HP Color Laserjet 2500tn

HP's Color Laserjet 2500tn series enters the fashionable compact colour laser printer market with a distinctive case design and good expansion options.

We looked at the high-end model with all available paper tray, Postscript 3 emulation and network options already fitted.

The basic printer has an integrated 125-sheet multipurpose tray which can deliver printouts equally to the output tray on top or along a horizontal path to the rear.

Under this is a general-use 250-sheet input tray; the 2500tn model also has a separate 500-sheet tray.

This printer is a carousel-loading device so loading toner cartridges is fiddly, because you have to repeatedly open and close the hatch and ensure you fit the right cartridge in the right slot without showering yourself with colourful powder.

Like other compact laser printers, there's no LCD status window: all configuration is handled using utilities on your network-connected PC.

But despite several helpful status LEDs on the printer and pop-up error messages on screen, this is a tricky machine to understand at times.

Error messages such as 'Unexpected paper size in tray 2' are arcane and the 'More info' button appears to lead nowhere; on several occasions, we were hopelessly stuck.

The installation poster or printed manuals were missing from our review model, and the electronic documentation was basic and barely accessible.

On a more positive note, print quality is good and the output speed acceptable.

HP just needs to tackle the software side in order to let the hardware shine.

DETAILS
Price: £1,561.58 (£1,329 ex VAT)
Contact: HP 08705 474 747
www.hp.com/uk