I have been testing the HP Color LaserJet CM6040f at our Northern Colorado MedikLabs for over nine weeks.

Based on the review we have awarded it the SmallBizVista.com Superstar Award, denoting impressive performance.

At Logikworx, our recommended departmental multifunction printers have been the Gestetner DSc525 or the Xerox WorkCentre Pro C2636.

However, these units seemed to suffer from a (photo)copier bias, with the resultant effect that integrating them into the workflow of a company’s operations, especially a remotely-managed one, was unwieldy.

Based on that and a desire to improve clients’ workflow, I requested, and received, a review of the CM6040f.

The HP Color LaserJet CM6040f
The CM6040f is the ultimate in HP’s digital printer product line for non-commercial use. A descendant of the famed Mopier, this device is built for speed and durability. It is a high-speed color multifunction laser printer capable of speeds of 40 pages per minute in both color and black and white modes on paper up to 11” x 17” in size. It copies, prints, faxes, scans…all at a very high speed.

The CM6040f is a big printer! The shipping weight was 383 lbs as delivered. Not a typo, really 383 lbs. and that was without the 3-bin stapler/stacker or booklet maker/finisher units! A professional installer came along the next day to complete the install.

Very good service, very white-glove. Then again, exceptional service has always been a hallmark of HP in general, and the printer division in particular.

Review Scenario
Most of our clients are in the upper small- to midmarket sizes. As a result, a capable multifunction device eliminates the need for several desktop/deskside devices.

I decided to use our MedikLab, a fully functioning and operational multi-provider physician’s clinic for this review.

The Review
Using the embedded GigE print server, I attached the CM6040f to the Lab’s Windows Server 2008 network, and connected the printer to the PSTN fax line as well.

After the physical installation, I very easily connected to the printer and used a browser page to customize the printer for the clinic.

Fax Services: For fax services, I decided to use the printer for basic walk-up fax sending since individual fax services were being handled by Server SBS.

Copy & Print: Printing was a snap. Speed is something the CM6040f does, and does very well. At a proven 40 ppm in either black and white or color modes, this printer screamed through all assigned tasks.

The paper capacity of this printer is 2100 pages set out over five bins: four internal 500-sheet trays, and an external 100-sheet manual feeder. It can handle all US paper sizes up to 11” x 17”, and international sizes up to A4/SRA3 (12” x 18”).

An automatic duplexer is also standard. Printer drivers for this unit included PCL5, PCL6, and PostScript. An added benefit is that you can download all of the software required to run the CM6040f from HP.com.

Scanning: High performance scanning, output either to print, the embedded hard drive, to folders set up on a file server, or on client computers.

The CM6040f in use
Compared to the printers we normally recommend and implement, the computer background of HP shows in the operation of this MFC.

From the intuitive UI on the touchscreen control panel to the web-based configuration, to the included accessory software, the testers were able to be immediately productive on this MFC. All employees got an inbox for documents, and I also created local storage for them.

In the use of the CM6040f, I looked for ease of use, speed, and versatility. I found it all. This MFC is years ahead of all supposed competitors in ease of use, value, reliability, versatility, speed, and functionality. In print/copy mode, having a printer spew out pages at a 40 page per minute clip in black-and-white or color is just impressive. As a network fax, the physicians were able to skip two steps in prescription fulfillment: printing out and faxing a script to pharmacies.

It is a testament to the ability of this MFC device that a departmental printer would garner such ink.

With all of the work that was thrown at it, the CM6040f worked capably, and relatively silently

Cons
Unfortunately, not all was well.

• Due to a miscommunication, the review unit did not come with a sorter/stacker or the booklet maker/finisher.
• The fax sending software that came with the unit was a trial version only, with an MSRP of nearly $300. After laying down nearly $10K USD for a printer, that seems very wrong.

The epiphany I had with regards to the need for a greater integration between the print assets of a company, its users, and the network paid off handsomely in this review of the CM6040f. We are placing it at the very top of our list for enterprise printers.

As a result of the abilities displayed by the Hewlett-Packard Color LaserJet CM6040f, we have awarded it the SmallBizVista Superstar Award.

This is one impressive MFC device!