HP Printers and ink supplies

[#1]

@shutter 

"The general consensus of this thread, is that HP are ripping people off"

I'm not disputing that.

@Dan_the_Van 

"Not sure the point of USB printers (unless connected to a wireless printer server of some sort) with the majority of home devices being wireless."

Well my Canon printer is connected to my desktop PC via USB. It can connect via WiFi, but as @shutter said, I wanted to prevent it from updating its firmware, which could prevent me from using third party ink cartridges.

That said, I print so little these days, that although I bought a couple of pairs of spare cartridges when I bought the printer new, I haven't had to buy any more since!

[#2]

I've just taken a look under the lid. The black cartridge is the one I bought from HP - it is shorter than the colour cartridge which is the one supplied with the printer. I have also found you can turn off the Sending The Usage data, so that is what I have done. No doubt HP will be able to detect that, but as long as they cannot stop the printer working, I can stop the monthly payments, and maybe I can get the cartridges they have sent me to work when I need them.

One thing I did notice, the cartridges hide under a 'cover' when the lid is lifted so it is either impossible or just difficult to get the cartridge out. Maybe the printer, even in this 'Dont Send Usage' mode, can detect an empty cartridge, and will leave the cartridge carrier out in the open when I lift the lid at that point - here's hoping

[#3]

Dan-the-Van,

My initial contract was 50 pages, if I remember correctly at £1.99 per month, but by the time I got to the end of the free period, it had gone up to £2.99. The rollover was more than that, but it was rare that I got anywhere near that figure - but my actual usage was always too high for the lower monthly allowance so I didn't change it.

Cheers

Graham

[#4]

I do seem to have stirred a hornets nest

[#5]

@Dan_the_Van  Re - USB connection.... I bought my Epson Expression XP6700 2 yrs ago, at the most !... and it does have a USB socket, which I used, initially, to set it up.  ( Being a Linux User, the "set up" CD was only suitable for Windows !) ... so I used a "Linux Generic Printer Driver" on the USB cable connection, until I figured out how to use the WIFI connection set up.

[#6]

Made a similar choice (over 10) years back. Nearly all printing was b&w and running a laser was cheaper even back then. The purchase price of a new inkjet printer vs. ink resupply cost is a decades old 'issue'.

If printing is not relatively frequent and regular then there's always the risk of the printheads clogging up on inkjets. or it used to be. I've had a few Epsons that have been 'retired' after the printheads refused to be cleaned . As they were consumer-grade hardware replacing the printheads really wasn't an option (more money than they were worth plus general lack of parts availabilty). Things may have changed since then.

[#7]

@greygit1 

That's the beauty of HP inkjets (at least the ones I've owned); the print head is incorporated into the cartridge, so new cartridge = new print head.

[#8]

You have raised the reliability of HP inkjets (and possibly how the printheads don't require intervention).

A beauty from HP's website (prompted by your observations).

https://www.hp.com/gb-en/shop/tech-takes/how-to-clean-printhead-on-your-printer

"Linsey Knerl
|
September 10, 2019"

"Why maintenance is necessary
You wouldn’t drive your car more than 5,000 miles without an oil change"

It also includes instructions on how to clean HP inkjet print heads. Which therefore implies that they require cleaning (before the cartridge is replaced).

But does the average ICE car need an oil replacement every 5000 miles?