The OKI C531dn - LED-based Printer

Design

Strictly speaking, the OKI C531dn is an LED-based printer, as opposed to a laser printer. LED printers use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source instead of lasers. In a laser printer, a laser draws the image to be printed onto a charged cylindrical drum, which attracts the particles of toner and transfers them to paper. In an LED printer, the principle is the same, but the laser is replaced by an array of LEDs. Because it functions otherwise like a laser printer, including using toner cartridges and an image drum to print your pages, LED printers are considered to be “laser-class” printers.

As you might expect, there's usually a direct relationship between the size of a workgroup printer and its paper capacity. (After all, the paper has to go somewhere.) This particular model is relatively compact, with a somewhat skimpy paper capacity. At 9.5 inches high, 16.1 inches wide, and 19.8 inches deep, the C531dn sits lower than many competing color lasers. That might allow you to place it into a low-clearance area—even on a desktop or under low-hanging shelves—where other printers might not fit.

To keep the profile low, the main paper tray holds only 250 sheets, while a second, multipurpose tray lets you add another 100 sheets. If you routinely use your second tray either for envelopes or letterhead, you may chafe at having only 250 sheets available in the other tray. Fortunately, you can get an optional 530-page tray ($199) that attaches to the bottom of the unit. With that tray attached, you'll have an ample 880-page total capacity across your three trays.

 

You can expand the onboard 350-sheet capacity by adding an optional 530-page tray to the bottom of the unit.

 

The chassis construction seemed substantial enough. All the doors, hinges, trays, and buttons felt solid and durable. This model weighs in at a hefty 48.5 pounds, which indicates a fair amount of metal and high-grade plastic inside.

OKI provides a strong warranty for this model. The printhead is covered for five years, and the rest of the printer is covered for three. You can also purchase various options that will extend the warranty or shorten the turnaround time for any needed repairs.

In keeping with its no-frills appearance, the printer's control panel is basic yet functional. A small, backlit 2-inch LCD shows 32 alphanumeric characters at a time, in two rows of 16 characters each. It displays the onboard menu system, as well as various status updates. You use a five-point circular control, along with a back button, to navigate the menu options on the text-based LCD. It's all rather bare-bones, but it’s sufficient to get the job done.

 

The C531dn's control panel is bare-bones but functional.

 

Once you get beyond the 1990s-era control panel, you'll find a fairly comprehensive set of menu options, including a wide range of printer settings, administrator and security options, network interface settings, maintenance configurations, and print statistics. The supplied user manual lists and explains all the menu selections. That's good, because navigating through so many options can become tedious when you have only basic navigation controls at your disposal.

This model can handle a broad range of paper sizes, from 3x5-inch index cards to 8.5-inch-wide banners up to 52 inches long. You'll need to print the index cards and banners using the multipurpose tray. That tray can also handle various card stocks, labels, and envelopes. It can load as many as 10 envelopes or 100 sheets of standard-size paper at a time. The main tray, meanwhile, can handle legal-size as well as letter-size paper. And the duplex feature can work with any paper that's compatible with the main tray, except for A6-sized paper (5.8x4.1 inches).