The Lexmark E260dn is a monochrome laser printer designed with the small or home office environment in mind. It has the capacity to handle a small workgroup of users, but larger office environments may find it restrictive. However, the printer does have the ability to expand. The printer’s design is relatively compact, but it is a little larger than most personal laser printers. Consequently, it may be difficult to fit into tighter spaces or to set it on a desk. At 29 pounds, it is heavier than most personal printers as well, but still fairly easily moved when necessary.

For a laser printer at its price point, the E260dn is extremely fast. It is capable of printing at a speed of around 35 pages per minute, far exceeding most of its competition. Users who value printing speed over other aspects of a printer will find a lot to like. The E260dn also includes some unexpected features for its price point, such as automatic duplexing, which allows users to print on both sides of a page, saving paper costs and allowing for more printing options.

The Lexmark E260dn is also expandable, allowing it to grow with the needs of an expanding office. There is an optional 250 sheet add-on tray or an optional 550 sheet add-on tray available for a maximum input capacity of 800 sheets.

Where the E260dn really falters is in print quality. Text quality is below average, with smaller fonts being undefined and difficult to read. As laser printers are geared toward producing sharp, readable text, this is a major stumbling block. Graphics quality, always a challenge for laser printers, is also below average, even for a laser printer, with more than a few artifacts and missing lines when printing.

Overall, the Lexmark E260dn is a well-designed, affordable laser printer with some nice extras and room for expansion. Unfortunately, its major downside is poor print quality, making it difficult to recommend, as high quality printing should be the first requirement on any buyer’s list of qualifications.