Verdict

Pros

• Lifetime drum
• Expandable paper handling to 800 sheets
• 5-line LCD display

Cons

• No OCR software supplied
• Toner maintenance can be fiddly
• No wireless provision.

What is the Kyocera ECOSYS M2030dn?

A comprehensive mono laser all-in-one can be all that’s needed at the core of a small business or workgroup. Such a machine can cost up to £500, but Kyocera has put together a very attractive package for much less, in the ECOSYS M2030dn.

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Kyocera ECOSYS M2030dn – Design and Features

The M2030dn includes print, scan, copy and fax, but also includes duplex print and, unusually, a duplex Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) on its scanner. It’s also a fast machine, with print specified at up to 30ppm.

This is a substantial printer, based on a fast laser engine and with a black and white case that flares out to a larger than A4 – actually US Legal – flatbed scanner. The ADF has dual trays, with an intermediate tray used in turning each page for the second scanning pass.

The full-width control panel is well laid out, with large, coloured buttons for major functions, like starting and stopping a job. The LCD panel, while not colour, is a 5-line, back-lit LCD, which provides enough room for plenty of status and menu information.

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At the bottom of the front panel is a 250-sheet main paper tray and two further trays can be added as options. With a fold-down, 50-sheet multi-purpose tray, this gives a maximum paper capacity of a very healthy 800 sheets. Paper feeds from a slot between the printer and scanner sections and there’s a front-panel USB socket set into one of the supports, for printing from and scanning to USB drives.

Kyocera ECOSYS M2030dn – Connections and Software

At the back are sockets for USB and 10/100 Ethernet. There’s no wireless connection on the ECOSYS M2030dn, though this, again, is available as an option, as is a fast gigabit network adapter.

Software consists of printer, scanner and fax drivers, though there’s no OCR software supplied as standard. You can send scanned files to an email directory, and FTP address or a computer file. There are 22 quick-dial fax numbers and four programmable function keys, the first one of which is pre-set for an ID card copy.

Fitting the toner cartridge, which is the only consumable as the device has a lifetime ceramic drum, is easier if you remove the developer unit first. The starter cartridge is good for 1,000 pages, but replacements have a 3,000 page capacity.