The Canon 046 / 046H family is one of the cartridges we ship most often, so we wrote the guide we wish every buyer had before ordering: compatibility, yields, cost per page, and the difference between the versions. Every cartridge listed below is a genuine Canon original, brand new and factory sealed, with free shipping across the USA.
Which printers use Canon 046 / 046H?
Canon 046 / 046H cartridges are made for the following Canon printers:
- Canon Color imageCLASS LBP653Cdw
- Canon Color imageCLASS LBP654Cdw
- Canon Color imageCLASS MF731Cdw
- Canon Color imageCLASS MF733Cdw
- Canon Color imageCLASS MF735Cdw
Tip: the model number is printed on the front or top of the printer and on the sticker inside the toner door. If your model is not listed here, check the cartridge number on the old cartridge itself — Canon prints it on the label.
Canon 046 / 046H cartridge lineup
| Cartridge | Part number | Color | Page yield* | Price | Cost per page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon 046 Toner Cartridge | 1250C001 | Black | 2,200 pages | $115.00 | 5.2¢ |
| Canon 046 Cyan Toner Cartridge | 1249C001 | Cyan | 2,300 pages | $120.00 | 5.2¢ |
| Canon 046 Magenta Toner Cartridge | 1248C001 | Magenta | 2,300 pages | $120.00 | 5.2¢ |
| Canon 046 Yellow Toner Cartridge | 1247C001 | Yellow | 2,300 pages | $120.00 | 5.2¢ |
| Canon 046H Toner Cartridge | 1254C001 | Black | 6,300 pages | $145.00 | 2.3¢ |
| Canon 046H Cyan Toner Cartridge | 1253C001 | Cyan | 5,000 pages | $195.00 | 3.9¢ |
| Canon 046H Magenta Toner Cartridge | 1252C001 | Magenta | 5,000 pages | $195.00 | 3.9¢ |
| Canon 046H Yellow Toner Cartridge | 1251C001 | Yellow | 5,000 pages | $195.00 | 3.9¢ |
*Yields are Canon's declared values (ISO/IEC 19752 for mono, ISO/IEC 19798 for color) at 5% page coverage. Real-world yield depends on what you print: dense graphics use more toner than text.
046 vs 046H: which one should you buy?
Both cartridges fit the same printers and produce identical print quality — the difference is capacity and price. The 046 holds enough toner for about 2,200 pages; the 046H high-yield version prints about 6,300 pages, roughly 2.9× more. At our prices that works out to 5.2¢ per page for the 046 and 2.3¢ per page for the 046H — the high-yield cartridge is about 56% cheaper per page.
Choose the 046 if you print a few hundred pages a month, want a lower upfront cost, or the printer is lightly used (toner can settle in a cartridge that sits for a year). Choose the 046H if you print 1,100+ pages a month, share the printer in an office, or simply want fewer cartridge changes.
Black, cyan, magenta, yellow: how color cartridges are used
Color Canon laser printers hold four cartridges and use them independently. Black is consumed on every text page; cyan, magenta and yellow are consumed only when color is printed — and, in most modes, a little of each is used to create rich composite black in graphics. In practice the black cartridge runs out first in most offices, followed by whichever color your logo or charts lean on. That is why we sell the Canon 046 / 046H colors individually as well as in CMY (three colors) and CMYK (all four) packs.
You do not need to replace all four at once. The printer keeps working with a low color cartridge until it hits the hard stop; replace only the cartridge the printer flags. If the printer refuses to print mono because a color cartridge is empty, check the driver or front-panel setting that allows black-only printing.
Multipacks: when they pay off
| Pack | Cartridges | Pack price | Bought singly | You save |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon 046 Toner Cartridge 2-Pack | 2 | $223.10 | $230.00 | 3% |
| Canon 046H Toner Cartridge 2-Pack | 2 | $281.30 | $290.00 | 3% |
| Canon 046 Toner Cartridge CMY 3-Pack | 3 |
|
$360.00 | — |
| Canon 046 Toner Cartridge CMYK 4-Pack | 4 | $536.75 | $475.00 | — |
| Canon 046H Toner Cartridge CMY 3-Pack | 3 | $561.60 | $585.00 | 4% |
| Canon 046H Toner Cartridge CMYK 4-Pack | 4 | $693.50 | $730.00 | 5% |
Every cartridge in a GS TONER multipack is the same genuine Canon 046 sold individually — full yield, same packaging, same warranty. Packs make sense when you already know you will use every cartridge within about a year; unopened Canon toner stores well for at least that long in its sealed bag, away from heat and sunlight.
