Lexmark MB2236adw: an efficient and inexpensive 4-in-1 monochrome laser printer

Presentation

The Lexmark MB2236adw is a 4-in-1 laser printer. In other words, it provides the functions of scanner, copier and fax, in addition to printing. It is however limited to black and white. Found at around € 100 on the web, it ranks among the most affordable multifunction laser printers on the market.

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Ergonomics

With its 41.5 cm wide, 36 cm deep and 35.2 cm high, the Lexmark MB2236adw is not very compact. Its design is fairly classic in the world of laser printers, and the plastics used recall its accessible pricing positioning.

Two paper entries coexist. The first is a tray with a capacity of 251 sheets, which unfortunately protrudes from the back of the printer when loaded with A4 paper. Otherwise, manual sheet-by-sheet feeding is possible through a front door and the printer benefits from an automatic duplex function.

For scans, the Lexmark MB2236adw is equipped with an automatic document feeder with a capacity of 50 sheets. It is capable of scanning color documents.

Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, all answer the call. The Lexmark MB2236adw benefits from full connectivity and connectivity, enhanced by compatibility with Apple's AirPrint services and Google Cloud Print. However, the latter will be suspended on December 31, 2020.

Recommended article: Google announces the end of Cloud Print support by the end of 2020

The swiveling control panel protrudes from the printer block. It consists of small buttons and a 2-line monochrome LCD display. It is difficult to locate oneself in the menu tree, and to venture into the printer settings is a tedious operation. In use, the printer remains easy to use and only its configuration is restrictive. Lexmark nevertheless offers this same printer with a touch screen under the reference MB2236adwe, but it is unfortunately not available at such attractive prices.

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Consumption

In standby, the Lexmark MB2236adw consumes 1.1 W, which is perfectly acceptable. In printing, however, consumption rises considerably, but this is a typical characteristic of laser technology.

In terms of noise pollution, our sound level meter positioned 1 m from the Lexmark MB2236adw displays peaks at 58 dB. This can start to be annoying if the printer is installed in an open space, for example.

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Cost per page

The toner supplied with the printer can print up to 700 pages. The most important toner supported offers the ability to print up to 6,000 pages. It comes in two references: the B220XA0 toner and the B222X00 which is part of the Lexmark Return Program (LRP). It is sold at a lower price than the first, in exchange for which the customer undertakes to return the used toner free of charge to Lexmark, which is responsible for recycling it. Some resellers offering toner B222X00 (LRP) at around € 150, we have calculated a cost per page of 2.5 euro cents (€ 0.025) for the Lexmark MB2236adw, which places it in the good category average.

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Scanner and copies

It's a fact, the Lexmark MB2236adw provides very high speed scans and copies. Thus, it takes 6 seconds to scan an A4 document at 150 dpi, and 15 seconds to copy one from its document feeder. It is also capable of scanning in color. Unfortunately, the quality of the renderings is not perfect. The scans remain legible, but there are notable losses in quality.

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Office

Good news, for its MB2236adw, Lexmark has been able to focus its efforts on the area where the brand had no room for error: office automation. We measured the MB2236adw's print throughput at 33 pages per minute (ppm). If the automatic duplex mode lowers this speed to 14 ppm, the Lexmark MB2236adw remains a fast printer, and its print quality is there.

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Conclusion

As an entry-level laser printer, the Lexmark MB2236adw is highly recommendable. Indeed, it benefits from good printing skills and does not fail in other areas. However, the most demanding users will have an interest in investing in a slightly more expensive model, like the Brother MFC-L2750DW for example. The latter is however part of a different range by being sold more than double the price at which we find the Lexmark MB2236adw, which remains in short a good value for money.

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