Panasonic KX-FL511 Fax Copier Machine
by Matt Gerchow
Panasonic KX-FL511 High Speed, Laser Fax/Copier Machine Review
Panasonic fax machines are great performers when they do work. Their quick-scan feature is so incredibly dependable that a user can trust it to fax any number of pages practically unattended.
Unfortunately, the toner is another issue altogether.
It's different compared to laser printers when they warn you about low or depleted toner levels on the display, as I can just ignore them. However, the Panasonic design crew has clearly decided that toner warnings must be attended to immediately, and the fax machine beeps when that happens. Sadly, the "pleasant" beep is anything but, and there's nothing I'd enjoy more than to beat the tar out of that machine when the day dawns at last for me to replace it by using an online fax service provider. I'd even ensure it's still beeping while I do so, so it'd be even better!
So, toner. Panasonic fax machines also provide a print out in these circumstances, just in case you're unable, or resolutely unwilling to tune in to the incessant beeping. What am I talking about? It features a number of bars in a variety of shades, which I presume are intended to emphasize low toner levels are.
The funny thing about it is that it always looks perfect! Every bar is of a consistent color and there is never any variation in tone. As a printer demo, it's topnotch. As a toner level warning, though, it misses the mark rather badly. Its perfection just defeats the purpose of the "low toner" warning. In fact, it probably uses even more toner to tell me I'm running out of the stuff! It's quite a lot when you consider the big, black or mostly-black bars it prints.
Discussion with Panasonic were entertaining but not helpful. I've concluded that with Panasonic fax machines, I'm either a) stuck with this nuisance, or b) I should offer them a bigger payoff to offset the loss if I don't replace the toner.
That's not all.
It even ups the ante after issuing a few of these memorable reminders throughout the week by eventually announcing it is completely out of toner in two ways. An incessant beep will admonish you for being a lackadaisical fax operator for not replacing the toner. It doesn’t stop either; it will continue beeping until you crack and do what the freaking thing wants, or toss it out a window (but that won't guarantee it will stop either). To get its point across, it…. prints another notice. It does so to inform you it has run out of toner; it has no more toner to use, so it uses the toner to inform you of this sad fact. Naturally, this notice always prints perfectly.
This is the part where I engage in playacting and hope the machine doesn’t notice. I open it up, remove the toner unit and despairingly proclaim the lack of toner. A co-worker contributes to the farce by pretending to open a new toner cartridge as I shake the existing one violently before stealthily refitting it. I have to pronounce my next words in a tone (ha-ha) of absolute conviction when I do this, and I say, "Thank goodness we had a brand new toner unit lying around, or else we would have to suffer through the pain of unsightly light printing. Panasonic engineering is honestly the best of the lot!" The aforementioned co-worker then has to do a dance of glee as I refit the "filled" toner unit and close up the compartment.
If the gods are not on our side, I simply sign up with RapidFax and get a free 30 day trial!
If the gods are on our side, the fax machine recognizes the "new" toner and carries on working for the next few days before acting up again. Usually, we manage to get two full "cycles" out of it before it finally gives up the ghost and insists on a new unit, even though there is very obviously toner remaining in the unit. We accede to its demand anyway.
Fortunately, new toner drums aren't expensive. My problem is with replacing a perfectly good unit when there's still a substantial amount of toner inside. Other than that, Panasonic fax machines are well worth it.
Test drive RingCentral and fax free for 30 days
Panasonic fax machines are great performers when they do work. Their quick-scan feature is so incredibly dependable that a user can trust it to fax any number of pages practically unattended.
Unfortunately, the toner is another issue altogether.
It's different compared to laser printers when they warn you about low or depleted toner levels on the display, as I can just ignore them. However, the Panasonic design crew has clearly decided that toner warnings must be attended to immediately, and the fax machine beeps when that happens. Sadly, the "pleasant" beep is anything but, and there's nothing I'd enjoy more than to beat the tar out of that machine when the day dawns at last for me to replace it by using an online fax service provider. I'd even ensure it's still beeping while I do so, so it'd be even better!
So, toner. Panasonic fax machines also provide a print out in these circumstances, just in case you're unable, or resolutely unwilling to tune in to the incessant beeping. What am I talking about? It features a number of bars in a variety of shades, which I presume are intended to emphasize low toner levels are.
The funny thing about it is that it always looks perfect! Every bar is of a consistent color and there is never any variation in tone. As a printer demo, it's topnotch. As a toner level warning, though, it misses the mark rather badly. Its perfection just defeats the purpose of the "low toner" warning. In fact, it probably uses even more toner to tell me I'm running out of the stuff! It's quite a lot when you consider the big, black or mostly-black bars it prints.
Discussion with Panasonic were entertaining but not helpful. I've concluded that with Panasonic fax machines, I'm either a) stuck with this nuisance, or b) I should offer them a bigger payoff to offset the loss if I don't replace the toner.
That's not all.
It even ups the ante after issuing a few of these memorable reminders throughout the week by eventually announcing it is completely out of toner in two ways. An incessant beep will admonish you for being a lackadaisical fax operator for not replacing the toner. It doesn’t stop either; it will continue beeping until you crack and do what the freaking thing wants, or toss it out a window (but that won't guarantee it will stop either). To get its point across, it…. prints another notice. It does so to inform you it has run out of toner; it has no more toner to use, so it uses the toner to inform you of this sad fact. Naturally, this notice always prints perfectly.
This is the part where I engage in playacting and hope the machine doesn’t notice. I open it up, remove the toner unit and despairingly proclaim the lack of toner. A co-worker contributes to the farce by pretending to open a new toner cartridge as I shake the existing one violently before stealthily refitting it. I have to pronounce my next words in a tone (ha-ha) of absolute conviction when I do this, and I say, "Thank goodness we had a brand new toner unit lying around, or else we would have to suffer through the pain of unsightly light printing. Panasonic engineering is honestly the best of the lot!" The aforementioned co-worker then has to do a dance of glee as I refit the "filled" toner unit and close up the compartment.
If the gods are not on our side, I simply sign up with RapidFax and get a free 30 day trial!
If the gods are on our side, the fax machine recognizes the "new" toner and carries on working for the next few days before acting up again. Usually, we manage to get two full "cycles" out of it before it finally gives up the ghost and insists on a new unit, even though there is very obviously toner remaining in the unit. We accede to its demand anyway.
Fortunately, new toner drums aren't expensive. My problem is with replacing a perfectly good unit when there's still a substantial amount of toner inside. Other than that, Panasonic fax machines are well worth it.
Test drive RingCentral and fax free for 30 days