Printers aren’t always known for their innovation, but the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is a refreshing exception. This printer builds upon HP’s long history of quality laser printers, incorporating its new eco-friendly and energy-efficient TerraJet toner and a unique dial-based user interface. I put the Color LaserJet Pro through rigorous testing to assess its performance, print quality, and long-term cost. To truly stand out as one of the best color laser printers, it needs to excel in every aspect. I’m pleased to report that the 4201dw delivers.
The HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw boasts an attractive design with a bold marine-blue front panel against a white body. It has a sturdy build without being overly bulky, measuring 16.6 by 16.8 inches with a height of 11.3 inches. Weighing in at 36 pounds, it’s not too heavy to move around when needed.
The Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw’s user interface is what sets it apart. To keep costs down, many printer manufacturers opt for basic buttons and a standard screen instead of a touchscreen. However, HP has cleverly incorporated a 4-line monochrome display and a dial. Think about how intuitive it is to adjust volume with a dial or set the temperature on an oven. With a quick twist, you get the exact setting without repeatedly clicking buttons. I found the Color LaserJet Pro’s dial incredibly easy to use for navigation and scrolling. The dial also acts as a button, allowing you to press to select or hold to open a shortcut menu.
A USB-A port is conveniently located on the top left, hidden behind a flip-up dust cover, making walk-up printing a breeze. The printer includes a 250-sheet paper tray located at the bottom, while a 50-sheet media tray for labels, envelopes, and other media is concealed behind a tilting blue panel.
The HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is designed for speed without compromising on quality. The first page prints in as little as nine seconds, and for longer documents, pages roll out at a rapid 35 pages per minute (ppm). Color prints just as quickly as monochrome. Duplex printing slightly reduces speed to 31 ppm, but it saves paper by printing on both sides.
HP’s TerraJet toner melts at lower temperatures, using 27% less energy and producing more consistent colors. In my tests, the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw handled photos almost as well as an inkjet printer, and significantly faster. While an inkjet printer may offer better handling of subtle tones, borderless printing, and some even use a six-color ink system for a wider dynamic range and color accuracy in photographic prints, the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is designed for office use where color documents are more common than glossy pictures. It excels in this area. Blocks of color graphics print cleanly with no streaks, lines, or blotches. It’s a versatile and fast color laser printer that can handle any job.
The HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw features two USB-A ports: one on the front and one on the back, both of which accept thumb drives. For walk-up printing, I tested the front port and discovered that I needed to enable it in the advanced settings of the HP Smart app. With the dial, I could select any file on the flash drive, whether PDF or image, adjust print settings, and print without installing a driver on my computer or an app on my phone. This is incredibly convenient for shared workspaces. Although I didn’t test the rear USB-A port, HP states it’s for job storage. A thumb drive can store print jobs for quick copies of frequently needed documents or hold prints until a specific person arrives at the printer. This is another great feature for a busy office, but less essential for home use.
Setting up the printer was quick and easy. HP’s dual-band, self-healing Wi-Fi connected to my network in seconds. I used the dial to enter my Wi-Fi password, although in retrospect, I should have pressed the WPS button on my router and selected that option from the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw’s menu. There are USB-B and Ethernet ports on the back for direct connection to a computer. Windows and Mac computers instantly recognized the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw, and the HP Smart app for iOS and Android allowed me to check toner levels and access advanced settings. Once I enabled the front USB-A port, everything worked as expected. I was able to print anything on labels, envelopes, card stock, or standard paper, quickly and with excellent quality.
HP’s list price for the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is $569, but it’s readily available for as low as $399. This is an excellent price for a reliable and sturdy color laser printer with a speed of 35 ppm. The Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw’s sale price makes it almost as affordable as Brother’s HL-L3295CDW.
To assess the long-term value of a printer, I researched toner costs. HP offers 210A and 210X cartridges. The latter lasts three times longer and offers significant cost savings over time. A standard black toner cartridge yields about 2,000 pages, while the high-capacity cartridge provides 7,500 pages. Each standard color toner cartridge lasts for 1,800 pages, while the high-capacity model delivers up to 5,500 pages. I calculated costs based on current cartridge prices and found monochrome printing to be inexpensive, with color printing being affordable. The average cost of monochrome documents is 2 to 5 cents per page. High-yield cartridges are even more advantageous for color printing, with costs ranging from 12 to 20 cents per page. This makes color print costs lower than Canon’s highly-rated imageClass MF654cdw all-in-one, with greater speed.
The HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is an exceptional color laser printer that’s a pleasure to use. I particularly appreciate the retro dial interface. The print quality is outstanding, and the speed is impressive. For small businesses, the printer’s capacity is ample for growth. The recommended duty cycle is 4,000 pages per month, but the printer can handle up to 50,000 pages to accommodate large projects. An optional 550-sheet paper tray means you won’t have to reload as often.
While the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is ideal for small businesses, it also works well for a home office. It’s affordable, not too large or heavy, and can handle all your printing needs. If you require copy, scan, and fax capabilities, HP’s Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw offers the same print quality and speed, but includes a flatbed scanner and automatic document feeder.
