Panasonic KX-P4410 Laser Support and Consumable Shelf Life?

[Karl T. Thurber, Jr.]

I own a "legacy" Panasonic KX-P4410 laser printer and love it. But I'm
concerned now because it's getting very difficult to get it serviced, and I
expect availability of consumables will become a problem soon. Has anyone
wrestled with the following questions? Please share:

1. Where can the KX-P4410 be serviced? (I'm in Alabama, and I have heard
that the only factory authorized service center now is in Elgin, IL.
Panasonic has told me they no longer formally support this printer.)

2. Where can good remanufactured consumables be purchased, and have results
using remanufactured consumables been satisfactory? (Panasonic still
supplies consumables, but they are extremely expensive, and I wonder when
they will discontinue consumables support.)

3. Should one decide to "stock up" on Panasonic consumables to have them
available should sources not be available in the near future, what is the
expected shelf life of these items:

- KX-PDP5 Developer

- KX-PDM5 Drum

- KX-P453 Toner Cartridge

- KX-PFS5 Fuser

4. With regard to the Fuser, this unit appears not to be user-replaceable.
Has anyone had experience replacing it? What happens to printing when it
starts to die?

Thanks for your observations.

-- Karl

 

[Bob Kos]

I own a KX-P4410 also and understand your spot. But I'm going to offer
advice that you won't like.

Forget the Panasonic.

Mine works well, has NEVER needed major service despite a harsh operating
environment, never broke period. But it has ALWAYS been kind of expensive
for consumables, and that trend will only worsen as you know.

I recommend that instead of warehousing a bunch of parts, you take that
money and invest in a worthwhile stock. Then when the Pana laser finally
breaks, you can use the money to buy a new laser that will be every bit as
good as the 4410. My 4410 is still operable, but it lives in a box in my
basement - replaced by a far superior Lexmark Optra S that cost me $100
used.

To answer your query, the parts you list should have a decent shelf life
except for the toner. It's my understanding that there is a finite life to
the stuff, although I don't know how or why it is determined to be.

Good luck.....

 

[Nobody]

Karl,

I have a KX-P4410, which has been in service for at least five years without
any need for outside service. The only thing I've had to do is change the
toner cartridges and (once) change the drum. Lately I've been buying non-oem
toner cartridges, since the Panasonic ones have become hard to get locally
and are way more expensive than they used to be. The non-oem toner
cartridges are less than half the price of the genuine ones, and I can't
tell any difference in quality.

This is a pretty old printer, technology-wise. I think I paid something like
$300 for mine new. Nowadays you can get a pertty good replacement for about
$100 that is both faster and higher resolution. I've been waiting for mine
to die so I can upgrade to something better. I sure can't see stocking a
bunch of parts in hopes it will run forever.

jw