Monochrome laserUSB 2.0; Wi-Fi
8.5x14 inches
600x600dpi (1,200dpi effective)
7.7x13.7x9.4 inches
11.6 pounds
We've seen a bunch of basic, low-cost monochrome laser printers come through our labs in recent weeks, so we've been excited to put them to the test and see how they stack up. They offer many of the same features: Wi-Fi wireless connectivity, high-quality output, and reasonably fast printing. Each model, though, has had one or two features that make it stand out. With the HP LaserJet Pro P1102w, it's the size. If you're looking for a low-cost laser to sit unobtrusively in your home or small office, this model fits. But given the merely average performance we saw from it and the high per-page cost for its output, we strongly suggest looking at a slightly bigger model for the same price, such as the Samsung ML-2525W, before jumping in.
Unpacking the printer, we found it neatly nestled between two Styrofoam blocks, with the USB and power cables tucked into the packaging. Plastic bag and shipping tape were the only other items between the printer and our desk, and once they were removed, we plugged in the svelte, black unit and pressed the power button. You can opt for a direct USB connection or wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi, but regardless of which you ultimately want to use, you need to make an initial USB connection before you'll be able to install the driver. We did so, inserted the software-install CD into the computer, and chose to install the printer to work over our wireless network. The onscreen directions were self-explanatory, and we had the printer up and running within 5 minutes of removing it from the box.
With the front paper tray closed, the LaserJet Pro P1102w is comparable in size to a large toaster oven. When open, the tray protrudes about 5.5 inches from the front, making the total footprint when the printer is in use about 13 inches by 14 inches. The simple control panel on the top left hosts two buttons (power and Wi-Fi on/off) and three LEDs (power, attention, and Wi-Fi). The USB and power cables plug into the right rear of the printer. Paper enters via the trays in the lower front and exits into the tray at the top, which holds up to 100 sheets.
The LaserJet Pro P1102w has two ways to accept paper: a 150-page main tray, and a 10-sheet "priority" slot for fast-feeding special media or envelopes. We can’t complain too much about the measly paper capacity, because fitting larger paper-input and -output trays would compromise this printer’s small size and light weight. And not entirely surprising for a printer in this price class, it lacks a feeder for automatic two-sided printing (auto-duplexing). Indeed, this model is not designed for high flexibility in executing print jobs or for large amounts of output. The latter is reflected in the very low maximum monthly duty cycle (the maximum number of pages it can print per month): 5,000 pages. Even worse, this model's recommended duty cycle is a mere 250 to 1,500 pages. (That's only about eight to 50 pages per day.) As a result, don't expect to use this model as a page-churning workhorse; it's more of a "convenience printer."
That said, there are some nice nods to economical operation, stemming from HP's company-wide initiatives toward greening tech. The P1102w incorporates both auto-on and auto-off power-saving functionality. The former wakes the printer from the off mode when it senses a print job; the latter turns it off after a user-set idle time, ranging from one minute to two hours. In addition, several settings allow you to conserve toner. To make the output lighter, you can use a Print Density slider in the Device Settings tab of the Printer Properties dialog box, or you can save toner by checking the Econo Mode box in the Paper Quality tab. In terms of paper, you can feed the unit stock in letter, legal, executive, postcard, and envelope sizes. Acceptable paper weights range from 16 to 43 pounds, which encompasses media types such as photocopy paper, photo paper, vellum, envelopes, labels, cardstock, transparencies, and postcards