What Toner Does the HP LaserJet P1102w Use?

Quick answer: The HP LaserJet P1102w uses the HP 85A (CE285A) black toner cartridge, rated at roughly 1,600 pages. HP never made a genuine high-yield version for this printer, so the 85A (CE285A) is the only cartridge it takes. The imaging drum is built into the cartridge — there is no separate drum to buy.

HP LaserJet P1102w Toner Cartridges at a Glance

The P1102w is one of the smallest and most widely sold mono lasers HP ever made, and a great many are still in daily use. It takes a single all-in-one black cartridge — the HP 85A — with the imaging drum built in.

Is There a High-Yield Version?

No — and this is worth being clear about, because you will see listings that suggest otherwise. HP produced only one cartridge for the HP LaserJet P1102w: the 85A (CE285A), at around 1,600 pages. The 85A's larger sibling, the 83A, is a different cartridge for a different printer family and will not fit.

If you find a cartridge advertised as a high-yield version for this printer, it is an aftermarket product that has been overfilled rather than an HP part. Some work perfectly well; others overfill the chamber and cause leakage or poor print quality. If you want to try one, buy from a seller with a real replacement guarantee.

To compare running costs against a newer printer, our Printer Ink Cost Calculator will show you the cost per page at any cartridge price.

Good News: There's No Separate Drum to Buy

Unlike most Brother mono lasers, the HP LaserJet P1102w uses an all-in-one cartridge. The imaging drum is built into the HP 85A (CE285A) itself, so every time you replace the toner you are also fitting a brand-new drum. There is no second consumable to track, no drum-life counter to watch, and no separate part to order.

This matters when you compare running costs across brands. A Brother machine may show a lower price per toner cartridge, but a drum unit comes due every few cartridges on top of that. With the HP LaserJet P1102w, the cartridge price is the whole story — which also means print quality resets completely with every replacement.

It is also why you should be sceptical of any listing offering a "drum unit" for this printer. If you see one, it is either for a different model or it is a refill kit, and neither is what you want.

What Actually Ships in the Box

New P1102w units shipped with an introductory cartridge rated at roughly 700 pages, well under half a full 85A. If you have bought one used, assume the cartridge in it is close to spent.

Chips and Compatibility

The 85A carries a chip that reports toner level. This printer predates HP's Dynamic Security programme, so compatible cartridges are generally trouble-free — but if the printer reports an unknown supply, a power-cycle with the cartridge reseated usually clears it. A missing or mismatched chip typically means you lose the level indicator rather than the ability to print.

How to Replace the Toner in the HP LaserJet P1102w

1. Open the front cartridge door. On most models this is the panel just above the paper tray.
2. Grip the handle on the used cartridge and pull it straight out toward you.
3. Take the new HP 85A (CE285A) out of its packaging and rock it gently back and forth several times to loosen the toner inside.
4. Pull the orange tab to remove the full length of the sealing tape from the cartridge, then remove the orange protective shield from the drum if one is fitted. Do not touch the green or grey drum surface with your fingers.
5. Line the cartridge up with the rails inside the printer and slide it in until it seats firmly.
6. Close the door and wait for the printer to finish its calibration cycle.
7. Print a configuration or test page to confirm the printer recognises the new cartridge and the supply level has reset.

Keep the packaging for a few days. If the cartridge turns out to be faulty, most sellers — Castle Ink included — will want it returned in its original box.

Troubleshooting Tips

Print is faded or patchy: Remove the cartridge and rock it gently end to end to redistribute the toner. This often buys another hundred pages or so from a cartridge the printer has already flagged as low.

Repeating marks down the page: Because the drum is built into the 85A, a repeating defect is a cartridge fault rather than a separate drum problem. A replacement cartridge fixes it.

Wireless keeps dropping: The P1102w only supports 2.4 GHz networks. If your router broadcasts a combined 2.4/5 GHz SSID, the printer can struggle — splitting the bands into separate network names resolves most cases.

Printer will not wake from sleep: Hold the wireless button for a few seconds, or power-cycle at the wall. This is a known quirk on ageing P1102w units and is not related to the cartridge.

Toner smears when you rub the page: The fuser is not reaching temperature. On a printer of this age that usually means the fuser is nearing the end of its life.

Which Other Printers Use the Same Cartridge?

The HP 85A (CE285A) cartridge is used across a wide range of machines, which is good news for buyers — high production volume keeps compatible cartridge prices low and availability high. If you run more than one of these printers, a single cartridge type covers all of them:

• HP LaserJet Pro P1102 / P1102w
• HP LaserJet Pro P1109 / P1109w
• HP LaserJet Pro M1132 MFP
• HP LaserJet Pro M1212nf MFP
• HP LaserJet Pro M1217nfw MFP
• HP LaserJet P1005 / P1006 (as 35A equivalent shell)

Always confirm the cartridge number printed on the supply you are replacing before ordering, since manufacturers occasionally use similar-looking numbers across families. You can also look your machine up on our Find Ink by Printer directory, which lists the correct cartridge for several hundred printers.

