Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 1022n review

It's useful to be able to share one printer between all the computers on a business or home network.

The easiest way to do this is to buy one with its own network connection. That way, there's no need to leave a host PC switched on, and no print server to configure.

The 1022n reviewed here comes with a network port but, disappointingly, no network or USB cables are included. Once we'd got hold of a network cable, the 1022n proved very easy to set up. We plugged the cable between our network hub and the printer's Ethernet port, and ran HP's installation program, which detected the printer and installed the driver software.

The 1022n's toner cartridge slots easily into place but only lasts for 2,000 pages. This is low for a laser printer - especially one that may be shared by several users. It's also fairly costly. Toner is around £41 - that's 2p a page - twice as much as some of its competitors.

The 1022n printed our five-page text document in 24.5 seconds. We've seen faster, but the LaserJet printed this quickly even after it had been sitting idle for several hours. Some lasers need more than a minute to wake up from sleep mode.

Most entry-level lasers print at 600 dots per inch (dpi), which is fine for black text but can produce blocky graphics. The 1022n can print at 1,200dpi, which makes photos and business graphics unusually good. It was fast at this resolution too - our test A4 photo appeared in just 16 seconds, and our single-page report in 11.5 seconds. That said, we weren't happy with the quality of text, which appeared soft around the edges at both 600 and 1200dpi. We expect crisp, solid outlines from laser printers.

This is an unfortunate weakness, as there's plenty to like about the 1022n. However, economical printing and excellent text are essential from a good laser - and it doesn't deliver either.

Author: Simon Handby