Epson AcuLaser CX11NF – multifunction
Color laser multifunctions aren’t just for corporate offices anymore. New budget color laser multifunctions, such as the Epson AcuLaser CX11, are designed to fit the needs and the budgets of small offices. The Epson AcuLaser CX11 series is the third color laser multifunction to cost less than $1,000. While this multitasking printer faces stiff competition, at $799 ($699 for the CX11N model, which lacks an automatic document feeder (ADF) and faxing), it’s the most affordable yet. We tested the CX11NF, which can copy, print, and scan in color. It can also fax and comes Ethernet ready. Rivals, such as the Canon ImageClass MF8170c, the HP Color LaserJet 2840, and the Oki C5510n, all cost more and offer similar features, but their manufacturers have more experience in color laser and high-end multifunctions. Epson, on the other hand, is known largely for its polished photographic inkjets, and its effort with the CX11–its first laser printer sold in the United States–makes some missteps. For example, the CX11NF lacks common fax capabilities, the control-panel menus could be simpler, and the print and copy quality doesn’t live up to what we expect from Epson. On the other hand, this office all-in-one performs quickly, especially when printing and copying black text.
The Epson AcuLaser CX11NF packs in printing, scanning, paper faxing, and multipage photocopying in both color and grayscale. The control panel is well laid out, and its backlit LCD is legible even in the dark. One set of buttons switches between copy, fax, and scan modes, another navigates menu items, and the third is a numeric keypad. But in an odd penny-pinching measure, Epson made the right-arrow button double awkwardly as the Enter button.
Though the Epson AcuLaser CX11NF lacks built-in double-sided printing, its print driver makes it easy to print duplex jobs manually. The driver also allows n-up printing and watermarks, and it can collate multiple copies (which its photocopier can’t do). The driver even displays how full your toner tanks are and can automatically order supplies online from Epson as they run out.
Epson’s copious software bundle works for Mac and Windows PCs, unlike that of the Windows-only Canon MF 8170c. You get utilities for making and correcting scans, managing photos, and scanning business cards. You also get document templates and an OCR utility, which converts scanned text pages into live text and stores their images in a database.
The Epson AcuLaser CX11NF’s 25-pages-per-minute (ppm) engine zipped through plain black text. When CNET ran benchmarks over a USB connection, the AcuLaser churned out text at 18.4ppm–almost five pages faster than the comparable Oki C5510n. This Epson also printed grayscale pages at an impressive 19.1ppm–nearly six pages faster than the Oki. However, performance on color printing dropped off, likely due to the engine’s multipass design. Still, the AcuLaser beat the Canon ImageClass MF8170c and the HP Color LaserJet 2840. Fortunately, unlike many other carousel-based printers, the CX11NF is mostly free of annoying clank and rattle as it cycles through the colors. It made black photocopies at a workgroup-friendly 5.2ppm.
Because the Epson CX11NF uses a multipass engine, color pages pass through the imaging components four times–once for each color–so color printing takes longer than grayscale printing.
Epson CX11NF uses Epson S050190 black laser toner cartridge at about $100 each and Epson S050187, Epson S050188, Epson S050189 color laser toner cartridge at about $120 each.
According to Epson’s figures, a page of black text uses 1.9 cents’ worth of supplies, and a color page uses 10.1 cents’ worth; throw in the other consumables for an estimated 3.1 cents per black page and 12.9 cents for color, which ranks on the average to high end for a color laser printer.