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HP Color Laserjet Pro CM1415fnw
by julwhite
This review is of the multi-function HP Laserjet Pro CM1415 FNW, a wireless colour laser printer which also has fax, copying and scanning facilities. There is also a version available which doesn't have the wireless functions, which is the CM1415 FN, and this costs around 20-30 pounds less.
FIRST APPEARANCES:
The ... first impression that I had of the printer is that it's heavy, over 20kgs, and seems fairly well built, and is mainly in black, with a white panel at the front. The paper tray, which is at the bottom of the printer, seemed to me to be a little fragile, but otherwise it seems like quite a robust unit. You'll need to take the toner cartridges out, as there is a piece of plastic on each one to prevent damage or peaking during transit.
COMPONENTS:
Included in the box are three DVDs, one is to install the printer drivers onto a PC, one for installing onto a Mac, and one contains OCR software. The DVD loaded automatically, and the drivers quickly loaded and found the printer, all a very smooth process.
Also included is the USB cable from the printer to the computer, a UK power cable, a continental power cable and some comprehensive instructions.
PRINT QUALITY AND SPEED:
I was pleased with the quality of the print, the colours seem very clean and crisp, and printing in either colour or black and white only takes a few seconds. One frustration that I have is with the preferences, although there are a series of different saved preferences, such as whether to use black and white printing by default, I have to reset this each time I print. Possibly that's a failing of mine to understand how to change it, but I couldn't work it out from the instructions.
HP say that the printer will print up to 12 pages a minute in black and white and 8 in colour, and I found that was a good estimate of how long it took. It also has the option to print on both sides if you stack the paper back in when the printer requires, which although a manual process, is quite simple.
WIRELESS:
The printer is wireless, and the set-up procedure for this is quite simple. All you need to do is to type in the network key password, the printer will find the network automatically, and then do a one-off connection to the computer via the USB cable for it to complete the set-up. It's all automated, and very simple.
However, this is where the ease of use stopped for me. After an update of the software, which was done automatically on-line, the wireless stopped functioning a couple of days later. The computer thought the printer was off-line, which it wasn't, and printing was only possible by reconnecting the USB cable.
I noticed on some on-line forums that this was a problem, and HP issued another update to correct the fault. I re-installed the printer, but the same happened two days later, the printer was off-line. It's frustrating to then have to reconnect the printer, as this automatically installs another copy of the printer driver.
I contacted HP, who admitted this was a common fault. They sent me a link to diagnosis software, which told me that the printer was working fine, and wasn't off-line. To cut a long story short, HP can't fix it, it seems a common fault judging by some community forums, and their own site. I've just repositioned the printer and am using the USB cable, but if you were buying needing wireless access, this would be a substantial problem.
PRINTING FROM OTHER DEVICES:
The printer does have a very useful feature - or maybe it's more of a clever feature than useful for me, as I can't see at the moment what I would use it for, where you can e-mail a document to HP and it automatically prints via your printer. This allows you to print from an iPhone, or other device, and it requires a relatively simple on-line registration process. You can set up to allow it for anyone to print, or just certain people.
SCANNER AND COPYING:
The scanning function is quick and easy, and saves to a USB drive, for which there is a USB slot in the front of the unit. It's quick, although didn't have quite the number of resolution options that I had hoped, and you can save pictures either as PDF files or as JPG files. The copying function is as quick as the printing function, and you can print a copy straight from the scanning.
There is a helpful panel on the front of the printer, which is a little fiddly at times when scrolling through the menus, but did contain all the set-up options that I wanted in a logical structure.
PRICE OF PRINTER AND CONSUMABLES:
HP's retail price for this printer appears to be 449 pounds, although their pricing materials do vary. However, at the moment the printer can be obtained for 320 pounds including postage on Amazon, but mine came from Misco, who are currently charging 243 pounds including VAT.
Consumables for the printer are quite expensive, as there are four different toner cartridges which need to be kept full for optimal printing, the cyan, magneta, yellow and black. The black toner cartridge is the cheapest, around 35 pounds, but the three colour toner cartridges cost around 150 pounds for the three, which can be quite pricey if you print in colour regularly.
The advantage however though is that if you print mostly in black and white, as I do, then this printer costs no more to run than a black and white laser printer, but does give the option for colour printing on occasion. This justified the cost of the printer to me, as that occasional option can be very handy.
SPECS:
These specs have been taken from HP's information leaflet about the printer. The printer itself measures 44cms by 47cms by 41 cms. The CM1415FNW has a maximum monthly recommended duty cycle of 30,000 pages, but it suggests printing no more than 300 - 1,500 pages a month for optimal performance, although this seems like quite a wide recommendation. My impressions are that the printer is robust enough to handle this however.
Scanning is at 1200dpi, weighs 23kg and has a 3.5 inch display.
SUMMARY:
Overall, this printer seems quite long-lasting, and the print quality is good and the printer relatively fast. Ideal for low commercial usage or high home usage, really limited only by the paper tray, which can only hold 150 sheets, although this should be sufficient for most purposes.
