Sharp AL-1041 Toner Cartridges

Sharp AL-1041 Printer Review

The Sharp AL-1041 is a compact and inexpensive laser copier that still produces up to 10 copies per minute, while including many of the zoom and automatic exposure settings of larger devices. A Toner Save mode is useful for conserving Sharp AL-1041 printer toner, and it has two input paper options for more flexibility.

When considering the design of the AL-1041, one feature buyers might miss right away is an automatic document feeder, but the unit's flatbed scanning platen supports up to 10x14-inch media, for a solid amount of flexibility. The machine's dimensions are 11.5x20.4x17.5 inches, so fitting it on a desk should be no problem, and it weighs just less than 40 pounds, even with the drum and Sharp AL-1041 toner in place.

Paper handling includes a 250-sheet paper drawer and a 50-sheet bypass tray, so users can print to transparencies, letterhead, or other special media without having to empty a drawer. The control panel offers manual adjustments for exposure, but an automatic exposure setting can handle it in most cases, and invoking the Toner Save feature can help users stretch the life of toners a bit further, with only a slight downgrade in output quality.

Replacing Sharp AL-1041 toner cartridges is a bit of a process, requiring users to open a side panel before opening the front access panel, but it will be easy once they get the hang of it. More importantly, however, is that Sharp AL-1041 toner cartridges are affordably-priced, with a yield of around 6,000 pages each that keeps the cost per page to a minimum.

The AL-1041 keeps the most essential features for a small office copier, while sacrificing a bit of speed and a few options for its affordable purchase price. Buyers are left with an inexpensive solution for personal or small office copying, however, as long as the lack of an ADF isn't too much of a problem.