Expert Verdict
As people are relying more on technology these days, printers have become an indispensable tool for any college or university student. It's because more and more lecture materials and tutorial questions are posted online. Not to mention that printing them in your college/university can be a pain – especially if everyone is using the library printer – you will see people printing their assignments for hours or simply printing the entire stack of lecture notes, tutorial questions for the semester, and not to mention that the printer may break down at any time. Moreover, the costs of printing at the university can be higher.
Samsung ML-2160, A printer that fits the bill and the environment too and not to forget that it’s a laser printer (similar to the ones used in universities/colleges for printing documents). The printer comes with the Samsung ML-2160 Toner cartridge pre-installed (that allows you to print up to 700 pages) and the printer prints at the speed rate of 20 pages per minute. If you compare it with other laser printer models, you will certainly notice that this is a very well priced device compared to other printers such as HP Mono LaserJet P1102 and Canon-LBP 6000 which offer speeds of up to 18 and 14 pages per minute. In addition to this, it comes with additional features such as Easy Eco Driver which helps not only the environment but also results in inefficient use of the Samsung ML-2160 Toner cartridges.
Being a mono printer, it uses black Samsung ML-2160 Toner cartridges only. The printer itself is compact and it just fits right anywhere. Also, it can be placed from one place to another easily. Setting up the printer is a breeze. For Macbook, all you have to do is to plug the printer and MacOS will automatically install a driver for you and the printer will work just fine. We also tested it on Windows 7. In it, installation is pretty simple, you just need to put the CD in and install it. And if you are installing on a laptop without CD-ROM Driver, you can get the drivers from Samsung’s site. Inside the box, you’ll find the printer, pre-installed Samsung ML-2160 Toner cartridges, USB cable and power adapter, manual and installation disc.
Coming to the speed, this printer prints relatively fast. The print quality is not bad at all. Though we could see a minor issue in the sharpness of texts. While testing we turned the eco-saving feature on to save the Samsung ML-2160 Toner cartridges’ ink, and it may have happened due to that.
Most people go for Inkjet printers instead of laserjets as they are cheap and are bundled together with scanners, making them an all-in-one device. They are popular because they enable you to print in colour. However there are few drawbacks to Inkjet printers. The first is that they take longer to print documents as compared to laser printers. Moreover, the costs of cartridges can be overwhelming mostly when you print documents often. Being a laserjet printer, the cost of Samsung ML-2160 Toner cartridges are comparatively low.
If you are a person who prints their lecture notes for revisions or any other purpose, then this is an affordable machine for you. The additional features of this machine make it worth it. In all, clearly for its price, it does give you pretty decent performance and compared to other printers in the market with a similar price range, it surely is an excellent purchase. But if you are looking to print things in colour or are just looking for a multifunction printer, then this is not the one for you.
Review
If you are looking for an affordable yet reliable mono laser printer, Samsung ML-2160 can prove to be a smart purchase. The single-function device is great at offering high-quality prints at great speed. Besides, it accepts a broad range of media including envelopes, cardstock, labels, and transparencies. Support for wireless connectivity is a major highlight.
This sleek and small-sized printer weighs only around 4kgs. Its dimensions correspond to 21.5 x 33.1 x 17.8 cm in width, breadth and height respectively. Owing to a fast 300 MHz processor, the printer is capable of attaining speeds of up to 21 ppm. In addition, it supports high-yielding Samsung ML-2160 toner cartridges that contribute to low running costs. Print quality is excellent with the print resolution of 1200x1200 dpi. With this, it offers crisp and clear text and graphics. The main input tray handles only up to 150 sheets which can be inconvenient for busy small offices but suitable for personal users. Option for wireless connectivity is provided in the form of WiFi. The printer is compatible with most of the major operating systems.
Advantages- Small size
- Lightweight
- Quick printing speed
- Impressive output quality
- Supports high-capacity Samsung ML-2160 toner cartridges
- Features in-built WiFi
- Mobile printing possible
- Budget-friendly
- Low-capacity input tray
- Not a multifunction device
- Incapable of colour printing
- Not suitable for large workgroups
The compatible Samsung ML-2160 toner cartridges are:
- Samsung MLTD101S Black Toner Cartridge
- Samsung MLTD101S 2-Pack Black Toner Cartridge
Samsung ML-2160 is an easy-to-use mono laser printer, especially for personal use in a home or small office. The only disadvantage of this printer is the low-capacity input tray. Apart from that, it offers great quality prints at a fast speed. Therefore, it can be an ideal deal if your a looking for just reliable mono printing at an affordable price.
How to clean the Samsung ML-2160 laser printer in order to remove the fine particles?
The particles released during paper shredding or printing process might affect the quality of print results. Hence it is important to clean the laser printer. Follow these steps to perform cleaning:
Step 1: Switch Off The Machine And Allow It Cool Down
First, you’ll need to turn the printer off at the mains as you would never want to electrocute yourself. Laser printers grow extremely hot when in use, so it’s important to give them time to cool. So wait for it to cool down.
Step 2: Remove And Cleaning The Toner Cartridge
Once the laser printer has cooled, open its back or front panel and remove the Samsung ML-2160 toner cartridge. Using a square of cloth, remove excess toner from the cartridge.
Step 3: Remove Excess Toner from Internal Components
Using a square of toner cloth (or a toner vacuum), reach inside the machine and remove any/all excess toner from the internal surfaces. At times, toner is likely to build up around the Samsung ML-2160 toner cartridge housing and on other components that may be difficult to reach. Try to be as careful as possible while cleaning inside the machine, as some components are delicate and costly to replace if damaged.
Step 4: Swab Surfaces with Isopropyl Alcohol
For components such as cables and wires, use a cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol and gently wipe with it to ensure a safe, sterile clean. This will remove debris from internal parts whilst leaving no mark of residue. Be careful to only rub components as gently as possible and be sure not to cause any long term damage through scratches.
Step 5: Reassemble
Once you’ve carefully removed any and all toner from within the machine, it’s time to reinsert the Samsung ML-2160 toner cartridge and its accompanying bottle. Making reference the user manual if necessary, reinsert the cartridge and close the machine before performing any cartridge realignment checks.