The wireless problems have been quite frustrating, especially as the HP staff have been unable to help. Despite their attempts to help, losing wireless connection seems to be quite common, and if you have set it up so that a number of computers share the printer, connecting via USB might be quite an obstacle.
It's not the cheapest printer to buy, or run, but it's a reasonable price for the functions which the printer has. I'd say it's a credible option, but overall given the limitations I've found, I'd suggest 3/5 stars. Be careful to shop around, as prices do vary widely, I found Misco the cheapest. Given it costs the same to run as a black and white laser, it's recommended if you nearly entirely print in black and white, but find occasional colour printing helpful.
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HP Officejet 4500 Wireless All-in-One
by brsesw
Hewlett-Packard OfficeJet 4500 wireless all-in-one printer.
This review is for the aforementioned product, the Hewlett-Packard OfficeJet 4500 wireless all-in-one printer. The all-in-one refers to all of the different functions that can be performed with just this one machine. These functions include printing, copying, ... scanning and faxing. And, thanks to the wireless technology, it can all be done without having to be connected to your computer. Your all-in-one printer can be in a different room with no extra cords connected to your computer; very convenient. However, in order to use the wireless feature you must already have wireless access. If not, you can still use the printer and all of its features, but it will have to be connected to your computer via cable.
Printing: the printer function works the same as any other printer, printing documents in both color and black and white. The printer can print at a rate of up to 28 pages per minute in black and white, and up to 22 pages per minute in color. It is also able to print borderless photos.
Copying: the copy function works similarly to that of a full sized copy machine. The copier surface isn't as large as that of a full-sized machine, but it's certainly large enough to handle all of your at home copying needs. The copier uses the same paper as the printer and, like the printer, can copy up to 28 copies per minute in black and white and up to 22 copies per minute in color. It can copy up to a maximum of 90 copies at one time.
Scanning: the scanner function works the same as a stand-alone scanner. It can scan a document or a photo up to 8.5 by 14 inches on to your computer. The scanner uses the same surface as the copier.
Faxing: like the other functions, the fax function here works the same as a regular fax machine. You are able to fax at speeds of up to 33.6 kbps. The fax transmission speed is approximately 3 seconds per page, and the incoming memory is up to 100 pages. There is also a speed dial function that can hold up to 90 numbers. Like the copier, the fax machine also uses \the same standard paper as the printer.
The printer comes with everything you'll need: ink cartridges, one black and white and one color, power cords, directions and a CD with easy-to-follow on-screen instructions.
The machine itself is approximately 17 inches long, 16 inches wide and nine inches tall. It weighs approximately 13 pounds and is energy Star qualified.
It supports most Windows and Mac based operating systems.
As I pulled the printer out of the box and began examining all of the accessories I was faced with the daunting task of hooking up and programming this machine. Not being particularly, or at all, computer, printer or tech savvy I suddenly began to wonder what in the world I had just gotten myself into. I inserted the CD with the easy-to-follow instructions into my computer and did my best to follow along. To my surprise, the CD worked just as it was supposed to, the instructions were clear, simple and easy to follow. The CD quickly and expertly guides you through each step of the setup for each of the functions. To my utter amazement, this whole process took only a few minutes. I don't know how many exactly, but I would guess that it was only somewhere around 10 to 15 minutes before the machine was set up and ready to go.
The next task was to try each of the functions and learn how to use them. The display on the printer is easy to read and has all of the information you need. It displays all of the functions available and which one you're currently using. And, switching between functions is as simple as pressing a button. The buttons themselves are large, clear, easy to read and easy to operate.
Following the instructions, I was able to use each function correctly the first time I attempted to.
Having never used a scanner before, and having only used a copy machine once or twice in the past, I was surprised by how easy both functions were to use.
The only part of the process that took a second or third attempt was the fact that both the scanner and copier use the same bed, but to make a copy the document must be placed toward one end of the bed and to scan a document it must be placed toward the other end of the bed. Plus, the first time I scan a photo I discovered which way the photo has to be placed, as I scanned it upside down.
But, after making those simple mistakes, I was able to use all functions of the printer correctly and easily.
I use the printer the most, the copier occasionally, the scanner from time to time and I never really use the fax, but it's convenient to have all of them when I need them, and especially all in one machine.
This machine is perfect for a home office. It has all of the functions you need for your office in one small machine that's not really any bigger than an ordinary printer. It's performance, function and convenience. Plus, it's quite stylish.
With a regular price of $129.99 American, it's kind of expensive, but when you look at it as getting four machines in one, it's actually quite reasonable. Plus, it includes free standard shipping.
I ordered mine from the manufacturer's website at the same time I ordered a computer, so I was able to get the printer for a reduced price, nearly half off, so it was quite a deal.
Overall, it's a great machine. It has all of the functions you could possibly want, it doesn't take up much space, it's convenient, it's easy to set up and it's easy to use. I really like it, and I'm sure that you would like it too. I would definitely recommend it.
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