Summary of Customer Reviews
The HP LaserJet M209dw Monochrome Printer has garnered a wide range of feedback from users, reflecting both positive experiences and some notable frustrations. The majority of users appreciate its compact size, ease of setup, fast printing speeds, and good print quality. The printer’s affordability and the cost-effectiveness of its toner are frequently highlighted, with many users noting a significant upgrade from inkjet models in terms of longevity and efficiency. The wireless connectivity, while a convenient feature for some, has proven challenging for others, leading to a mix of satisfaction and frustration. Some users have experienced difficulties with the printer’s setup, connectivity, and the mandatory HP subscription service for certain features. Despite these issues, many users still find the printer a good value for its price, especially for basic printing needs at home or in small offices.
PROS
- Compact Size: “I love the compact size of it.” The small footprint makes it ideal for limited spaces, fitting comfortably in home offices.
- Ease of Setup: “Plug in. Turn on. Wifi connect. Go to the HP site and download a couple of things. Set up took less than 10 minutes.” Many users found the setup straightforward, especially with USB connections.
- Fast Printing: “It’s an absolute speed demon.” Users appreciate the printer’s quick output, which enhances productivity.
- Good Print Quality: “Prints well but was hard to set up.” The printer consistently produces clear and sharp monochrome prints.
- Cost-Effective Toner: “With my inkjet, the cartridges barely last for 2 or 3 pages. In contrast, a toner allows me to print about 1,000 sheets.” Users find the toner to be more efficient and economical compared to inkjet cartridges.
- Wireless Printing: “Can print from my iPhone, laptop, and desktop anywhere in the home.” The wireless feature is a significant convenience for those who need to print from multiple devices.
CONS
- Setup and Connectivity Issues: “No touch screen, almost impossible to connect.” Some users struggled with setting up the printer, particularly with wireless connectivity, leading to a frustrating experience.
- Subscription Model: “HP has made toner a subscription service, which you pay a set rate for each month.” The requirement to sign up for HP’s subscription service for certain features has been a point of contention.
- Inconsistent Wireless Performance: “Wi-Fi printing works, however my iPad will not detect the printer unless I first turn the printer off and on.” Users report connectivity issues that require frequent resetting of the device.
- Limited Functionality: “Does not scan. Scanning requires the downloading of an app and after a lengthy setup I did not try it.” Some users expected additional features like scanning, which are not available on this model.
- Quality Control Issues: “Prints were always crooked.” A few users noted problems with print alignment and overall build quality.
Who Should Buy?
The HP LaserJet M209dw Monochrome Printer is suitable for individuals and small offices looking for a reliable, compact, and affordable printer for basic black-and-white printing needs. It is particularly ideal for those who prioritize quick print speeds and high-quality output without the need for color printing. The printer’s compact size makes it a great fit for limited desk space, and it offers convenience with wireless printing from various devices. However, it may not be the best choice for users who need scanning capabilities or expect seamless wireless connectivity, as these areas have been points of frustration for some customers.
User Recommendation
Overall, the HP LaserJet M209dw Monochrome Printer is recommended by many users who appreciate its ease of use, fast printing, and compact design. It is particularly praised for its cost-effective operation and quality prints. However, the recommendation comes with caveats. Users who experienced issues with setup and connectivity suggest caution, especially if seamless wireless functionality is a crucial requirement. The mandatory subscription model for certain features also received criticism, making it less appealing for those who prefer straightforward ownership without ongoing commitments. For those seeking a hassle-free monochrome printer with good value for money, this model generally meets expectations. However, potential buyers should be aware of the potential connectivity challenges and the absence of multifunctional capabilities.
Customer Reviews
Updated on May 6, 2024
Verified Purchase
Please save yourself some heartache and stay away from HP printers.
I bought this printer for home use, primarily for our son’s homeworks, activity sheets, etc – which goes to say that we did not use it everyday and when we did, we probably printed 2 or 3 sheets. I threw the printer in trash after using it for 13 months because of HP’s evil business plan. I am judging this wireless printer on these aspects – print quality, software, wireless and printing cost.
This printing aspect of the printer is OK. It does as well as any laserjet printer would do. For what I used this printer, I wasn’t looking for business quality print anyway.
The wireless aspect is terrible. The printer will not want to connect to wifi and when it does, you will find it offline everytime you want to print something. Which means that you will have to walk to the printer to wake it up, wait for that to happen, then print.
For the software, the app that HP will make you install is for 1 purpose only. To push you to purchase more cartridges, paper, etc from HP. This app was not designed to enhance the printing experience in anyway. In addition, HP will push you to create an account so that they can monitor your usage and push more products.
As if this were not enough to make money, HP has an evil business model. Regardless of how much life is left in your cartridge, the firmware in the printer will refuse to print once you have printed so many sheets. IT IS ACTUALLY BASED ON THE COUNT OF THE PRINTED SHEETS. Please save yourself some heartache and stay away from HP printers. I just upgraded to Epson EcoTank (color inkjet) which gives you complete control of the ink.
- 71
- 0
Verified Purchase
QUALITY
I am 75 years old and electronic gadgets (printers) don’t usually like me. I plugged in a USB cable between my computer and the printer and plugged the power cord in. All of a sudden a message appears on my screen . . . INSTALLED. What? It scared me, it’s so much smarter than I am. And it works!
- 51
- 0
Verified Purchase
I passionately hate this printer.
This printer is difficult to set up, and it falls off the network every few hours. Getting it back on the network (which in my case is an Amazon Eero mesh system) is bizarrely difficult, with poor directions that tell you to press counterintuitive combinations of buttons, and then wait for an unspecified amount of time where maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t.
Although Microsoft Windows UI figured out how to connect to a printer decades ago, this HP printer can’t use that. Instead, you have to use a proprietary HP app for this, and if a UX designer ever got near that app, I’d be shocked. That app is not designed specifically for this printer (you can’t just install a driver and be done with it), of course but rather the app is for hundreds of HP products.
The app features a nice little troubleshooter, which reliably indicates that nothing is wrong, even though it can’t even connect to the printer.
By the way, the computer I cannot connect this HP printer to is a 2022 HP desktop. HP can’t even manage to work with itself.
As if that is not enough, HP has made toner a subscription service, which you pay a set rate for each month, based on how many pages you print (few in my case, since my printer is rarely connected).
I regret this purchase. I cannot believe a major brand like HP would release a product as unusable and horrible as this. I’m too late to return it. I will probably donate it and buy a Brother printer.
- 41
- 0
Verified Purchase
Every printer should be this easy!
My 15 year old Samsung 2525W printer finally crapped out, so I set out on a quest to find something affordable to replace it with. I stumbled across a deal on the Brother HL-L2325W printer and gave it a shot. This thing tripped my AFCI outlet literally every time I turned it on. I even updated the firmware and tried it in low power mode and no luck. Brother’s tech support even encouraged me to return it! Upon googling around I found that monochrome laser printers often have this problem on newer houses due to the AFCI per room code that’s common in most jurisdictions. I never had this issue with my Samsung, so I figured I’d try a newer model. Turns out Samsung printers was acquired by HP a few years back. I proceeded to research all the models below about $400 and came across this bad boy. I love the price, the size, the fact that it’s duplex and the replacement cartridge won’t cost more or close to the cost of the print (which is definitely the case with alot of cheap laser printers). I gave it a shot, placed my order and waited for the arrival. Last night I plugged it up, crossing my fingers it wouldn’t trip the breaker. Voila! It didn’t. I downloaded the HP app and was able to set everything up in minutes. Super refreshing. To top it all off, I went to Safari on my iPhone and printed a web page from my phone. Pretty darn cool! If you’re reading this and you’re like me looking for an affordable monochrome laser printer, with wifi/ethernet, with full duplex and affordable replacement cartridges… look no further. Buy this one!
