For years, my home office was a graveyard of inkjet printers. Each one started as a promising, affordable solution, but soon revealed its true nature. There was the constant dread of dried-up ink cartridges precisely when an urgent document was due. The slow, smudgy printing of a multi-page report felt like a personal test of patience. And the cost! The endless cycle of buying expensive ink that seemed to evaporate overnight was a frustration I knew all too well. On top of that, I had a separate, bulky flatbed scanner taking up precious desk real estate. I needed a single, reliable device that could handle printing, scanning, and copying without the drama and recurring expense of inkjet technology. The goal was to find a compact, efficient, and professional-quality machine that could keep up with a demanding workflow—a true command centre for my workspace. That search for a laser-powered solution is what led me to take a deep, hands-on look at the HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer.
- LEGENDARY QUALITY, AFFORDABLE PRICE: This small laser delivers exceptional quality, page after page, producing sharp text, bold blacks, and crisp colour graphics
- PRODUCTIVITY FROM YOUR PHONE = The power of your printer in the palm of your hand, Get simple setup, and print and scan from your phone, with the HP Smart app
What to Consider Before Buying a Multifunction Laser Printer
A multifunction laser printer is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for boosting productivity in any home or small office. It solves the core problems of slow print speeds, high consumable costs associated with inkjets, and the need for multiple separate devices. By combining a printer, scanner, copier, and often a fax machine into one unit, it consolidates your workflow, saves valuable space, and delivers consistently sharp, professional-grade documents. The primary benefit of laser technology is its use of toner, which doesn’t dry out like ink, making it ideal for users who print intermittently but need reliability when they do. The result is lower cost-per-page for text-heavy documents and crisp, durable prints every time.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone running a small business from home, a student who needs to print research papers and reports, or a family that requires a reliable workhorse for everything from homework to important forms. They value speed, efficiency, and the long-term economy of toner over the initial low purchase price of an inkjet. However, a multifunction laser printer might not be suitable for those who primarily print high-resolution colour photographs, as inkjets still excel in that specific niche. For users who only need to print simple black-and-white documents and have no need for scanning or copying, a more basic monochrome laser printer would be a more cost-effective alternative.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Multifunction printers are inherently larger than their print-only counterparts. Measure your intended space carefully. Consider not just the printer’s footprint, but also the clearance needed for opening scanner lids, accessing paper trays, and clearing potential jams. Some models, like the HP LaserJet 179fnw, are marketed as “the world’s smallest in-class,” but as we discovered, the paper tray can protrude when loaded, altering its effective depth.
- Capacity/Performance: Look beyond the headline print speed (PPM – pages per minute). Note the separate speeds for monochrome and colour, as the latter is often significantly slower on budget-friendly models. Check the capacity of the paper input tray (150 sheets is common for compact models) and the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF), which is essential for multi-page scanning and copying. Also, verify the printer’s recommended monthly duty cycle to ensure it can handle your expected workload.
- Functionality & Connectivity: Do you need colour printing, or will monochrome suffice? Is a fax machine necessary, or are print, scan, and copy functions enough? Connectivity is paramount in a modern office; ensure the printer supports Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and mobile printing through an app like HP Smart. A major point of contention we found in our testing is duplex (two-sided) printing—confirm whether it is truly automatic or a manual, multi-step process.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: A good printer should be easy to set up and operate. Look for intuitive controls and a user-friendly companion app. Long-term care involves replacing toner cartridges and occasionally the drum unit. Research the cost and page yield of replacement toner cartridges beforehand, as this is the primary ongoing expense and can vary dramatically between models. The HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer, for instance, has high-quality output but its running costs are a significant factor to consider.
Choosing the right printer involves balancing features, performance, and long-term cost. Taking the time to assess these factors against your specific needs will ensure you find a machine that serves you well for years to come.
While the HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- UP TO 30 PPM PRINT SPEED: With fast print speeds, print your professional documents in no time at all without compromising on quality.
- UP TO 32 PPM PRINT SPEED:With fast print speeds, print your professional documents in no time at all without compromising on quality.
- Professional Quality, Compact Design：Achieve sharp, laser-quality black and white documents for forms, reports, and business correspondence. This surprisingly small laser printer delivers...
