Sharp MX-3111U Toner Cartridges

Sharp MX-3111U Printer Review

While the Sharp MX-3111U doesn't have all of the advanced features of some of the more expensive multifunction color laser printers from Sharp, it offers a good combination of strong feature set and a low price, while still providing up to 31 pages per minute. Its 600 dpi printing is a compromise, but output quality is still solid, and Sharp MX-3111U printer toner is affordable enough for smaller budgets.

Sometimes referenced as the MX-3111, the "U" may just stand for user-friendliness. Its roomy full-color touchscreen display provides sections for each of its major functions, reducing screen clutter, and users can even save their own workflows for quick access. The base model starts at a very manageable footprint of only 23x24.75 inches, with a height of only 33 inches. Its weight of 159 pounds even includes the Sharp MX-3111U toner cartridges.

Buyers have a lot of flexibility in how they configure the MX-3111U, as it starts with a paper capacity of 600 sheets and can be expanded to a maximum of 2,100 sheets for a large-volume office environment. Faxing is also available as an upgrade option, and several upgrade options such as a finisher with hole-punch and an external accounting module can be configured as well.

Experienced buyers know that the cost of toners is often the largest expense, which makes the affordable price of Sharp MX-3111U toner cartridges even more essential. With their large capacities of 18,000 pages for black and 10,000 pages for each of the four colors, the cost per page of Sharp MX-3111U toner ends up making it one of the more cost-effective models in its class.

Overall, the Sharp MX-3111U retains many of the best features of its larger (more expensive) brothers, strips away some of the high price, and comes out as a very capable machine that is an excellent value for small budgets. If buyers can put up with its 600 dpi printing engine, it is a great buy.