HP LaserJet P4515n Printer (CB514A)

If you're running a small to medium business, or you're just a prolific writer at home and have a number of PCs connected to your server, then for those day-to-day bulk document printing jobs you want a solid workhorse that's going to churn out the pages at a swift rate, with the minimum of fuss and yet with impressive quality.

HP's LaserJets have always had a good reputation in this area and the latest network mono printer, the P4515n, is no exception. It comes in the familiar squat, square shape (42 x 45 x 40cm) and you'll need at least two people to carry it into position as it weighs a reassuringly hefty 25kg.

Simple instructions show you how to load the cartridge in the front and the software on your PC and then it's just a question of establishing your network connection, which is made simpler by means of the built-in HP Jetdirect Fast Ethernet embedded print server. As with most HP printers, there are extensive data and instruction files contained in both the manuals on the installation disk and also in the menus listed on the front panel LCD display.

Spooling through the menus provides an extensive catalogue of functions including illustrated Show Me How guides (for clearing jams, loading special media, etc.), detailed configuration possibilities as well as diagnostics. The LCD control panel also reveals up to four lines of text with animated graphics, which helps considerably when previewing or troubleshooting. There's an additional Folder button which can store and then reload print jobs and security protect these with PIN codes.

In terms of storage capacity, the first tray flips down from the front and holds 100 sheets of A4 but you're probably more likely to use the fixed bottom tray that holds 500 sheets at a time. If you're more than a small business user then you can purchase extra trays that hold 500 and 1,500 sheets and further add-ons include a 75-sheet envelope feeder, a 500-sheet stacker stapler, a duplex unit and a 500-sheet, 5-bin mailbox.

HP is trumpeting the P4515 as its fastest single-function black-and-white printer with speeds up to 62ppm, and in practice we found this to be almost exactly the case (60ppm average), thanks to the 540MHz processor and 128MB of RAM (there is a DIMM slot on the side of the machine so you can further upgrade to 640MB when necessary). The first page prints in around 8 seconds from start-up.

Print quality overall is sharp, full and solid with a resolution range of 300 to 1200dpi and, thanks to the embedded print server, many monitoring and configuration options can be handled remotely. There's also support for Vista, Mac, Unix and Linux and several eco benefits via HP's installed Instant-On Technology and controlled toner usage.