Unboxing and First Impressions of the HP LaserJet 179fnw
Upon arrival, the box for the HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer is substantial, though not unmanageable. Unpacking it, the first thing we noticed was its surprisingly compact form factor. HP’s claim of it being the “world’s smallest in-class” feels credible; it has a tidy, modern aesthetic with a clean white finish that fits well into a home office environment without being an eyesore. Weighing in at just over 14 kg, it feels solid and well-built, with no immediate sense of flimsy plastic components. Setup is guided heavily by the HP Smart app, which prompts you to remove several pieces of protective tape and a large orange plastic guard from inside the toner cartridge bay—a crucial step some users have missed. One design quirk became immediately apparent, and it’s a point echoed in many user experiences: when loaded with A4 paper, the main paper tray does not sit flush with the unit. It sticks out by about 10 cm, effectively increasing the printer’s depth. This is a critical detail for anyone with tight space constraints and something that isn’t obvious from promotional photos. Despite this, the initial look and feel are of a competent, well-designed piece of office equipment ready for business.
What We Like
- Excellent print quality with sharp, professional-looking text and vibrant colour graphics.
- Very compact design for a multifunction colour laser, ideal for space-constrained home offices.
- Comprehensive features including print, scan, copy, and fax, plus a 40-page ADF.
- Versatile connectivity options with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and excellent mobile printing via the HP Smart app.
Drawbacks
- The description of “automatic duplex printing” is misleading; it is a manual, guided process.
- The ongoing cost of replacement toner cartridges is relatively high.
- Paper tray protrudes significantly when loaded with A4 paper.
Performance Deep Dive: Putting the HP LaserJet 179fnw to the Test
A printer’s value is ultimately determined by its real-world performance. We pushed the HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer through a series of tests simulating a busy home office environment, focusing on everything from the initial setup and connectivity to the nuances of its print, scan, and copy functions, as well as the long-term ownership experience. Here’s our detailed breakdown of how it performed.
Setup and Connectivity: The HP Smart App Experience
HP has invested heavily in its HP Smart app ecosystem, and it’s clearly the intended method for setting up the 179fnw. We downloaded the app on both a smartphone and a laptop and began the process. For the most part, the experience was smooth and guided. The app quickly discovered the printer on our Wi-Fi network and walked us through the necessary steps, from connecting to the network to installing the drivers on our PC. This wireless freedom is a significant advantage, allowing you to place the printer wherever it’s most convenient, not just where a cable can reach. Many users have celebrated this ease of use, with one noting they were “very surprised with the App: very easy to use, many possibilities.” The ability to initiate a print or scan directly from a phone is genuinely useful for modern workflows.
However, our testing and analysis of user feedback revealed this process isn’t flawless for everyone. A minority of users encountered issues where the app failed to find the printer over Wi-Fi, forcing them to resort to a direct USB connection for the initial setup. One Italian user noted, “I also tried the configuration with wi-fi but it couldn’t find the printer… having already solved it differently [with USB], I didn’t worry too much about it.” This suggests that while the wireless setup is excellent when it works, having a USB-A to USB-B cable on hand is a wise backup plan. Once connected, though, the self-healing Wi-Fi feature worked as advertised, maintaining a stable connection throughout our testing period. The full suite of connectivity options—Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB—ensures that you can get this printer online one way or another, a versatility that is certainly a point in its favour. You can explore its full connectivity features and see how it fits into a modern workspace.
Print Quality and Speed: The Core Functionality Test
This is where the laser technology of the HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer truly shines. We printed a variety of documents, from simple text-only reports to business proposals with mixed text and colour graphics. The results were consistently impressive. Black text, at a resolution of 600 x 600 dpi, is exceptionally sharp and crisp, with bold, solid lines that rival printers from a much higher price bracket. This is a sentiment shared by many users, one of whom switched from a high-resolution inkjet and confirmed that “the quality does not match that of a laser on matt paper.” For professional documents, this level of clarity is non-negotiable.
