Why you’ll be able to belief TechRadar
We spend hours testing each services or products we assessment, so that you could be positive you’re shopping for the most effective. Find out more about how we test.
Specs
Sort: mono laser printer
Capabilities: Print solely
Connectivity: Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi
Knowledge storage slots: none
Max print pace: 29ppm
Max paper dimension: Letter/A4
Print high quality: 600 x 600 dpi
Reminiscence: 64 MB
Apple AirPrint: sure
Consumables included: Black cartridge (700 pages)
Dimensions/Weight: 355 x 279 x 205 mm (WxDxH)/12.3lb/5.6kg
The HP LaserJet M209dw is an inexpensive and remarkably compact mono laser printer geared toward small enterprise and the micro workplace. It’s a easy print-only machine, however it comes with key options reminiscent of auto-duplex printing, dual-band Wi-Fi, Wolf Safety and fax performance that add as much as one thing that will do nicely in shared workplace.
HP reckons it might deal with an obligation cycle of as much as 2,000 pages per thirty days. Being a LaserJet, moderately than an inkjet, I already understand it’ll at all times be able to print with out worry of blocked nozzles, and the entire value of possession seems very aggressive.
Nevertheless, I used to be curious how it might evaluate to the best home printers and the best small business printers I’ve reviewed. In spite of everything, with just one paper enter, nonetheless, and never a lot inbox toner, it nonetheless must justify its $149 price ticket, so let’s delve deeper.
HP LaserJet M209dw: Design and construct
HP typically leads the way in which in relation to printer design and innovation and the LaserJet M209dw is an efficient instance. It’s considerably smaller than the equally priced Brother HL-L2865DW in each dimension and with its paper tray folded away, it suits into my desk drawer. In operation, although, you’ll must maintain the paper cassette in place so it takes up a bit extra desk house than these dimensions recommend.
There’s no scanner, no touchscreen show and only one paper enter, so it’s a minimal and clear aesthetic. The buttons are on high whereas a stripe of vivid LED mild throughout the entrance panel lets you recognize when the printer is on and related to the Wi-Fi. It adjustments from violet to blue when it’s on-line.
The paper enter tray feels moderately insubstantial and comes unclipped a bit too simply. On the plus aspect, this forward-facing flap makes it straightforward to load 150 sheets of paper and change paper inventory shortly. It’ll take any paper dimension from 4×6 picture paper to A4 or authorized. With no extra multi-purpose enter tray it’s one thing I needed to do loads through the take a look at.
HP LaserJet M209dw: Options & specs
Being a funds print-only machine, the HP LaserJet M209dw is not prone to high my round-up of best HP printers any time quickly. It has few options to say. You do have, what I contemplate the necessities for a enterprise printer; auto-duplex, dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB ports and a few safety software program to forestall assaults over the community. Nevertheless it additionally has Bluetooth to make the setup process simpler, and in case you use the HP Sensible software program, you add a fax facility and the flexibility to print remotely by way of the cloud.
It’s a pity there’s no multi-purpose tray for these one-off jobs reminiscent of printing on headed paper and a show of some type would have been good. For such a small printer that’s commonly discounted to beneath the 100 greenback value level, I can’t complain an excessive amount of.
The quoted most print pace of 29ppm (pages per minute) in simplex draft mode shouldn’t be too shabby, and there’s room for 150 sheets of paper within the enter tray. The output tray can maintain 100 sheets. There’s no USB Host port on the entrance, however you do have Ethernet and USB ports on the rear. Print high quality is given as the usual 600x600dpi and there’s 64GB of inbuilt reminiscence, which is lower than most new printers, however it didn’t show to be an issue through the take a look at.
HP LaserJet M209dw: Setup and operation
With Bluetooth inbuilt and a great companion app known as HP Sensible, the HP LaserJet M209dw is particularly straightforward to arrange. The starter cartridge is already put in, so all you’ll want to do is load some plain paper, activate and observe the directions in your smartphone. You’ll see your new printer seem on the app as a result of it might make a Bluetooth connection straight away after which aid you to hitch your native Wi-Fi community.
OK, so it didn’t really work first time for me, however after turning issues on and off once more, I managed to get the printer on-line finally. I’m positive this had extra to do with the capricious nature of Wi-Fi than HP’s streamlined setup process.
A touchscreen interface would have made the HP LaserJet M209dw simpler to function, however a easy print-only machine like this doesn’t really want one. The forward-facing paper tray is conveniently situated for switching media and the button controls are intuitive sufficient.
HP LaserJet M209dw: Efficiency
The HP LaserJet M209dw printed clearly and reliably all through the take a look at, with no misprints or paper jams. It did particularly nicely with black textual content on plain paper, which appeared persistently crisp and legible all the way down to the smallest level dimension. Printing in draft mode produced solely barely paler print that will be high quality for many circumstances.
This isn’t the quickest laser printer on the block. Its high pace of 29ppm is slower than that of the Brother HL-L2865DW, however it’ll nonetheless beat any inkjet and it flips the paper in auto-duplex mode fairly shortly. The primary web page out time is given as 7.6 seconds, however this depends upon so many components as to make it a not very helpful parameter. Extra vital is the 30-second heat up time, which is moderately sluggish.
The HP LaserJet M209dw shouldn’t be so good at printing graphics and pictures. Each seem too darkish and with poor distinction, as you’ll be able to see within the picture comparability the place a Xerox printer exhibits how the lion ought to look.
HP LaserJet M209dw: Consumables
The HP LaserJet M209dw will take a excessive yield black toner cartridge (135X) costing round US$130 (£83), which provides an inexpensive web page price, that’s just a bit larger than the aforementioned Brother HL-L2460DW.
It’s considerably costlier to run than an ink tank inkjet just like the Epson EcoTank ET-M2140, however less expensive than any cartridge inkjet. I ought to warn you that there’s not a lot toner within the starter cartridge that comes with this printer. Barely sufficient for 700 pages.
HP LaserJet M209dw: Upkeep
Normally, the one element of any of the best laser printers that you’ll want to exchange is the imaging drum, however on this case the drum is built-in into the cartridge, so that you’re changing it each time you modify cartridges. In contrast to inkjets, which must run a upkeep cycle every now and then, the one factor to consider right here is stopping an extra of mud from penetrating the printer.
HP LaserJet M209dw: Closing verdict
The HP LaserJet M209dw is so small and efficient and fairly priced that it’s onerous to not like.
Dwelling customers will recognize the immediate and exact pages of textual content that this black and white printer can end up and the Bluetooth-enabled setup process, whereas enterprise customers in a small shared workplace will welcome HP’s Wolf Safety safety and dual-band Wi-Fi.
I wish to have seen an extra multi-purpose enter tray, because the solitary 150-sheet enter is limiting. And whereas textual content seems sharp, graphics typically seem too darkish and missing in distinction. The quantity of toner within the setup cartridge (sufficient for 700 pages) can be a bit stingy, however these niggles are all defined by the low value and conveniently compact dimension of this neat laser printer.
For extra funds fashions, I’ve reviewed the best cheap printers round.