Recently, I received a Lexmark Z1420 Single Function Wireless Inkjet Printer for review. Having spent the past few weeks testing it, I am now ready to comment on how this handy peripheral has impacted upon my productivity level. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a computer expert, so please read this review in that light. Mine are the comments of a work at home mom with an average tech IQ.
My initial reaction to the printer was, "wow, this thing is light!" The tech specs list the printer's weight as 5.8 lbs – I believe that's probably without all of the cords, ink cartridges and paper loaded. Regardless, this thing is incredibly light compared to my previous printer. The external casing, a bright white that matches my Macbook perfectly, appears to be entirely plastic.
To get down to the meat of the matter, let's discuss this product's wireless capabilities. I had a mixed experience with this. We initially tested the printer on my son's Dell laptop and it ran seamlessly, connecting without wires from anywhere in the house through our home network. I was psyched, since my thirteen year old has a habit of wandering to various places to do his homework, including Mom's bed. The wireless function appears to have great range from his PC.
However, when I attempted to get the same results from my Mac, I ran up against a brick wall. I followed the somewhat confusing instructions to a letter, and was unable to get the printer to work wirelessly. There is, of course, the fallback of being able to connect via USB and that function works fine on my Macbook. But, for now, I remain tethered by wires in my home office. Being a "work @ home" mom, I frequently have my laptop out in the kitchen and was looking forward to being able to print wirelessly from there or even my back yard. I will admit that I have not yet called the help number to have a genius assist me with trying to work out this problem on the Mac.
The print results of the Lexmark Z1420 Single Function Wireless Inkjet Printer are fabulous. I've printed top quality documents and many photos with great results. The print speed is 24 monochrome or 18 color pages per minute and the ink-life appears to be very good. At less than $75 dollars, if you own a PC and are looking for a good wireless printer, this seems to be a bargain. I also like the fact that I can purchase toner for this printer at my local warehouse store at a discounted price.
All in all, for the PC crowd in my house, the Lexmark Z1420 Single Function Wireless Inkjet Printer appears to be a hit. For me, the Mac lover, the jury's still out.
