Dell E525w Color Multifunction Printer: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Dell E525w Color Multifunction Printer right for you?

The E525w is Dell's rebadge of the Samsung Xpress C480FW and was the last colour laser MFP Dell sold to consumers. It is slow in colour but sharp, and bundles Wi-Fi, ADF and fax in a compact body. The imaging drum has a page counter that will stop the printer, and Dell-branded drums are scarce now, but the Samsung CLT-R406 is the same part. Dell's support pages still host the drivers.

Best for: Home offices wanting a small colour laser MFP with fax

Setting up the Dell E525w Color Multifunction Printer

Download the E525w driver suite from dell.com/support; HP's Samsung C48x Series package is a direct substitute that includes the scan driver. Connect by Ethernet or WPS, then set scan destinations in the embedded web page. Run colour registration from the LCD if colours look offset after replacing toner.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the toner cartridge and drum unit, and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use Dell's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The Dell E525w Color Multifunction Printer uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• Dell 593-BBJX (H3K8C) black toner (2,000 pages)
• Dell 593-BBJU cyan / 593-BBJV magenta / 593-BBJW yellow toners (1,400 pages each)
• Dell 593-BBKE imaging drum
• Dell waste toner container

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications