Whether for personal or professional use, HP has a well-stocked catalog of printers to suit all budgets and needs without compromising on quality. Offering a remarkable volume, quality and speed of printing, the inkjet and laser models, the simple and multifunction printers of the brand are also low on ink consumption. But which model to choose? Read this guide.
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The HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 multifunction printer offers a winning combination of excellent output quality and the ability to print, scan and copy documents up to A3 size.
231 £ on AmazonThe HP Officejet Pro 7740 is a multifunction printer: printing, copying, scanning and faxing. With a large capacity, it has a second tray for 250 sheets, included, for a total of 500 sheets. Conveniently, it has an automatic duplexer for two-sided printing. Above the Officejet Pro 7740 is a tray, which can scan paper up to A3 size, and a 35-sheet automatic document feeder. The latter supports two-sided scanning in a single pass.
The HP Officejet Pro 7740 offers wired and wireless printing: USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print. It also has very good print speed. Black text documents print fairly quickly (15 ppm at A3 and 22 ppm at A4), but color documents are slightly slower (13 ppm at A3 and 18 ppm at A4). The output quality remains the real strong point of the HP Officejet Pro 7740.
The HP Envy 6020 is a multifunction inkjet printer known for its versatility. Compact, small, precise, it has a printing capacity of 1000 A4 pages per month. The plus: a free trial of the HP Instant Ink service from HP.
77,60 £ on CdiscountThe HP Envy 6020 should be suitable for the whole family for occasional use. It can print, scan and copy various types of documents up to A4 size. However, it is much less comfortable with photo printing. When you're in another room, you can send your print jobs wirelessly to the printer via Wi-Fi using the HP Smart application.
In addition, you can check the ink level from the app and will receive notifications when the printer has completed a print. The HP Envy 6020 comes with a black cartridge and a 3-in-1 color cartridge. This cartridge contains all the basic colors required for color printing, with a resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi in black and up to 4800 x 1200 dpi in color. Finally, note the printing speed of 10 ppm in monochrome in A4 format and 7 ppm in color.
The HP Color LaserJet Professional CP5225n is a professional A3 color laser printer suitable for small and medium businesses. With 20 ppm in A4 black and white, it delivers up to 75,000 pages per month.
1 181 £ on AmazonAimed at small to medium-sized businesses, the HP Color LaserJet Professional CP5225n delivers quality A3 printing for a monthly duty cycle of up to 75,000 sheets. Whether you're printing posters, presentations or photo prints, the CP5225n will produce crisp blacks with fairly basic standard colors. If you have an environmentally conscious business, you'll love the CP5225n.
With HP Instant-On technology and automatic two-sided printing, conserve paper and reduce your energy consumption without compromising performance and print quality. The in-line printer architecture, 4 colors are aligned and applied in a single pass, provides reliable and accurate print quality. In addition, HP ImageREt 3600 image resolution technology will give you smooth color, sharp images and text. You'll get consistent results at speeds up to 20 ppm and a first page printed in just 14.5 seconds.
The HP Officejet 250 Mobile AIO is a 3-in-1 portable printer with 4800 x 1200 dpi resolution. The 2.65-inch color display allows for easy handling and better queue tracking.
266 £ on AmazonPortable, yes! This 3-in-1 printer is only 600g lighter than the HP Officejet 200 once the battery is installed. It takes up little space even in height, with its 91.3 mm. For printing, the HP Officejet 250 Mobile AIO has a paper tray of 50 sheets with a printing speed, on battery, of 9 ppm in black and white and 6 ppm in color for a resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi.
In photocopier mode, it produces up to 17 ppm, on battery, with a resolution of 600 dpi. In terms of compatibility, the HP Officejet 250 Mobile AIO supports A4 papers, photos (10×15 cm) and envelopes. The photocopier only allows A4. In addition, this printer allows you to print directly from your smartphone thanks to Wi-Fi direct and Wi-Fi classic and let's not forget the USB 2.0 port.
