Expert Verdict
The Brother HL-1210W is a very simple and easy-to-use machine but it still has seen more sales than any higher technology Brother laser printer. The biggest attraction of the Brother HL-1210W is its low cost and any buyer can purchase it. This is an affordable mono laser printer, it only prints using black Brother HL1210W Toner Cartridges. This printer is not affordable in terms of its initial cost but also in terms of its running costs, especially compared to its competitors. You can get this for $50 to $60. Though, the costs can be slightly changed depending on where you buy it from and what discounts you get. The running costs of this printer are also decent however they vary on the basis of what type of Brother HL1210W toner Cartridge you use.
The Brother HL-1210W has a compact footprint but it is an excellent product. On Standby mode, this printer consumes a maximum of 40W. Despite being an entry-level laser printer, the Brother HL-1210W boasts a very good printing speed. With a speed of 20 pages per minute, this printer is suitable for the Small Office / Home Office (SOHO) segments.Coming to output quality, it is mediocre and can meet up the office and home printing expectations. This is a monochrome laser printer that delivers exactly what it promises. The Brother HL-1210W is also fairly fast to wake up. Just in 10 seconds, this device comes to life from ‘Ready’ mode, while it takes less than 28 seconds to become active from the ‘Sleep’ mode. A lot of this is because of the device’s excellent print engine and inbuilt memory. If you use Brother HL1210W toner Cartridges manufactured by the OEM i.e. original cartridges, then the costs will be around 7.4 cents for each page. While if you choose to use compatible cartridges, cartridges made by third parties, you’ll end up paying only 6 cents, which means you get savings worth 1.4 cents on every print.
As we are known with the fact that laser printers are cheaper than inkjet printers in terms of Brother HL1210W toner Cartridges and other features. Therefore, the majority of people tend to buy them. Also, because they are so economically friendly, and they make use of cheaper Brother HL1210W Toner Cartridges. Most laser printers come with high paper handling capacities. However, this is not the case with the Brother HL-1210W. At best, the paper handling capacity of this machine is average. It can only take up to 150 sheets at a time. Even, its maximum paper capacity is lower than the minimum monthly print volume recommended by the OEM itself.
As this device is affordable, it certainly has cut off other features. One of them is mobile printing, but this device doesn’t support it. Neither there is any support for Air Print or Google Cloud print but you can get limited access with the help of the OEM’s iPrint&Scan app. The device can also be connected to computers through Wi-Fi, which is a great thing. USB 2.0 is another connectivity option that is offered with this model. Also, the Brother HL1210W toner Cartridges installation and replacement process is easy. If you have a plan of a lot of printing operations, you’ll have to replace sheets regularly, especially since there is no automatic duplexing feature. This means zero savings on paper costs. The printer is affordable and this is the reason why the quality of building material is poor. While the design of the device may be fine, it comes across as incredibly fragile the moment you get your hands on it.
Concluding, seeing enough features at this price range, this printer seems to be a perfect choice for small offices and home offices.
Review
Brother HL1210W is a mono laser printer that comes with some of the most sought-after features like wireless connectivity option and high paper tray capacity. The single-function printer is small in size but high in terms of quality and speed.
The device carries a weight of 4.6 kg and measures 340 mm in width, 238 mm in depth, and 189 mm in height. Owing to the dimensions it occupies less desk space. The print resolution it offers is up to 2400 x 600 dpi which is comparatively better than other same range printers. Even the print quality of 20 ppm is good enough for home or small office purpose. Being a low-end printer, the 150-sheet paper capacity of the main tray is quite impressive. The replacement and installing of the Brother HL1210W toner cartridge is easy-to-perform. As it is configured with separate drum and toner, it reduces the cost in the long term. Furthermore, wireless connectivity and high-speed USB 2.0 enables users to print without a PC. In fact, the printer offers mobile printing option via the iPrint&Scan app. It can also print by connecting with Windows and Mac PCs.
Advantages- Simple to use
- Space-saving design
- High-quality printing
- Very good printing speed
- Wireless connectivity available
- High-speed USB 2.0 connection present
- Supports printing via iPrint&Scan
- Low on running costs
- Not a multifunction printer
- Does not support printing in colour mode
- ADF not supported
- Automatic duplexing is wanting
- Not intended for heavy business use
The compatible Brother HL1210W toner cartridge includes:
- TN1050 black toner cartridge
Brother HL1210W is a reliable and affordable printer with wireless connectivity option as a major highlight. The output quality and speed of the device can be compared with professional standards. Alongside, the replacement system of Brother HL1210W toner cartridge is easy to understand. This simple, small and single-function printer is a perfect choice for home or office users who are using the printer for the first time.
I just replaced the Brother HL1210W toner cartridge of my printer but I'm having a problem with the print quality. How can I improve the quality of my printer?
If you are having issues with the print quality, please check the following steps:
Step 1: The machine's environment.
Keep the printer at a temperature between 10°C and 32.5°C (50°F and 90°F) and the humidity between 20% to 80% (without condensation).
Step 2: Ensure that the acceptable paper is loaded in the paper tray.
For best results, follow these instructions:
- Do not load different types of paper in the paper tray at the same time because this may lead to paper jams or misfeeds.
- You must select the same paper size from the software application as the type of paper loaded in the printer tray.
Step 3: Check that the paper is loaded correctly in the machine.
Turning the paper over may help the paper loading to become smoother. Adjusting the guide may help as well.
Step 4: Replace the drum unit or Brother HL1210W toner cartridge inside the printer. And clean the inside of the machine.
Step 5: Check the printer driver settings.
For Windows computer, check the following settings:
- Try changing the print settings in the basic tab.
- If the paper is curled or the toner is not fixed well on the paper, you can adjust these settings by clicking on other print options in the advanced tab. Then, click on improve print output and select either ‘Reduce paper curl’ or ‘Improve toner fixing’.
For Mac computer, check the following settings:
- Try changing the graphics quality in an advanced triangle of print settings.
- If the paper is curled or the toner is not fixed well in the paper, you can adjust these settings in ‘Improve print output’ by selecting either ‘Reduce paper curl’ or ‘Improve toner fixing’.
Replace drum unit message displays on my Brother HL1210W printer screen. What does this indicate and how can I resolve this?
The ‘Replace Drum’ message appears on the printer LED when the drum unit needs to be replaced. Follow these steps to clear out the error message:
The Brother machine has two separate consumables - the Brother HL1210W toner cartridge and the Brother HL1210W drum unit. Check that you replace only the drum unit and not the toner cartridge.
Step 1: Open the top cover.
Step 2: Slowly remove the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly.
Step 3: Push down the lock lever and remove the toner cartridge out of the drum unit.
Step 4: Unpack the new drum unit and put the cartridge firmly into it. Press it down until you hear it lock into its place. If you put the cartridge in the right manner, the lock lever will lift automatically.
Step 5: Put the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly back into the machine. Do not close the top cover right away.
Step 6: Press the power button 4 times and then close the top cover.
Step 7: Make sure that the error LED is now off.