HP LaserJet 1010 review

At this price, HP's new entry-level laser printer competes head-on with inkjets. If you're not after colour, it'll give your documents that all-important professional polish.

Getting the LaserJet 1010 up and running is very simple. The software installation walks you through connecting the printer and printing out a test page to check everything's OK.

As well as the driver, a utility called HP LaserJet Toolbox is included, which provides access to the printer's crucial settings and controls through a Web browser-based interface. Using the Toolbox, you can check the printer's status, perform troubleshooting and diagnostic tests, and read the printer's manuals, in either browser or PDF format. The Advanced settings let you control whether or not the printer uses RET ('resolution enhancement technology'), print density and how the printer responds to jams.

The printer's input tray folds away when not in use, saving space and helping the printer look neater than it otherwise might. We were surprised there is no option for a face-up paper path. This means the LaserJet 1010 can't handle heavier card.

Output quality is reasonable. Text quality shows potential to be really good, but is marred by slight smudging along the lower edge of characters - you have to look very closely to notice this. The LaserJet 1010's cheap print engine handles graphics well enough. Graduated greys are especially smooth, although coarse half-toning (the regular pattern of dots used to make up images) makes photos disappointing. The LaserJet 1010 lives up to its quoted speed of 12ppm, and takes just over 10 seconds for the first page.

This printer has flaws - but at this price, we're hard pressed to complain.

Author: Mike Hirschkorn