Dell C1660w Toner Cartridges

Dell C1660w Printer Review

The Dell C1660w is a color laser class printer with solid wireless support that includes mobile printing from smartphone and tablet devices. Its print speeds are a little slow, at 12 pages per minute in black and 10 pages per minute in color. Its small capacity and pricey Dell C1660w printer toner make it best-suited for low-volume use, however.

The C1660w (sometimes referred to as the C1660) actually uses LEDs instead of a laser for printing, but most of the mechanics are similar. It weighs 23.1 pounds with the Dell C1660w toner installed, and measures 8.9x15.5x11.8 inches, so it doesn't consume a lot of space. It lacks a few features, such as an automatic duplexer for two-sided printing, however.

Although the C1660w includes built-in wireless support for sharing, it lacks an ethernet port, which could be an issue for an office with an existing wired network. Still, with mobile printing features for Android and iOS devices, it offers more printing options than many previous models. A USB port is included for direct connection to a PC, but it lacks any support for thumb drives or memory cards.

The input paper capacity of only 150 sheets is likely to be a problem even for some small offices, and it is not upgradeable. The limitation of 600 dpi printing also makes for text that is a little sub-par, according to reviewers.

Buyers drawn in by the unit's low price might not be so happy about the price of toners. With four individual Dell C1660w toner cartridges to replace, it can be expensive to operate. Each color Dell C1660w toner cartridge provides around 1,000 pages, while the black supply provides up to 1,250 sheets.

For an affordable, network-enabled color printer, the Dell C1660w is appealing, mainly due to its low price tag. Mobile printing is a nice bonus, but it is difficult to recommend, considering the high cost of supplies.