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HP LaserJet MFP M234dw review: fast and featureful, but lacking that premium shine

Here's how the HP monochrome laser printer faired in our tests

Sebastian Kozlowski

Last Updated on January 19, 2026

HP LaserJet MFP M234dw review: fast and featureful, but lacking that premium shine

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HP LaserJet MFP M234dw
Box contents and setup

Latest tech deals.

Design
Print results and speed
Specifications and cost
Conclusion

HP LaserJet MFP M234dw

With products ranging from printers, PCs, copiers, monitors, and more, HP is a staple in the hardware world, having been around for some time. That includes a range of laser printers designed for small and medium businesses, made for printing large and long print jobs with high-capacity toner yields.

That includes the HP LaserJet MFP M234dw – a relatively cheap, entry-level black and white laser printer. It does well in providing fast and quality prints for light office jobs, and has the added benefit of being able to make copies. Though it doesn’t do fax or duplex scanning, it is a lightweight and fast machine that is inexpensive to refill.

HP LaserJet MFP M234dw

4 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Specifications

Printer Output: Monochrome
Printer Type: Laser
Connectivity Technology: Ethernet, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile printing
Duplex Printing: Yes, automatic

What We Think

The HP LaserJet MFP M234dw provides a fairly good price-to-performance ratio when it comes to printing in black and white documents. Providing high-yield toner, quick speeds, and some basic scanning, it does so for a cheap entry. But the lack of higher fidelity and some nice features can make it frustrating or a drawback for some. But generally a good option for small teams for plenty of simple documents.

Reasons to Buy

Fast print speeds
Lightweight and well-built
High-yield cart cartridges
Easy access inside for maintenance
Solid print quality

Reasons to Avoid

Low scanner resolution
Only offers monochrome
No ADF or duplex scanning
Lacks a secondary paper source and limited paper capacity

Box contents and setup

Unpacking the box was much easier than with many other laser printers I’ve reviewed. With the package weighing just 9.6kg (21.16lbs), it’s far more manageable to handle on your own. The printer itself is around 2kg (4.4lbs) lighter than comparable models, making it easier to lift, position, and set up without hassle. Here’s everything you’ll find inside the box.

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Prices correct as of October 9th, 2026.

HP LaserJet MFP M234dw Printer
HP Black LaserJet Toner Cartridge (700 pages)
Dust cover
Reference guide
Setup poster
Warranty guide and flyer
Power cord

As is standard these days, the printer arrives securely wrapped in a foil bag and sandwiched between two thick foam inserts. All doors and trays are held in place with clearly marked paper tabs that are easy to pull away, resulting in a well-protected unit designed to withstand the rigours of shipping.

Once unpacked, the setup process is refreshingly quick. Following the included guide, there are only a few steps required to remove the remaining tape and install the tray cover and paper. From there, you’re prompted to continue setup via the HP app, which handles the rest of the process digitally. The overall experience is straightforward and intuitive, making it easy to get the printer up and running with minimal effort.

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Overall, the setup process is very straightforward and well-guided. The printer is quickly detected on your network and can be set up via WiFi or Ethernet. Connecting requires physically pressing a button on the printer, which adds a nice layer of security. Once paired, you enter your network password, and the printer is ready to go. Since it doesn’t have a large onboard screen, setup relies on an external device, but the process also prompts you to enable automatic firmware and security updates, ensuring the printer stays current.

You can optionally register your product and create an account, though this isn’t required, so your information remains private if you prefer. Once set up, the HP app gives access to printing, copying, troubleshooting, resupplying, and other functions.

I also tested the PC setup, which offers a wider range of options. The HP app works here too, but mine required location or WiFi permissions to run. Alternatively, manually downloading drivers worked, though it installed multiple programs – six plugins, two apps, and four desktop icons -which felt a bit overkill. There are simpler installation choices available, which keep things cleaner and less cluttered.

For more traditional reference, the printer comes with a booklet explaining the front-panel status light. This makes it easy to diagnose issues without relying solely on the small screen.

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Design

Folded up, the printer has a simple, inconspicuous cuboid shape. Its main body is white, with a grey base and a matching grey lid on top. Once unfolded, the perforated grey paper tray at the bottom becomes visible, and a translucent dust guard can be added on top. Above that is the grey output tray, which can be extended to support A4 paper.

On the front, a bold HP logo sits prominently, with a status light strip beneath it that glows blue when everything is functioning normally. The sides are minimal, featuring convenient indents at the bottom for easy handling. The back is a bit busier, with ventilation cutouts at the top, a door for accessing paper guides and rollers to clear jams, and a small number of ports along the side.

The majority of the printer’s controls are located on top. On the left-hand side is a small screen that displays essential information, with additional buttons below for functions such as copying and navigating settings.

