Big bang - few bucks
Written: Jan 22 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Super cheap, super fast, brand name.
Cons: Questionable quality and occasional smudging.
|
|
|
| sourcitrus's Full Review: Xerox DocuPrint P8 |
This product is a desktop laser printer.
I chose this product because it was the cheapest laser printer on the market. Xerox is the company everyone knows by name, the company with prestige! What a pleasant surprise to find that Xerox produces the least expensive laser printer.
The first thing I noticed is that this printer came with the printer cable. Big deal? Maybe, but not all printers come with a cable, so figure that into the total cost.
The second thing I noticed was that the printer stomped all over my old Hewlett Packard DeskJet. The DeskJet is okay, and it prints in color, but it's slow, noisy, has poor print quality, uses ink that smudges, and requires a new ink cartridge ever couple months whether I used it or not. These are problems with most Ink Jet printers, and most laser printers are better than any Ink Jet, but the Xerox P8 was cheaper than the DeskJet and outperforms it.
The third thing I noticed was the design of the printer. The top feed paper hopper seems like a bad design, despite it's increasing popularity among printers. It works okay, but something about it doesn't agree with me. The ability to dump the paper in two places, (in front of the printer or out of the top) is a cool feature. I definitely think it's a great idea, although I've never set the printer to dump the paper out of the front.
The fourth thing I noticed was the quality of the printer. The parts seem to be built cheaply. Nothing has broken, and I don't think anything will, but it doesn't feel particularly strong. Obviously I'm a little bit partial to this printer, so I have to say that I wouldn't worry about the quality.
The fifth thing I noticed was how fast the unit prints. Unlike most laser printers, there is almost no warm-up period before it spits out the first page. It takes about four seconds and then a page comes out. My DeskJet spends three times as much time cleaning the ink heads before it even starts printing.
The sixth thing I noticed was that it immediately went into 'low power mode' right after the last page came out. The printer draws a lot of current when it prints, but it powers down right away, so it doesn't raise your power bill.
The seventh thing I noticed was the dual printer plugs on the back of the unit. This means you can plug two computers into one printer. If you have more than one computer, you don't have to buy a switchbox to use one printer with both computers. If a switchbox is too inconvenient for you, then consider that this printer will save you the hassle and cost of setting up a network. The printer doesn't come with the second cable that is required, but it makes it an available option.
The eighth thing I noticed was that the printer prints on thick paper quite well. It feeds through the printer just fine. Because of the funny top feed design, I think it's important to be careful how you feed in the paper. It can be jammed, but it takes some effort to goof it up.
The last thing I noticed was that the printer occasionally smudges the paper or produces fuzzy letter. The only happens occasionally, and I think it might be because I was careless with the toner cartridge. I suggest reading the instructions carefully before opening the toner cartridge. The fuzzy printer I think happens when printing from unusual sources. Certain web pages seem to cause it. Honestly, I don't really know, but that's my suspicion. It prints beautifully from MS Word and every text editor I've ever used.
Because this printer is a Xerox, I would recommend it to small businesses. Because of it's small size and somewhat questionable quality, I would hesitate to recommend it to larger businesses. For home offices, and for personal use, I think this printer is perfect. I would not hesitate to buy this printer again.
The best price I've ever seen was $200 at Office Depot, no factory rebates, no shipping, no hassle.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
sourcitrus
|
|
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.