I was looking for a color printer to replace my HP 920DeskJet simply because the head needed replaced. However, after using the laser at work I wanted one of these.
First, I did do my browsing online and in the local ads. Staples had $100 off on this model, so I did some online reviewing and found little out there to base my purchase on. Well, I went ahead and this is what happened!
The HP CP1215 is larger than I expected. Not realizing this uses a long toner cartridge, I was really surprised that this was twice the size of the black laser printer from work. However it makes sense now that I realize the color toner cartridges are seperate.
It comes from the manufacturer with black, magenta, cyan and yellow toner cartridges. So, naturally it has to be larger to handle the three additional cartridges! Apparently the toners that come from HP aren't "full size" so they won't last nearly as long as the ones I will have to purchase in the future. What's new??
One advantage to having a laser over a regular inkjet is that the toner cartridges do not dry out like the little wet ink ones did. I got so frustrated when I would want to print something, but my ink was dried out. The sales lady told me that it has been a year and a half since she had to buy a toner cartridge simply because these don't dry out. *As it is now January 2010, I haven't had to buy a new cartridge yet! I'm getting close simply because I use the yellow color a lot, but not the others.*
When I say it is large, I do mean it! It weights 38.9 pounds! It stands about 10 inches tall, 14 inches wide and about 20 inches deep! It is sturdy and feels solid, not like it is flimsy, and I think it would take a little light abuse. (That's not something I plan for, but with kids in the house, it just might happen!)
Setup was very easy. The manual for setting it up is 6 pictures showing which packing tabs to remove. There are ones on each toner cartridge, the front flap and the back flap. Once you have done that, you plug in the electric. Put in the CD that comes with it for setup and it is very step-by-step as far as guidance goes. Be sure you put the CD in BEFORE you plug in the USB though, it is a pain to undo and redo otherwise.
The paper tray is flimsy. I have pulled it out on a couple of occasions and had to really pay attention when I slide it back in. It isn't a total bother, but for someone who is impatient, I can see the track getting broken if someone slams the tray in at an awkward angle. This is something I wish they would have a sturdier way in place.
However one thing I do like about it is the fact it keeps the paper flat. My inkjet paper tray flipped up, so if you printed often the paper was curved and didn't come out well. This one has the printouts on top in a nice form.
The lights on the front control panel are very simple. A series of colors of the cartridges tell you what color is getting low. A "ready" light so you know its connected and working. The "resume" button so that if for some reason you have to reload paper or pause printing, you can easily pick up where you left off. There is an "Attention" light which lets you know something is amiss. It doesn't tell you what, just somethings wrong. Of course a light telling you the paper tray is empty. A "cancel" button for when you start printing something you wish you didn't. And, of course, a "paper jam" light.
The entire printed manual is about 10 pages total. It doesn't tell you a million things about it, it is simply a rough overview of how the machine works. More information is on the CD that comes with the printer. It also is where you can find additional software as well as troubleshooting guide.
The power switch is located on the far back left side. Which, for me, is convenient, however it might not be for someone who puts it in a sliding cabinet. It is a bit noisy when it first kicks on and cycles and then warms up. It doesn't last long though, maybe 10 seconds tops. As it sits waiting to be used, it will occasionally cycle through. This can be a bit noisy but only lasts about 2 minutes. I do recommend shutting it off when not in use.
Printing is easy. It is like most others, you hit print, and in about 3 or 4 seconds it prints out. With the paper tray in the front and underneath, the printed materials come out on the top of the machine, face down. This is very handy and something I like.
The printer does not do duplex printing, so you would have to manually put the paper back in the feeder and print on the second side. Also, there isn't a slot for the envelopes. The tray is adjustable to almost any size, so it will take envelopes through it, there just isn't a seperate place to feed them.
The print quality itself is very, very good. Text looked crisp and clear and the photos in color I printed were goregeous. I did not detect any smearing or any variations in the printed materials. The mfr states it will print 12 ppm in black and about 8 ppm in color. This is perfectly fine for a home user like myself.
I literally took this out of the box, ran the setup, plugged in the cables and printed out a page from my work in less than 10 minutes. There was nothing to getting it going with our Dell computer that is running XP. I have not tried it on my sons' that has Vista however.
One drawback that isn't really a quality issue, is the fact that it does not support networking. The next level up in price did, but I couldn't justify the $100 difference when I can just switch the plug over between the 2 computers we have downstairs. It would have been a nice feature, but that is what the more expensive model offered.
Overall, I do like it very much. I think that it is a bit on the large side, but I understand that it has to be to allow it to be a color printer. The setup was easy and took no time. The printer is bigger than a simple inkjet but oddly I find it a bit comforting. I do think that this is a great purchase and if you can catch it on sale, you won't be disappointed.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199.00 Operating System: Windows
Ultra-compact, Visually Appealing Design Fits Almost Anywhere Prints Up To 12 Ppm Black, 8 Ppm Color (Mfr Specs) Up To 600 X 600-dpi Resolution Simpli...More at Staples
Dimensions: 15.7' x 17.8' x 10.0'Weight: 38.9 lbs.Color Print Speed: Up to 8 ppmBlack Print Quality: 600 x 600 dpiTime To First Page (seconds): 24Prin...More at Newegg.com
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