Next to that, below the grey hatch is the scanner bed. That can be lifted altogether, granting access to the main internals of the printer. The toner cartridge and components allow for clearing out any issues and making replacements.

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Print results and speed

When it comes to printing, I put it to the test in our testing lab. Being a monochrome laser printer, it certainly has a lot fewer pages to test it with from our usual setup. With just a speed and quality check, rather than the full range of colors and photos usually included.

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First, I queued up six sheets for one-sided printing and timed the results. The total took around 29.5 seconds, with the first sheet coming out in roughly 7.6 seconds and each successive page taking about 2.2 seconds. The fourth page – a gray photo – took nearly 12 seconds, likely due to the printer warming up or loading toner in preparation.

A 10-page, double-sided print completed in just over 46.5 seconds, with a 20.5-second start time for the first sheet and approximately 6.5 seconds for each subsequent double-sided page. This is a relatively quick print cycle, comparable to other HP and Xerox printers we’ve tested across similar workloads.

While the printer is monochrome and has limited resolution, its output is impressively clear. Text – large or small – remains sharp and legible, with minimal smudging or artifacts. Gradients from black to gray are also handled well. Where the printer falls short is in image reproduction: prints tend to darken, and some detail is lost. Copying mirrors this limitation, with grid lines and gradients appearing less sharp due to the lower-resolution scanner, which is expected for a device of this class.

Specifications and cost

Printing Technology	Monochrome laser
Maximum Print Resolution	600 x 600 dpi
Ink Type	Black LaserJet Toner Cartridge
Scanner resolution	600 x 600dpi
Operating Systems	Network: Windows 11, Windows Server, macOS 15 Sequoia, Linux Compatible OS: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 macOS 10.14 Mojave, macOS 10.15 Catalina, macOS 11 Big Sur, macOS 12 Monterey, macOS 15 Sequoia Linux
Dimensions (W x D x H)	368.0 x 298.6 x 241.9mm/14.5 x 11.76 x 9.52in
Weight	7.6kg/16.76lbs
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz/5GHz) Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000 Hi-Speed USB 2.0
Mobile and Cloud printing	Apple AirPrint Mopria certified HP app Wi-Fi Direct Printing
Paper Sizes	10 x 15 cm A4 Envelopes A4 A5 A6 B5 (JIS)
Input Paper Capacity	Sheets: 150 Envelopes: 10
Display	1.27″ Icon LCD

The specs of the printer are nothing too grand, as a budget offering, it doesn’t come with the biggest resolutions or larger format printing. Instead, it’s a more basic, smaller, and lighter laser printer well suited for the most basic of office job queues. Even with the small display, it’s a lot more basic than plenty of other offerings.

That’s also reflected in the price of the LaserJet MFP M234dw, though. With a cost of $239/£180, it’s a relatively cheap and affordable option. Up there with plenty of other listings, but still offering a lot more for its cost, thanks to being an all-in-one printer with its scanning and copying capabilities as well.

That said, the cost of replenishing the ink can certainly be a bit of an expense in itself. Those toner cartridges are available for $65/£51, with the high-yield options coming in at $105/£83.50. Those offer up a supposed page count of 1,100 pages and 2,400 pages, respectively.

If the yield of those is relatively accurate, that means the standard cartridge printing will cost around $0.059/£0.046 per page print, while the high yield comes in at $0.044/£0.035. This still comes with cartridge-level pricing, which is on the higher side, but certainly not outrageously high. If page economy is a worry, an ink tank printer is more suitable instead.

Conclusion

HP LaserJet MFP M234dw

4 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Specifications

Printer Output: Monochrome
Printer Type: Laser
Connectivity Technology: Ethernet, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, Wi-Fi Direct, Mobile printing
Duplex Printing: Yes, automatic

Overall, the HP LaserJet MFP M234dw is an inexpensive monochrome laser printer that provides a fast way to print plenty of long documents. It has a yield in the thousands of pages, and with a scanner on top, it is an effective option for small business work.

However, the lack of an ADF (automatic document feeder) and the inability to scan double-sided pages can make it a bit more tedious to use if you have loads of sheets to go through. Plus, its cartridge-based economy can be a more expensive option in general. Yet if you need a fairly simple printer with plenty of connectivity options, the HP LaserJet is an effective choice of printer.

About the Author

Sebastian Kozlowski

With a fascination for technology and games, Seb is a tech writer with a focus on hardware, news, and deals. He is also a tester and reviewer for the site. Contact him @ [email protected]

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HP LaserJet MFP M234dw review: fast and featureful, but lacking that premium shine

Table of Contents

Box contents and setup

Latest tech deals.

Design

Print results and speed

Specifications and cost

Conclusion

About the Author