Sharp AL-1340 Toner Cartridges

Sharp AL-1340 Printer Review

The Sharp AL-1340 sports the same compact design as other laser copier models in its line, but also adds printing capabilities for an expanded feature set. It prints and copies at up to 13 pages per minute, with a first page out time of just 9.6 seconds, and prices for Sharp AL-1340 printer toner are much lower than comparable inkjet models. Unfortunately, lack of connection options hampers its printing appeal a bit.

The AL-1340 has a simple design that includes a 250-sheet paper tray in the front and a manual single-sheet bypass slot on the side. It measures 11.5x20.4x17.5 inches, and weighs less than 40 pounds. The unit includes only a flatbed scanning surface, with no automatic document feeder, but flatbed scanning accommodates media sizes up to 10x14 inches, and the lid can be removed completely for scanning larger media like thick books, which is very convenient.

For printing, the only connection option is a parallel port. This means an adapter will be required for many modern PCs, but some users might find this worth the tradeoff in exchange for the low cost of Sharp AL-1340 toner supplies. A Toner Save mode is even available for conserving toners by reducing the amount used per page, but it requires a sequence of button presses to activate, and may go ignored as a result.

Either way, the large capacity of Sharp AL-1340 toner cartridges will save users money, at up to 6,000 pages each. The drum will last for up to 18,000 pages.

It might be difficult to recommend the AL-1340 for buyers who need a printer and a copier in one. Those who buy it mainly for its copying capabilities and only occasional printing will find that the low cost of Sharp AL-1340 toner cartridges are actually the best feature.