What Toner Does the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw Use?

Quick answer: The HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw uses HP 58A (CF258A) (~3,000 pages) or HP 58X (CF258X) high-yield (~10,000 pages) black toner cartridges. They are the same cartridge in two capacities, and the imaging drum is built in — there is no separate drum to buy. For most owners the HP 58X (CF258X) gives the lowest cost per page.

HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw Toner Cartridges at a Glance

The M428fdw is the all-in-one version of the M404 platform — print, scan, copy, fax, with a duplex document feeder. It shares the same all-in-one 58A/58X cartridge, and the same Dynamic Security behaviour that owners need to understand before buying toner.

Standard vs. High-Yield: Which One Should You Buy?

Almost everyone with a HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw should be buying the high-yield HP 58X (CF258X) rather than the standard HP 58A (CF258A). The high-yield cartridge is physically the same size and installs identically — it is simply filled with more toner. At roughly 10000 pages versus 3000, it prints about 3.3x as much for a price that is nowhere near 3.3x higher, which is why the cost per page always lands in its favor.

The only reason to choose the standard cartridge is if you print so little that a cartridge would sit in the machine for years. Toner is a dry powder and does not dry out the way inkjet ink does, so even very light users are usually better off with the high-yield version.

To run the math on your own printer, our Printer Ink Cost Calculator will show you the cost per page for any cartridge price and yield combination.

Good News: There's No Separate Drum to Buy

Unlike most Brother mono lasers, the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw uses an all-in-one cartridge. The imaging drum is built into the HP 58X (CF258X) 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 Pro MFP M428fdw, 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

The M428fdw ships with a full 58A cartridge of roughly 3,000 pages rather than a starter.

Dynamic Security: What HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw Owners Need to Know

The HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw is what HP calls a Dynamic Security enabled printer, and it is the single most important thing to understand before buying replacement toner for it. Unlike older LaserJets, this machine checks the chip on the cartridge and is designed to work only with cartridges carrying a new or reused HP chip.

In practice that means two things. First, any compatible 58A (CF258A)/58X (CF258X) cartridge you buy for this printer must be sold "with chip" — a chipless cartridge will not simply lose its toner-level readout, it may refuse to print at all. Castle Ink's listings for this printer are the with-chip versions for exactly this reason.

Second, firmware updates matter. HP has shipped firmware for this series that rejected third-party cartridges which previously worked; there are well-documented cases of fleets of these printers stopping after an automatic update. Following a 2025 US legal settlement, HP committed to disclosing its use of Dynamic Security and to allowing users to decline firmware updates that contain it. If you rely on compatible toner, turning off automatic firmware updates in the printer's web interface or the HP Smart Admin settings is a sensible precaution.

Our guide on how to stop HP firmware updates from blocking your ink walks through the exact settings.

How to Replace the Toner in the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw

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 58X (CF258X) 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

Compatible cartridge refuses to print or reports an error: This is the signature Dynamic Security symptom. Confirm the cartridge was sold "with chip" for the North American market — a chipless cartridge may not work at all in this printer, not merely lose its level readout.

A cartridge that worked yesterday stopped working today: A firmware update almost certainly landed overnight. Check the printer's firmware date in the Embedded Web Server, and disable automatic updates to prevent a repeat.

"Cartridge Low" appears early: HP's threshold is conservative. There are usually several hundred pages left after the first warning.

Faded print or patchy coverage: Rock the cartridge gently end to end to redistribute the toner. Because the drum is integrated, persistent defects mean the cartridge needs replacing.

Slow first page from sleep: Adjust the sleep and auto-off timers in the Embedded Web Server. Faster wake costs slightly more standby power.

Which Other Printers Use the Same Cartridge?

The HP 58A / 58X 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 M404n / M404dn / M404dw
• HP LaserJet Pro M405 series
• HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428dw / M428fdn / M428fdw
• HP LaserJet Pro MFP M429 series
• HP LaserJet Enterprise M406 / M430 series

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 Pro MFP M428fdw 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 Pro MFP M428fdw; 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 58X (CF258X) 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 Pro MFP M428fdw

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 Pro MFP M428fdw Resources

• HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw 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 HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw is a genuinely good printer with genuinely low running costs — if you buy the 58X high-yield and you buy it with a chip. Dynamic Security is the one thing that separates this machine from the older LaserJets in this guide: the cartridge chip is not optional, and firmware updates can change the rules after the fact. Buy chipped compatible cartridges, turn off automatic firmware updates, and the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw will cost a fraction of what HP's own supplies would.

Frequently Asked Questions

What toner does the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw use? HP 58A (CF258A, ~3,000 pages) or HP 58X (CF258X, ~10,000 pages) black toner cartridges. The imaging drum is built into the cartridge.

Does the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw need a separate drum unit? No — and this is a common and expensive misunderstanding. Some sellers list an "HP 32A" drum for this printer, but the 32A belongs to the M203/M227 family. The 58A and 58X are all-in-one cartridges with the drum integrated.

Do I have to buy cartridges "with chip"? Yes. This is a Dynamic Security enabled printer and is designed to work only with cartridges carrying a new or reused HP chip. A chipless compatible cartridge may refuse to print entirely.

Can a firmware update stop my compatible toner working? It can, and there are well-documented cases on this series. Disable automatic firmware updates in the Embedded Web Server if you rely on compatible cartridges.

Is the 58X worth the extra over the 58A? Yes for most offices. At roughly 10,000 pages it prints more than three times as much as the 58A for a far smaller price increase.

Does compatible toner void the warranty? No. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act means using a third-party cartridge does not by itself void your warranty in the US — though it will not stop Dynamic Security from blocking a chipless cartridge.

What other HP printers use 58A and 58X? The same cartridges fit the LaserJet Pro M404n, M404dn, M404dw, M405 series, and the MFP M428dw, M428fdn, M428fdw and M429 series — including the {other}.

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 Pro MFP M428fdw. 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 58A (CF258A) black toner (compatible)
• HP 58X (CF258X) high-yield black toner (compatible)
• Shop all HP toner at Castle Ink

Buy the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw on Amazon: HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428fdw on Amazon

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