When it comes to consumables, the KX-P7100 is fairly economical. According to Panasonic, a 4,000-page toner cartridge costs around $55, or about 1.4 cents per page. Like most low-cost lasers, the KX-P7100 also features a toner-save mode, which can save you money over the long run.
Panasonic's service and support policies are minimally adequate. The one-year exchange warranty is typical for the category but too short for our tastes. Free telephone support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET but only for the length of the warranty--and it's a toll call. And while the company's Web site offers updated drivers and FAQs, it lacks other useful resources such as manuals or a searchable knowledge base.
With its automatic duplexing, the KX-P7100 might have been a strong contender for use in home offices or on individual corporate desktops. However, its slow print speeds and merely fair graphics output make it less appealing than the competition.
The KX-P7100 delivered text at a rate considerably slower than that of competing models from Lexmark, Brother, and HP. The Panasonic was faster in graphics speed tests, but output quality suffered.