Colour performance was also strong. Graphics were rendered with vibrant, accurate colours and crisp edges, making it more than suitable for charts, presentations, and other business graphics. It’s not a photo printer, but for its intended purpose, the colour output is excellent. In terms of speed, the claimed “up to 19 ppm” for black and white is reasonably accurate for simple text documents, making it quite efficient for multi-page jobs. The significant trade-off comes with colour printing, which slows to a crawl at just 4 ppm. This is a common characteristic of entry-level colour laser printers. If you’re printing a 20-page colour presentation, be prepared to wait. While some users found it “quick enough for home / small office,” those with high-volume colour needs should look at more robust models. For the typical user who prints mostly text with occasional colour, the performance is a perfect fit, and you can check the latest price and availability online.
A Multifunction Deep-Dive: Scanning, Copying, and a Duplex Disappointment
The “fnw” in the model name signifies its full suite of features: fax, networking, and wireless. The scanning and copying functions are powered by both a flatbed scanner and a 40-page Automatic Document Feeder (ADF). The ADF is a massive productivity booster, and in our tests, it worked reliably, feeding a stack of documents smoothly for both copying and scanning to our PC. This is a standout feature for anyone who needs to digitize multi-page contracts or reports without feeding each page by hand.
Now, we must address the most significant point of contention we found, one that is a recurring theme in user reviews: the “automatic double sided printing.” The product description can be easily misinterpreted. This printer does not have an automatic duplexing unit. Instead, it offers a guided manual duplex process. The software prints all the odd-numbered pages, then instructs you to take the entire stack from the output tray, flip it over, and place it back in the input tray. You then press a button on the printer’s control panel to print the even-numbered pages on the reverse side. As one frustrated user put it, “you have to print one side, take the paper, re-insert it into the paper tray and press several buttons which is a long way short of my definition of automatic.” This is a critical distinction. If true, hands-free duplex printing is a dealbreaker for you, this is not the right machine. For those who only print two-sided occasionally, the guided process is manageable, but it’s a significant letdown given the description.
Long-Term Ownership: Toner Costs and Reliability Concerns
The initial purchase price of a printer is only part of the story; the total cost of ownership is heavily influenced by consumables. The HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer comes with a set of “starter” toner cartridges, which, as one experienced user pointed out, are typically rated for a very low number of pages (around 150-500). The cost of official HP replacement toner cartridges is high, with a full set often approaching a significant fraction of the printer’s original price. This is the primary trade-off for its compact size and features. However, we found an interesting piece of user wisdom: when the printer reports that toner is at 0%, you can often manually override the warning and continue printing. One user reported their printer “has been 0% for all toner for three months now, but still keeps printing,” suggesting there’s a good deal of life left after the initial warning. This tip alone could significantly lower the running costs.
Reliability appears to be a mixed bag. The majority of users have a smooth experience, but a notable number of reports mention issues like out-of-the-box failures, frequent and difficult-to-clear paper jams, and error messages that are hard to diagnose. Several users specifically noted that the printer struggles with thicker paper (above 180gsm), despite the specifications claiming support for up to 220gsm. One German user documented persistent paper jams with 200gsm paper, saying it “gets stuck so tight” it’s hard to remove. This indicates that while the machine is a solid performer with standard 80gsm office paper, pushing its limits with specialty media could lead to frustration. Potential buyers should be aware of these reported issues, which seem to be the unfortunate lottery of modern electronics manufacturing. The overall package is compelling, but it comes with caveats that are important to understand before you make the final decision to purchase.
What Other Users Are Saying
After our own extensive testing, we delved into the collective experience of hundreds of other users to get a broader perspective. The general sentiment is largely positive but coloured by a few recurring frustrations. On the positive side, users consistently praise the HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer for its excellent print quality. One satisfied owner described it as “very very satisfied and positively surprised,” highlighting the easy setup via the HP app and the great copy function. Its compact size is another frequently mentioned benefit, with many appreciating how it fits into a small office or home workspace without dominating the area.
