Kyocera Mita FS 1100

If you find yourself in the market for a monochrome laser printer, Kyocera might not be the first name that springs to mind. It is a company that sells large, reliable, commercial level printers to the business market, but it has recently introduced an entry-level laser printer, the FS-1100.

The standard gray color is complemented with a darker gray top and front. A neat circular status display on the top of the printer features green and orange LEDs to indicate paper and toner levels, paper jams and other warnings.

There is also a small triangular window in the middle of the output tray, which shows the part number printed on the top of the toner cartridge inside the printer. While this is an innovative idea, it isn’t something you need to know each time you go to the printer. The cartridges last 4000 pages, so unless you’re a super heavy users it’s going to be a while before you need to know. Then the status light will tell you anyway.

The paper tray holds 250 sheets, then there is a multi-purpose feed slot directly above it. This can be used to feed envelopes, leaflets or other different sized media. A single USB slot at the rear is the only connection available without having to upgrade to an ethernet adapter.

The printer only needs a toner cartridge to get it up and running. Kyocera uses a special coating for its drum which lasts the lifetime of the printer and needs no replacement. This drops the per sheet cost considerably, as well as improves the printers green credentials. When you first insert a toner cartridge, the printer runs through a five minute charging cycle to prepare the cartridge, but it only happens the once.

Kyocera quotes print speeds of up to 28 pages per minute, but our text document printed in draft mode still only achieved 24 pages per minute. In normal mode, which most users use, youre not likely to get much quicker than around 15ppm. Print quality is acceptable, with text print appearing black and showing straight lines, sharp edges and good fill.

While there isnt anything new and exciting about the FS-1100, low running costs and above average print quality make it an attractive proposition