastest way to find the right cartridge. A cartridge from a different series can sometimes physically fit the slot, but the machine will still flag it as incompatible on the display and refuse to print. When in doubt, check the model against the table below before ordering rather than guessing based on how the box looks.

Not sure which one you have? The ComColor setup and cartridge guide shows exactly where to find your model number on the machine.

What Other Supplies Does a ComColor Printer Need?

Beyond ink, the only other regular supply is staples for the finisher unit — everything else is occasional maintenance.

Compared to a Risograph, a ComColor's supply list is short. Cartridges and staples are the only items you'll reorder on a predictable schedule. Rollers and other feed parts do wear down over time, but they're replaced as-needed rather than kept in stock, so they're worth knowing about even though they're not a routine purchase.

Replacing a cartridge yourself takes a couple of minutes — this step-by-step cartridge replacement guide walks through it.

How Long Does One Cartridge Last?

Roughly 80,000–120,000 pages per cartridge, depending on series — actual yield varies by coverage and paper.

GL and GD series cartridges last the longest, largely because they're built for higher-volume professional environments. FT and FW fall in the middle, and the older X1/CC series yields the least per cartridge. These figures come from standardized A4 testing, so a print job with heavier ink coverage or textured paper will pull the real-world number down somewhat.

Based on A4, standard coverage, ISO/IEC 24712 testing.

What's the Most Common Mistake When Ordering?

Ordering the wrong part number — it fits the slot but the machine still rejects it as incompatible.

If your machine is already showing a cartridge error, the setup and repair guide covers the most common error codes and fixes.

Summary — How to Order the Right ComColor Consumables

1. Find your exact machine model on the front panel
2. Match it to the correct cartridge series (GL, GD, FT, or FW)
3. Confirm the color set — CMYK or CMYK+Gray
4. Order staples separately if you use a finisher unit