How long will a Canon 046 last you?
Use your monthly page count (the printer's usage page reports it) to see how often you will change cartridges and what toner costs per month with each version.
| Monthly volume | 046: cartridge life / toner cost per month | 046H: life / cost per month |
|---|---|---|
| 250 pages | 8.8 months / $13.07 | 25.2 months / $5.75 |
| 500 pages | 4.4 months / $26.14 | 12.6 months / $11.51 |
| 1,000 pages | 2.2 months / $52.27 | 6.3 months / $23.02 |
| 2,000 pages | 1.1 months / $104.55 | 3.1 months / $46.03 |
Below about 183 pages a month a cartridge would sit in the printer for more than a year, so the standard version is the better fit; above 733 pages a month the high-yield version (if one exists for this family) pays back quickly and halves the number of cartridge changes.
Genuine Canon vs compatible Canon 046 / 046H
Search results for “Canon 046 / 046H” are full of compatible and remanufactured cartridges at a fraction of the price. They can work, but the trade-offs are real: yield claims are not measured to the same ISO standard, toner formulation differs from the one the fuser was tuned for, chip errors after firmware updates are common, and a leaking cartridge can put a drum or fuser repair on your bill. Canon's warranty does not cover damage caused by non-Canon supplies. We sell only original Canon cartridges — the ones with Canon's security label — because for a workgroup printer the difference in cost per page is small next to the cost of downtime.
How to check yours is genuine: the box carries a Canon security label, the cartridge has Canon's part number (1250C001 for the 046) molded or printed on it, and the printer's supplies page identifies it as an original Canon cartridge after installation.
Replacing the Canon 046 / 046H cartridge
- Open the front cover of the imageCLASS printer and lift the old cartridge out by the handle.
- Unpack the new cartridge, rock it gently five or six times so the toner spreads evenly, then remove the protective cover or sealing tape.
- Slide the cartridge fully into its slot until it clicks, and close the cover.
- If the printer still reports the old cartridge, open and close the cover once more; the counter resets when the new chip is read.
Canon accepts used original cartridges through its return program in the US, and most office-supply stores have a drop-off bin.
Frequently asked questions
Which printers is Canon 046 / 046H compatible with?
Canon 046 / 046H fits Canon Color imageCLASS LBP653Cdw, Canon Color imageCLASS LBP654Cdw, Canon Color imageCLASS MF731Cdw, Canon Color imageCLASS MF733Cdw, Canon Color imageCLASS MF735Cdw. The full list is above and on each product page.
How many pages does the 046 print?
About 2,200 pages at 5% coverage, which is a typical business letter. Heavy graphics or full-page images reduce that noticeably.
Is the 046H the same as the 046?
Same printers, same print quality. The 046H is the high-yield version with about 6,300 pages instead of 2,200, and a lower cost per page.
Do I have to replace all Canon 046 / 046H colors at the same time?
No. Replace only the cartridge the printer reports as empty. Colors are consumed at different rates depending on what you print.
Are your Canon 046 / 046H cartridges genuine Canon?
Yes. GS TONER sells only original Canon cartridges, brand new and factory sealed, sourced from authorized distribution. No compatibles, no refills.
How fast do you ship?
Orders placed before 2 PM Eastern ship the same business day from our US warehouse, with free shipping to all 50 states.
Related guides
- Canon 045 vs 045H Toner: Yields, Printers & Cost Per Page
- Canon 047 Toner (2164C001) Guide: Yield, Printers & Price
- How to Tell If HP Toner Is Genuine (7 Checks)
Ready to order? Every Canon 046 / 046H cartridge and pack above is in stock at GS TONER with free US shipping and 30-day returns.
