Sharp AL-1200 Toner Cartridges

Sharp AL-1200 Printer Review

The Sharp AL-1200 laser copier will hold the most appeal for personal users or very small offices with a low volume of copying. The main limitation is its lack of an automatic document feeder, but it provides a fairly solid rate of 12 copies per minute, and the low cost of Sharp AL-1200 printer toner might just be enough to make buyers look past its minor drawbacks.

Without an automatic document feeder, users are in for manual scanning of pages, but this likely won't be too much of a problem for light-duty use. The device is capable of making up to 99 copies from an original. The main paper tray is ready for up to 250 sheets at once, and a bypass tray of 50 sheets is a nice secondary source.

Although the AL-1200 has the option for a printing upgrade, it only works with a parallel connection to an individual PC, so it is not as appealing as it might seem. Buyers will probably want to stick to strictly copying and not think of the unit as a potential printer.

The AL-1200's compact dimensions are one of its most appealing features, measuring 11.5x20.4x17.5 inches. Setting up the machine is pretty straightforward, but there are a few design quirks, such as requiring users to open two panels just to access the Sharp AL-1200 toner supply.

In spite of a compact size, the capacity of Sharp AL-1200 toner cartridges is larger than expected, with a yield of up to 6,000 pages each. Users whose motivation for buying is to save on toners will find the low cost of Sharp AL-1200 toner cartridges very appealing.

Although the promise of its printing upgrade is somewhat dampened by limited connectivity, the Sharp AL-1200 is still very impressive as a compact and affordable personal or small office copier. Its output quality is sharp and supplies are inexpensive, making it a good value for the price.