The LaserJet 1020 is Hewlett Packard’s noteworthy entry into the personal laser printer market. Increasingly, printer manufacturers are offering budget-priced, low-output laser printers as an alternative to the inkjets that have dominated the home printer market for over a decade. Of course, HP brings their usual high level of quality to this niche. In spite of being one of the cheapest laser printers available, the LaserJet 1020 is robust and reliable.
First Impressions: The HP 1020 looks similar to most home printers, with clean lines and light grey colouring. The rounded rectangular design is little more friendly than boxy business printers. However, what really stands out is the printer’s small size. With a base of only 353 square centimeters (139 inches) it will even fit comfortably on a book shelf; the forward facing feed and print trays allow you to put it right against a wall. Setup is quick and easy, although, as usual, you will need to purchase a USB printer cable.
Features: The HP LaserJet 1020 is a pretty basic printer, but offers good versatility nonetheless. The feed tray–which folds up out of the way when empty–holds 150 sheets of paper in standard sizes. Above this is a single-sheet priority feed tray which will accommodate envelopes, card, labels and other media for special print jobs without the trouble of emptying the primary feed tray. Software drivers delegate most of the print processing to your computer, saving money on memory and processing power. However, print speed maintains a comparable average of 13 ppm. As well, the drivers allow for manual duplexing.
The recommended monthly load is 250-2000 sheets, with a maximum of 5000. This range makes it ideal for students or occasional home users, although it would be adequate for some small businesses, as well. For a budget printer, the print quality is good, with sharp and clear text; just don’t expect the same perfection as a high-end professional business model.
Final Assessment: For a home user, this is a great choice, with higher quality and lower cost-per-page than most inkjets. Nonetheless, if you are a business requiring a high-use professional printer, you will want to pay the higher cost for a printer better suited to your needs. It performs reliably and consistently, and with an initial cost on par with mid-range inkjet printers, it’s a great deal. Also, it comes with a standard 1-year warranty.
The HP LaserJet 1020 ships with a full toner cartridge which will last for 5000 prints (about 3.5 cents per page). When you need a replacement, new toner cartridges can be pricey, but if you live in Vancouver or Kelowna, you can always purchased quality remanufactured cartridges from Digitech. Click here to contact us today!
