Xerox Phaser 8560/N

The latest in Xerox’s line of solid-ink printers for the office, the Phaser 8560/N ($799) offers high-quality printouts, speedy output, and low per-page costs. Solid ink offers a number of advantages over laser and inkjet technologies, including less waste, easier supply replenishment, faster initial printouts, and a unique glossy look ideal for output such as presentations, brochures, and marketing collateral.

Solid-ink printing works by melting blocks of ink onto a drum, which then rolls the ink onto paper. At a maximum of 2,400dpi, the print quality is comparable to that of a high-end laser. Solid-ink printouts have a slightly glossy, subtly raised appearance that gives them a classy, if somewhat unusual, appearance. Overall print quality was superb in our tests, with very dark blacks; even tiny 4-point text on a gray-scale background was clearly readable. Image quality was as good as or better than a high-end laser. We saw some obvious dithering in skin tones and gradients, but color reproduction was excellent, and the printouts lacked the banding you sometimes find on laser output.

Whereas laser printers can take 30 seconds or more to print the first page in a job—they must warm up the fuser first—the xerox phaser 8560/N starts printing within about three seconds of receiving the data. Unfortunately, initial warm-up in the morning takes a couple of minutes as the printer melts the ink. But for the rest of the day, the printer can finish most short jobs before the typical laser has spit out the first page. The Phaser 8560/N met its rated print speeds, printing 17 pages per minute (ppm) in Enhanced quality and 30ppm in Fast Color mode. Because printing is done in a single pass, rather than the four passes many color lasers require, printing full-page color graphics is just as fast as printing a page of black text.

For proofing pages that will be professionally printed, the Phaser 8560/N offers Pantone-matched color, and support for SWOP, ISO, and other professional color schemes. The only component in the Phaser 8560/N that needs replacement over time is the maintenance kit, which must be replaced either every 10,000 pages ($99.99 for a standard kit) or 30,000 pages ($149.99 for an extended-capacity kit). To add ink, just drop in a new ink block; there’s no cartridge to remove and recycle. Print costs are a very reasonable 10.1 cents per page for color (based on 20 percent CMYK coverage), or 2 cents for monochrome (xerox wc).

Somewhat large and weighing in at 60 pounds, the Phaser 8560/N takes up a fair amount of desktop real estate; you’ll probably want to give it its own desk or credenza. Setup couldn’t be simpler. Drop in the four ink blocks (each is uniquely shaped so it can’t be dropped in the wrong slot), connect a cable to the USB or 10/100Mbps Ethernet port, and install the driver software. The drivers, which support both Adobe PostScript Level 3 and PCL 5c, feature easy-to-use option selection, detailed online help, print-status updates, and an interactive troubleshooter.

Along with a 525-sheet paper tray at the bottom, you’ll find a 100-sheet front-loading compartment that can also be used for envelopes and custom papers up to 80 pounds. You can add two additional 525-sheet feeders to the bottom ($399 each). You can also install additional memory and a hard drive to speed printing in heavy-use network environments. You can’t add duplex printing without first purchasing a $200 upgrade kit. (A step-up model with this feature is also available for $999.)

The online documentation is superb, and Xerox backs the printer with a one-year warranty. Additional warranties of up to four years with onsite service are available. If you’re looking for a high-volume, high-quality color printer, the Phaser 8560/N is an attractive alternative to color lasers.