38% faster than previous Smart Tank printers, the Smart Tank Plus 570 with ink tank is capable of printing up to 12,000 pages with its 4 full tanks. Savings in sight!
234 £ on AmazonThe advantage of HP's Smart Tank printers is that they allow you to make great savings. Indeed, here no cartridges, but ink tanks capable of printing up to 12,000 pages in black and white and 8,000 in color with the ink wells full. The ink bottles are delivered with the printer when purchased. This is cost effective and saves money compared to the output of conventional inkjet printers.
This 3-in-1 printer supports papers up to A4 size with a print speed of 11 ppm in black and 5 ppm in color. According to the manufacturer, this can increase to 22 ppm in draft mode. On this model, you have a flatbed scanner that scans up to 5 ppm in monochrome while photocopying outputs up to 22 cpm in black for 12 cpm in color in A4 format. Modern, it has dual-band Wi-Fi for better range and a more reliable connection. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi direct offer additional connectivity options that are very convenient.
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HP's best printer without ink cartridges
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| The best | Inexpensive | Top of the line | Excellent | Smart Tank HP | |
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| OUR SELECTION |
HP Officejet Pro 7740
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HP Envy 6020
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HP Color LaserJet Professional CP5225n
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HP Officejet 250 Mobile AIO
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HP Smart Tank Plus 570 ADF All-in-One
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The HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 multifunction printer offers a winning combination of excellent output quality and the ability to print, scan and copy documents up to A3 size.
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The HP Envy 6020 is a multifunction inkjet printer known for its versatility. Compact, small, precise, it has a printing capacity of 1000 A4 pages per month. The plus: a free trial of the HP Instant Ink service from HP.
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The HP Color LaserJet Professional CP5225n is a professional A3 color laser printer suitable for small and medium businesses. With 20 ppm in A4 black and white, it delivers up to 75,000 pages per month.
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The HP Officejet 250 Mobile AIO is a 3-in-1 portable printer with 4800 x 1200 dpi resolution. The 2.65-inch color display allows for easy handling and better queue tracking.
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38% faster than previous Smart Tank printers, the Smart Tank Plus 570 with ink tank is capable of printing up to 12,000 pages with its 4 full tanks. Savings in sight!
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Printing technology
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Inkjet
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Inkjet
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Laser
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Thermal inkjet
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Thermal inkjet
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Maximum print size
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A3
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A4
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A3
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A4
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A4
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Functions
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Printer, scanner, copier, fax
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Printer, scanner, copier
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Printer
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Print, copy, scan
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Print, copy, scan
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Maximum print speed (ISO)
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- Up to 22 ppm black
- Up to 18 ppm color |
- Up to 10 ppm in black
- Up to 7 ppm in color |
- Up to 20 ppm black
- Up to 20 ppm color |
- up to 10 ppm in black*
- Up to 7 ppm in color* ( *On AC power) |
- Up to 11 ppm in black
- Up to 5 ppm in color |
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Dimensions/weight
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58.4 x 46.69 x 38.33 / 19.5 kg
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36.1 x 43.2 x 13.2 / 5.22 kg
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106.6 x 86.2 x 37 cm / 40.9 kg
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38.02 x 19.83 x 9.13 cm / 2.95 kg
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44.9 x 37.3 x 25.9 cm / 6.18 kg
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Connectivity
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Wi-Fi
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Wi-Fi
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Wired
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Wi-Fi
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Wi-Fi
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Bluetooth
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Founded in 1939, HP or Hewlett-Packard is an American brand that owes its name to its two founders: William Hewlett and David Packard. The brand is a pioneer in the manufacture and distribution of computer equipment. In its catalog, we find computers, desktop or laptop, PC monitors or keyboards. But their specialty remains the production of inkjet or laser printers of multifunction type, 3 in 1 or 4 in 1, corresponding to the needs of professionals or for domestic use.
Innovative and modern
As one of the leading computer brands, HP innovates and stays on top of the latest technologies. With this in mind, HP printers are equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, single or dual band, and Bluetooth. The HP Smart App, which deserves more attention from HP, allows you to use your smartphone or tablet with your printer.