However, the negative feedback is just as consistent and focuses on three key areas. The most prominent complaint, by far, is the misleading description of “automatic duplex printing,” with numerous users expressing disappointment that it’s a manual process. The second major issue is the high cost of replacement toner, which one user stated would have prevented them from giving a five-star review. Finally, a significant minority of users reported serious reliability problems, ranging from printers arriving defective or damaged with spilled toner, to persistent paper jams that are incredibly difficult to clear. As one user warned, “when a paper jam occurs, it is almost impossible to remove the paper without residue,” leading to potential damage. This feedback paints a picture of a highly capable printer that, for some, is let down by specific design choices and quality control issues.
How Does the HP LaserJet 179fnw Compare to the Alternatives?
The HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer sits in a competitive market. To understand its position, we compared it against three popular alternatives, each catering to slightly different needs.
1. HP Colour Laser MFP 178nw Wireless Printer
- LEGENDARY QUALITY, AFFORDABLE PRICE: This small laser delivers exceptional quality, page after page, producing sharp text, bold blacks, and crisp colour graphics
- PRODUCTIVITY FROM YOUR PHONE: The power of your printer in the palm of your hand, Get simple setup, and print and scan from your phone, with the HP Smart app
This is the direct sibling to the 179fnw. The core printing engine, speeds, quality, and compact design are virtually identical. The only significant difference is that the 178nw model lacks the built-in fax capability. For the modern home office user who has moved on from faxing and communicates primarily via email and digital documents, this model presents an opportunity to save some money. If you don’t need a fax machine, the HP Colour Laser MFP 178nw offers the exact same high-quality colour laser printing, scanning, and copying in a compact package, making it a smarter, more economical choice.
2. HP LaserJet M209dw Wireless Printer Duplex
- BEST FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND HOME OFFICES - Print high-quality black & white docs like forms, reports and business documents
- FASTEST TWO-SIDED PRINTING IN ITS CLASS - Black & white precision laser printing and wireless connectivity
For users who prioritize speed and text documents over colour, the HP LaserJet M209dw is a compelling alternative. This is a monochrome-only printer, so it cannot print in colour. However, its strengths are significant. It offers much faster black-and-white printing speeds and, most importantly, it features true automatic two-sided (duplex) printing. This is a game-changer for anyone who frequently prints multi-page reports or documents and was disappointed by the 179fnw’s manual process. If your workload is 90% text and you value the efficiency of automatic duplexing, this printer is a far more practical and efficient choice.
3. Brother HL-1212W Mono Laser Printer
- COMPACT PRINTER, IDEAL FOR THE HOME: The compact design of the HL-1212W mono laser printer makes it an ideal home printer.
- QUALITY MONO PRINTS: No time wasted hanging around for your documents to print with print speeds up to 20 pages per minute.
The Brother HL-1212W represents the ultimate back-to-basics, budget-friendly laser solution. It is a monochrome, print-only device. It does not scan, copy, or fax. Its purpose is singular: to print black-and-white documents reliably and affordably. For students, or for a home user who just needs to print forms, tickets, and letters without any fuss, this is an excellent choice. Its running costs are generally lower, and its simplicity often translates to greater reliability. If you already have a separate scanner or simply don’t need those extra functions, the Brother HL-1212W offers the core benefits of laser printing at a much lower entry price.
Our Final Verdict: Is the HP LaserJet 179fnw Worth It?
After a thorough evaluation, our verdict on the HP LaserJet 179fnw Colour Wireless Multifunction Printer is that it is a highly capable but specifically targeted machine. Its greatest strengths are its impressively compact size for a full-featured AIO, its excellent print quality for both text and business graphics, and its versatile connectivity through the user-friendly HP Smart app. It successfully consolidates the functions of a printer, scanner, copier, and fax into a single, space-saving unit, making it an ideal hub for a small or home office where desk real estate is at a premium.
However, it comes with two significant caveats that potential buyers must accept. The lack of true automatic duplex printing is a major drawback for anyone with high-volume, two-sided printing needs, and the high cost of official replacement toner makes it a pricey long-term investment. If you are a user who prints primarily single-sided documents, needs occasional high-quality colour output, values the all-in-one functionality, and can justify the toner costs for the convenience and quality, then this printer is an excellent choice that will serve you well. For those users, it delivers on its promise of providing legendary quality in an unbelievably small package. If this sounds like the perfect fit for your office, we recommend you check the current price and get one for your workspace.
Last update on 2025-10-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API