Compatible vs. OEM: What You're Actually Buying

The single biggest cost decision for a HP LaserJet P1102w owner is whether to buy HP-branded cartridges or compatible ones. It is worth understanding what the difference actually is, because the marketing on both sides tends to obscure it.

An OEM cartridge is made by HP and sold under its brand. A compatible cartridge is newly manufactured by a third party to the same physical and electrical specification. A remanufactured cartridge is an original shell that has been collected, stripped, cleaned, fitted with new wear parts and refilled. All three will print on a HP LaserJet P1102w; what varies is price, consistency and who stands behind it.

The honest summary is that quality in the compatible market is uneven, and that is exactly why the seller matters more than the label. A cheap cartridge from a marketplace listing with no return path is a gamble. Castle Ink tests HP 85A (CE285A) cartridges individually before they ship and backs every one with a replacement-or-refund guarantee, which is what turns a 50–70% saving from a risk into a straightforward decision.

One myth worth putting to rest: using a compatible cartridge does not void your printer warranty. In the United States, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prevents a manufacturer from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of its own consumables. A manufacturer would have to demonstrate that the third-party cartridge itself caused the specific failure being claimed.

How to Make a Cartridge Last Longer on the HP LaserJet P1102w

Toner yields are quoted at 5% page coverage, which is a fairly sparse business letter. Real documents are often denser than that, which is why so many people feel their cartridges run out early. A few settings changes genuinely stretch a cartridge:

• Use draft or toner-save mode for internal documents. It reduces toner density and can extend a cartridge noticeably. Reserve full-quality output for anything leaving the office.
• Print duplex. It does not save toner, but it halves paper use, and on most machines it is a one-time driver setting.
• Rock the cartridge when the low warning first appears. Removing the cartridge and tilting it gently end to end redistributes the remaining powder and commonly yields another hundred pages or more.
• Do not print a test page after every job. Configuration and status pages are full-coverage prints and add up faster than people expect.
• Choose a smaller, lighter font for drafts. Moving from a 12pt heavy serif to an 11pt lighter face measurably reduces coverage across a long document.

Ignore advice to store cartridges in a freezer or to drill and refill them yourself. Neither helps, and both are good ways to ruin a cartridge and make a mess.

Official HP LaserJet P1102w Resources

• HP LaserJet P1102w support page
• HP driver and software downloads
• How to stop HP firmware updates from blocking your ink
• How to recycle used cartridges

Bottom Line

The P1102w remains a perfectly good little printer, and its one and only cartridge — the HP 85A — is cheap and easy to find in compatible form. There is no drum to buy, no high-yield decision to make, and no Dynamic Security to work around. Buy a compatible 85A, keep a spare, and the cost per page stays low.

Frequently Asked Questions

What toner does the HP LaserJet P1102w use? It uses the HP 85A (CE285A) black toner cartridge, rated at roughly 1,600 pages. There is no genuine high-yield version and no separate drum unit.

Does the P1102w have a separate drum? No. The imaging drum is built into the 85A cartridge, so every replacement gives you a fresh drum as well.

Can I use an 83A instead of an 85A? No. The 83A is for the M125/M127/M201/M225 family and will not fit the P1102w.

Does compatible toner void the warranty? No. In the US, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act means a manufacturer cannot void your warranty simply because you used third-party toner. Most P1102w printers are long out of warranty in any case.

Why did my printer run out of toner so fast when new? It shipped with an introductory cartridge of about 700 pages rather than a full 1,600-page 85A.

What other HP printers use the 85A? The 85A also fits the LaserJet Pro M1132, M1212nf, M1217nfw, P1005, P1006, P1102 and P1109 series.

Is the P1102w still worth keeping in 2026? If it prints reliably, yes. Compatible 85A cartridges are inexpensive, the machine is simple, and there are no firmware lockouts to contend with.

Written and reviewed by William Elward — Founder of Castle Ink, 20+ years in the printer and ink industry. Last updated August 2026.

Shop Compatible Toner at Castle Ink

Save 50–70% on replacement toner for the HP LaserJet P1102w. Every cartridge is individually tested before it ships and backed by Castle Ink's compatibility guarantee — if it does not work in your printer, we replace it or refund you.

• HP 85A (CE285A) black toner (compatible)
• Shop all HP toner at Castle Ink

Buy the HP LaserJet P1102w on Amazon: HP LaserJet P1102w on Amazon

See also: Find Ink by Printer | Printer Ink Cost Calculator | Best Printers Buying Guide