This allows you to print your documents via your Wi-Fi network and is a nice time saver in an office or home setting. For efficient loading, their printers feature the Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) and support duplexing. The ADF allows the printer to scan or process multiple pages at the same time, without waiting for the user to feed the pages one by one.
Modern and innovative, let's not forget the Smart Tank range. This new type of printer no longer works with a cartridge, but with ink refills. This allows you to save money in the long term. Finally, several HP models are compatible with Airprint and Cloudprint.
Simple to use
HP emphasizes the versatility of its printers and takes into account that those who use them for domestic use are not necessarily computer technicians. That's why HP printers have a control panel with LCD screen, touch or not, with intuitive icons.
Printing speed: average!
In general, HP printers are fast. What you should remember is that black and white printing is always faster than color printing. The speed varies between 8 to 18 pages per minute for mid-range models such as the HP Officejet Pro 7740. Some models such as the Laserjet Pro CP5225n or the Officejet 250 Mobile AIO are close to 20 ppm. This is close to the BROTHER MFC L3770CDW with its 24 ppm.
Then, according to the manufacturer, their printers print quickly the first page. The entry-level HP ENVY 6020 has a performance of 18 seconds. This is just 4 seconds more than the BROTHER MFC L3770CDW which costs hundreds of euros more. All in all, HP continues to be one of the best printer brands despite the rise of Brother, the precision of Canon or the innovation of Epson.
Choose the environment
The brand is aware of environmental issues. First of all, HP printers are made in part with recycled plastic. Some models can contain up to 70% like the HP ENVY PHOTO 6220. Second, you have the HP Planet Partners program that allows you to recycle your old cartridges or toners. No more empty ink cartridges lying around the house.
The warranty
The warranty that comes with HP printers depends on the distributor. Nevertheless, you benefit from the 2-year legal warranty. There is nothing worse than finding yourself with a printer that is unusable because the spare parts for it are no longer available. So the warranty that comes with HP printers reassures you that consumables are easy to find. The same goes for spare parts.
The Instant Ink service for maximum savings
This is an ink replacement service that saves you time and money so you never run out of ink. This service also allows you to pay only for the number of pages you print and ensures better use of your printer. Printers that are compatible with this service are connected to the internet and send notifications directly to HP that the device needs ink.
Once HP receives the notification, they in turn send new cartridges to your home. The advantage of subscribing to this service is that the formula offered is based mainly on the number of sheets you choose: 50, 100 or 300/month without considering what you will print, not even color photos. The remaining unused sheets from the previous month's subscription are quite accumulated to be added to the other sheets of the following month.
Apart from that, the user is totally free to change the plan at any time or to cancel the subscription without any additional costs.
Expensive cartridges and some installation issues
Despite the considerable advantages of the printers developed by the HP brand, many users have reported that the price of cartridges is astronomical (almost as expensive as the new printer...).
In addition, some models work only with genuine HP consumables. So it's best not to waste your ink cartridges by knowing how to print correctly so you don't go broke in the long run. Other users have also had problems with the installation of their HP printer. Several factors are to be considered in such a case such as the compatibility of the printer with the PC operating system for example.
In any case, the customer service is there to assist the user in case of difficulties.
Verdict
Overall, the HP brand offers its customers decent quality products without going very high end. The wide range of printers offered at a very good quality/price ratio, the neat design and the well thought-out ergonomics of these printers are the strong points of the brand. It is indeed a sure value that deserves to be trusted.
Among the best printers on the market, the printers marketed by the prestigious HP brand are available in high and medium range and in inkjet and laser format. Highly appreciated for their powerful, high performance and quality printing system, they are easy to use, multifunctional and above all, very economical in terms of ink. In this category, we can mention the HP Deskjet or the HP Deskjet Ink Advantage.
As far as the company's professional printers are concerned, they have been ingeniously designed to meet the expectations of companies. Thanks to their incredible printing speed and fast scanning functions, they are perfectly suited for professional use. In this category, we find the Laser Jet, Officejet, es Scitex, PageWide, ScanJet, DesignJet, and Latex ranges.
