Expert Verdict
The HP LaserJet Pro MFP M148fdw is an all in one monochrome laser printer designed for home based and small offices or workgroups. When compared to some of the Canon printer models, it prints a bit faster, but the output quality isn't quite as good as them, especially when printing graphics or photos, even if prints are taken using HP LaserJet Pro MFP M148fdw Toner cartridge. Also, like several other entry level laser machines, the running costs of M148fdw's are high. At 15.9 x 16 x 12.3 in (W x D x H) and weighing just 20.7 lbs, the M148fdw is as bland as any other printer design out there. However, the printers have never been the type of device that requires any worry about their looks.
This printer can perform all the important functions - mainly copy, scan, fax, and print. There is a top glass plate that takes on the copy and scan jobs and a top feed paper path that is responsible for handling faxes as well as copy and scan. The M148fdw LaserJet printer can hold 260 sheets in total (a main tray with 250 sheets and multi purpose tray with 10 sheets that pulls out from the back). Whereas the paper handling capacity of the output tray is 150 sheets. It also comes with 35 sheets Auto Document Feeder with automatic standard double sided printing. The maximum monthly duty cycle of this printer is 20,000 pages, but the recommended monthly print volume is just 10 percent of that, considering that it is a light-volume printer.
The configuration and monitoring options are extensive. Not always as easy and straightforward, but users can make most configuration changes, as well as execute walk-up tasks, from its old-school control panel. It consists of several task-specific buttons, keys for navigating the two-line monochrome read-out-style display, and a number pad. The M148fdw's standard connectivity includes Ethernet, USB for connecting to a single PC, and Wi-Fi Direct for connecting the mobile devices to the printer without connecting them to a network or a router. Apart from Wi-Fi Direct, other options are Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, HP ePrint, and HP Smart App. With the good quality of HP LaserJet Pro MFP M148fdw Toner cartridge, the printer can print upto 30 pages per minute (ppm) in black. The supported media types are laser paper, plain paper, photo paper, vellum paper, envelopes, labels, cardstock, postcards and the media sizes are A4, A5, B5, A6. Like most monochrome laser printers, the M148fdw gives out great looking text highly, making it a good choice for a receipt, internal report, or quotes. Unfortunately, it does not fulfill expectations when printing graphics and photographs. Dark fills and backgrounds come up with the noticeable streaks and blotches. Instead of printing from end-to-end, the hairlines finer than 1 point are printed with gaps in them. Please do not consider it as because of any issue in your HP LaserJet Pro MFP M148fdw Toner cartridge. This is not to say that these photo prints were horrible looking, it's just that they were not as good as some other models available in the market.
Overall, the HP M148fdw is a perfect machine for low volume printing jobs. It's fast and prints great text, performs scan, fax, and copy functions. Its running might look a little expensive to you with the original HP LaserJet Pro MFP M148fdw Toner cartridge. Moreover, if the graphics are important to you, you should spend a little more money and opt for other HP models. Also, the M148fdw is only suitable for black and white prints.