What Toner Does the HP LaserJet P1006 Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The HP LaserJet P1006 uses one cartridge — HP 35A, part number CB435A, rated for about 1,500 pages. There is no high-yield version and no separate drum: the imaging drum is built into the cartridge.
The printer ships with an introductory cartridge of roughly 700 pages, which is why the first replacement tends to arrive sooner than owners expect.
HP 35A toner at a glance
| Cartridge | Part Number | Page Yield (ISO) | Drum | High Yield? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP 35A Black | CB435A | 1,500 pages | Integrated | None available |
| In-box starter | CB435A (intro) | ~700 pages | Integrated | — |
| HP 35A Dual Pack | CB435D | 2 x 1,500 pages | Integrated | — |
Because there is no 35X, the only way to lower your cost per page on a P1006 is to buy the cartridge for less. That is the entire optimization available on this machine.
Castle Ink recommendation
At 1,500 pages a cartridge, the gap between OEM and compatible pricing compounds quickly on this printer. Browse the full HP compatible toner range for other models.
Before you buy: check that your computer can still drive it
This is the single most important thing to know about a LaserJet P1006 in the 2020s, and it has nothing to do with toner.
The P1006 is a host-based (GDI) printer. It has 8 MB of memory and a 266 MHz processor and understands no page description language of its own — no PCL, no PostScript. Every page is rendered on your computer and sent to the printer as a bitmap. That makes the hardware cheap, but it also means the printer is completely dependent on a working HP driver for your operating system.
On current versions of Windows, and especially on modern macOS, driver support for the P1000 series ranges from awkward to nonexistent. Before you spend money on toner for a P1006 you have inherited or bought used, confirm it actually installs and prints from the computer you intend to use. If it does, the toner is cheap and the printer will run for years. If it does not, no cartridge will fix that.
The same architecture also makes the P1006 a poor candidate for network sharing: there is no Ethernet, no wireless, and USB print-server sharing pushes large bitmap jobs across the network.
How to replace the toner in a LaserJet P1006
- Open the print-cartridge door on the front of the printer.
- Take hold of the handle on the cartridge and pull it straight out.
- Unpack the new CB435A and rock it gently from side to side five or six times to distribute the toner.
- Bend the tab on the left end of the cartridge until it comes loose, then pull the sealing tape completely out.
- Slide the cartridge in until it seats, and close the door.
- Print a test page. There is no calibration cycle on this printer — it is ready immediately.
Troubleshooting a P1006
- Faded or light print. Rock the cartridge to redistribute toner and make sure EconoMode is off in the driver. On a cartridge this small, EconoMode is easy to leave on and forget.
- Nothing prints and no error appears. On a host-based printer this is usually a driver or spooler problem rather than hardware. Reinstall the driver and check that the correct port is selected.
- Repeating defects down the page. The drum is inside the cartridge, so a repeating mark almost always means a scratched or worn drum. A new cartridge resolves it.
- Paper jams on a lightly used machine. Check the pickup roller. These printers often sit unused for long stretches and the rubber hardens.
- Toner-low warnings that never seem to end. The P1006 estimates rather than measures. Keep printing until the page quality actually degrades.
Which printers use HP 35A toner?
- LaserJet P1005
- LaserJet P1006
- LaserJet P1007 and P1008 (regional variants)
- LaserJet P1009
The related HP 36A (CB436A) fits the LaserJet P1505 and M1120/M1522 MFPs and is a different cartridge, despite looking similar on a shelf.
Genuine HP 35A vs compatible toner
The P1006 dates from November 2007, long before HP introduced cartridge-blocking firmware. There is no dynamic security here and no realistic way for an update to introduce it. Compatible and remanufactured CB435A cartridges work without any workaround, which makes this one of the friendlier HP printers for aftermarket toner.
About the HP LaserJet P1006 itself
The P1006 is a compact monochrome laser printer — print only, no scanning, copying or faxing. It prints 17 pages per minute at 600 x 600 dpi with a first page out in under 8.5 seconds. There is no automatic duplexer; two-sided printing is manual through the driver. Connectivity is Hi-Speed USB 2.0 only.
Paper handling is a 150-sheet input tray plus a 10-sheet priority slot and a 100-sheet output bin. The duty cycle tops out at 5,000 pages a month with 250 to 1,500 recommended, and the whole thing weighs about 10 pounds. It is a personal printer, and it is happiest doing personal-printer volumes.
FAQ
What toner does the HP LaserJet P1006 use?
HP 35A, part number CB435A, rated for approximately 1,500 pages.
Is there a high-yield 35X cartridge?
No. HP never made a high-yield version for this family — 35A is the only option.
Does the P1006 need a separate drum unit?
No. The drum is part of the cartridge and is replaced along with the toner.
Can I use HP 36A instead of 35A?
No. HP 36A (CB436A) is for the P1505 and M1120/M1522 series and will not work in a P1006.
Why does my P1006 not work on my new laptop?
It is a host-based printer that needs an HP driver for your exact operating system, and support for this family on current Windows and macOS releases is patchy at best. This is a driver limitation, not a hardware fault.
Will compatible toner damage the printer?
No, and using it does not void your warranty in the US. The P1006 has no firmware mechanism to reject third-party cartridges.
Shop HP 35A toner now
Pick up the HP 35A (CB435A) compatible toner cartridge, or find your model on our Find Ink by Printer page.
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