Which ink/toner does the HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw use?

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw (laser, 2015) uses CF400X, CF401X, CF403X, CF402X, CF400A, CF401A, CF403A, CF402A.

Third-party cartridge risk: Low no firmware lockout is on record for this printer, so compatible and remanufactured cartridges should work.

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw uses toner cartridges including black CF400X and CF400A options with different page yields. When choosing between standard and high yield cartridges consider that high yield versions such as CF400X offer more pages per cartridge but are slightly less cost effective per page compared to their standard counterparts like the CF400A. Compatible third-party cartridges may be available for this printer without any firmware restrictions on record.

Compatible cartridges

CartridgeColorYieldPagesOEM priceCost/page
CF400X black XL2800 $110.00 3.9¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
CF401X cyan XL2300 $120.00 5.2¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
CF403X magenta XL2300 $120.00 5.2¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
CF402X yellow XL2300 $120.00 5.2¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
CF400A black standard1500 $75.00 5.0¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
CF401A cyan standard1400 $80.00 5.7¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
CF403A magenta standard1400 $80.00 5.7¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible
CF402A yellow standard1400 $80.00 5.7¢ OEM · AmazonCompatible

XL (high-yield) cartridges cost more upfront but lower the cost per page, which is better if you print a lot.

Our pick: the high-yield CF400X is the best value

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw is not on our firmware-lockout list, so third-party toner should work. By list price its high-yield CF400X works out to about 3.9 cents per page, roughly 21% less than the 5.0 cents of the standard CF400A. If you print often the high-yield cartridge is the better value, and a well-reviewed compatible version lowers the cost further.

Frequently asked questions

Which toner does the HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw use?

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw uses CF400A, CF400X, CF401A, CF401X, CF402A, CF402X, CF403A and CF403X.

Does the HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw take XL cartridges?

Yes. Besides the standard cartridges it accepts CF400X, CF401X, CF402X and CF403X. A high-yield XL holds more toner and costs less per page, which is worth it if you print often.

Will third-party toner work in the HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw, or will firmware block it?

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw is not on our firmware-lockout list, so compatible and remanufactured cartridges should work. Firmware can change with an update, so it is worth checking before buying a large supply.

How many pages do the HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw cartridges print?

Rated yields run from about 1400 pages (CF401A) to about 2800 pages (CF400X), depending on the cartridge. Real-world yield depends on how much you print and how much toner each page uses.

What is the cheapest toner for the HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw?

By list price the lowest cost per page here is the CF400X at about 3.9 cents per page. A reliable compatible or remanufactured cartridge can lower that further.

Related HP Color LaserJet Pro printers

Last reviewed . Compiled by MyCartridgeFinder from manufacturer cartridge finders and retailer cross reference tables, then checked against this printer's database record. Cartridge numbers and yields come from that record, never from guesswork. See our methodology and data sources.