Xerox ColorQube 8570

Xerox ColorQube 8570 review

The ColorQube 8570 from Xerox doesn't use laser or inkjet technology. Instead it relies on a solid ink printing system. Chunks of ink are dropped into slots at the top of the printer and these are heated to melting point as and when the printer mechanism needs them. The results -- speed and print quality -- are close to laser technology. So just how well does this model, which costs around £400, compare to similarly priced laser printers? Like most of Xerox's current models, the 8570 has a two-tone colour scheme. White is used for most of the chassis, but the sloping panel on the front, which houses the screen and controls, is finished in dark blue. The contrast between the two colours looks quite stylish and is a change from the all-black designs of most of its rivals. However, the 8570 is a big machine. It's almost twice as deep as most of the laser printers we've seen at this price. The control panel has a small five-line monochrome display. There are six buttons next to it to help you navigate the various menus and to start or cancel print jobs. Menu navigation is slightly fiddly, but the layout of the menus is reasonably good, so you soon get the hang of it. The main paper tray is positioned at the bottom of the machine and can take up to 525 sheets of paper.