Greensboring.com - Outside The Media. Beyond The News. Greensboro, NC.

I'm getting a bit tired of running back and forth to Kinkos, and I realize the time has come to consider a laser printer, but yet I know nothing about them, other than a) you have to have one to be taken serious, and b) they're a lot cheaper to print than ink jet printers in the long run. I don't need color, just black and white.

I'm wondering, is there things to look for when buying a laser printer? Something to indicate how long a toner cartridge to last, (or is that universal?)

There's several on the net for under $100, though I hesitate to run out and buy them if there's a marginal difference between those and the $300 dollar models. If it's just a matter of page per minute, that doesn't bother me at all.

There are a number of factors to consider

PPM pages per minute
Monthly duty cycle (Max and recommended)
Pages per cartridge

Then there are features such as duplexing, scanning etc.

Generally there is a trade off between purchase cost and operating cost, the cheaper it is to buy the more expensive the per page cost.

If you are going to be printing large jobs, 200 pages or more at a time, you should go for a higher recommended duty cycle.

You must also remember that they usually supply the printer with a half full cartridge

e.g. the HP LaserJet P1005

Print Speed (Black, Normal Quality, A4)
Up to 14 ppm

Print Speed Footnote
Speed specification per industry standard testing methods

First page out black (A4, ready)
As fast as 9 sec

Print Quality (Black, Best Quality)
Up to 600 x 600 dpi (1200 dpi effective output)

Print technology
Laser

pages per month
Up to 5000 pages

Duty cycle note
Duty cycle is defined as the maximum number of pages per month of imaged output. This value provides a comparison of product robustness in relation to other HP LaserJet or HP Color LaserJet devices, and enables appropriate deployment of printers and MFPs to satisfy the demands of connected individuals or groups.

Recommended monthly page volume
250 to 1500

Recommended monthly page volume note
HP recommends that the number of printed pages per month be within the stated range for optimum device performance, based on factors including supplies replacement intervals and device life over an extended warranty period.

What's in the box
HP LaserJet P1005 Printer, HP LaserJet introductory print cartridge (average cartridge yield 700 standard pages), Getting Started Guide, printer documentation and software on CD-ROM, support flyer, power cord

The regular cartridge

Page yield (black and white)
1500 standard pages.


I prefer HP printers, the drivers are always available and you can go on buying the cartridges long after the printer has been discontinued. I currently have a Dell printer, which Dell gave me for free, in the hope I would recommend them. It's OK, but nothing special.

Cool, it's nothing I've got to jump at immediately, but I think the time has come....

Do you think there would be any drawbacks if I found a used HP from a business whose decommissioned it?

Our local Salvation Army over on Elm Eugene has a "computer warehouse", and I'm betting they have one...

Also, can you refill the toner yourself, like you can with the inkjets?

A second hand printer may be OK, like all things it depends on why it's being sold. It's imperative that you look at the page count. Most printers will print a status page with the 'mileage' on it

My Dell cartridge has a plug that can be removed to reload toner. HPs don't but you can carefully drill a hole, make sure you collect all the plastic swarf and refill it. Not all toner is the same however.

You can also buy refilled cartridges, but my experience with those has not been good. The only cartridges that have ever leaked on me have been refilled ones and the print quality deteriorates.

When you replace the cartridge you are replacing everything that affects the quality of the print, the toner, drum and toner metering.

So all in all I don't refill, but then I don't refill Ink Jets either.