- 33
- 0
Verified Purchase
Awesome Laser Printer
Massive upgrade by miles from my old HP Laserjet p1102w. I never would have replaced my old one until it lost WiFi connection upon upgrading my modem. Old one has single band wireless connectivity and USB. That’s it. If you run into connectivity issues, all you can do is connect via USB and try to reconfigure its network connectivity via its built in web interface that totally sucks. Spent two nights attempting to reconnect it with no success. With this new printer, setting it up just took me 10 minutes, including the unboxing steps. Now I got faster printing that prints double-sided, dual band wireless 802.11b/g/n with Bluetooth, Ethernet connectivity (if needed), and USB. Totally worth the upgrade because of the new features I gained and how easier it is to set up. Highly recommend it for home office use.
- 19
- 0
Verified Purchase
TIRED OF WASTING PAPER
This printer prints very well from my Android Tablet. However, when I want to print from my PC, it tells me that it needs attention every time. I get tired of wasting at least 2 sheets of paper every time I try to print. I have to go through the app for troubleshooting, but it always says that it is working fine. Then I have to print a test page or it will not print anything else. Then, at least 2 test pages print before I can do my regular printing. This is a waste of time and money. As always, HP is a pain in the ….
- 17
- 0
Verified Purchase
Smart Printer, on the slow side
This is a great “smart” printer that works very well in a small office environment. The setup is super easy, once unboxed you just plug it in and download the HP Smart Install App which will then guide you through the setup of the printer. The entire process from unboxing to printing takes about 15-30 minutes, depending on your tech knowledge.
Overall the printer works as needed, and comes packed with all the features a standard printer would be expected to have. You can also connect this printer to the HP ink program and never worry about running out of ink again as they will monitor your ink levels and send you new ones when you’re low.
The only drawback is that the printing is on the slower side, but working in a small, non heavy printing office, it does it’s job well.
Verified Purchase
Terrific Printer
I don’t print as much as I used to and I was constantly running cleaning routines on my old ink jet because of it. I don’t need color, so a laser was a logical choice. This seemed like a good replacement and I was not disappointed. Set up was a breeze, and it’s an absolute speed demon. So far I’ve tested it with my iPhone, MacBook Air and my ancient iMac that is on the other side of the house. This is why I stick with HP printers, although I did pass on the instant ink offer. Toner cartridges are not as expensive as ink jet carts for the way I print.
- 9
- 0
Verified Purchase
Junk
I’ve owned several HP printers and never have had the trouble I’ve had with the two of these I bought. One was for me and one was for my husband. He never got his to stay connected long enough to use. Mine worked okay for a few weeks then it started disconnecting from the internet. Instead of a steady blue light, it would print one page then turn to a white band. No explanation in the book or that I could find at the HP site. I spent more time trying to reset this piece of junk than I did printing 2 or 3 pages. I may be past the return time for both. If so, both are going to the landfill or some recycling center. I bought extra cartridges that haven’t been used. Those will go to the Goodwill. Maybe someone can use them if they own this printer and it actually works. I have a 20 year laser printer from another manufacturer which still works fine but it’s hard to find cartridges. HP should be ashamed of its lack of quality in this printer. I may never buy another HP printer as a result.
- 6
- 0
Verified Purchase
Compact, Fast, Prints Front and Back
I needed a laser printer that would handle large documents, print on both sides, and be easy to transport in the car. It gets five stars for all that. However, the instructions assume too much intuitive knowledge of the part of the user and technical support is hard to come by. My son set up the wireless at my home, but when I had to use it 1200 miles away I did not know what I had to do to get it to print. It turns out I needed a USB connector, but I did not know that and nothing like that came with the printer. Also, I didn’t know enough to pay up for a model with a touch screen, which also provided some frustration. After trying without success to get help from HP, I finally called Amazon support and they got me a phone number to reach HP support. That’s where I finally learned I needed to purchase the USB connector. There was no way I was going to change all the wireless settings I would need when I got home. I experienced a lot of angst before I got it up and running, but once I did it worked like a dream.
- 6
- 0