In terms of print quality, just like Canon's laser printers, the majority of HP printers can also produce very sharp text prints. When it comes to the quality of PDF prints, graphics in PDFs printed on plain paper are the specialty of HP models.
Printers like the HP Envy 5540 and HP OfficeJet 4650 both offer highly detailed and well-saturated graphics printing, with smooth transitions in photographs. When it comes to graphics, HP printers are better than Canon.
As for the Japanese brand Canon, in 2020 and for the eleventh year in a row, it was at the top of the ranking of the biggest printer sellers in the world. What do users like about Canon printers? Their reliability, superior print quality especially for photos, and the availability of affordable consumables.
For printing, newer inkjet printers like the Canon PIXMA TS6020, for example, can print text documents comparable to laser printers. While HP models have always been good, the Canon TS6020 prints the most elegant and crisp letterforms. The Canon TS6020 is actually a very good choice when it comes to sharp and elegant PDF prints, although HP can also consistently print sharp PDF text.
All Canon and HP printers can produce beautiful, glossy photos, but Canon printers produce more natural photos than the hotter HP prints. In this case, Canon (Canon TS6020) is more favored when printing exceptional, natural glossy photos. In terms of copy and scan quality, HP far outweighs Canon.
However, Canon makes up for it in scan quality with the vast majority of its all-in-one inkjet printers. Indeed, the Canon Pixma TS6020 for example, makes fast scans.
If you are a photo professional, the choice will be more Canon while HP will be suitable for more occasional photo printing. On the other hand, for a more office use (text printing), HP is a good choice with high performance models.
Finally, you should not neglect the price of cartridges or ink bottles. On this point, HP is a safe bet that helps offset the costs of its ink cartridges by offering ink subscription plans that can save users money.
Generally measured in pages per minute (ppm), the printing speed is a key characteristic to choose the right HP printer. There are two variables: black and white printing and color printing. Models with a B&W print speed between 7 and 12 ppm will be perfect for moderate domestic use.
If you print a lot of pages daily, choose printers with a minimum of 12 ppm and more. For small and medium businesses, depending on the number of users, choose HP printers with 18 ppm or more in black and white. Generally these printers also have an excellent speed in color.
In the same vein, consider the loading and output trays. Some printers have small trays which is a drag on productivity.
300 dpi resolution is standard for HP printers, sometimes 150 is acceptable, but never lower, you can go higher for some situations. Be aware that a higher resolution printer provides sharper prints with improved quality. This makes it possible to print smaller barcodes and fonts.
However, higher resolution printheads have more dots to heat up and require more time to process each line. This usually results in a slower maximum speed and higher peak current consumption. So you have to juggle speed and print resolution well.
A traditional, single function printer offers only the print function. In decline lately, it is still a nice option for those who are not looking for anything else, especially since the performance will be there and the price is very affordable.
With an HP multifunction printer, you'll have access to both scanning and photocopying. Some can even take advantage of faxing, although this has become less common except for the financial and health sectors. On the market, they take the acronym of 2 in 1, 3 in 1 or 4 in 1.
With the digitization of the professional world, this type of device is becoming more and more of a necessity whether for home or office use. This will increase productivity, as you can do everything and centralize on one device, especially if the multifunction printer has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Another great feature is the photo support. HP multifunction printers designed for photos offer extra precision and quality when producing images with shaded colors.
As the most common and familiar, an inkjet printer uses liquid ink to recreate an image or text on paper. Generally speaking, inkjet printers have a lower initial cost and produce higher quality images because they mix ink colors more seamlessly than their laser printing counterparts. However, printheads tend to dry out and the cost per page can be high.
Conversely, the initial price of the laser printer is higher than an inkjet printer, but the laser model can be significantly more cost-effective in the long run for high-volume printing. These printers also offer faster turnaround times and capacity for professional use. Fine lines for diagrams and graphics, especially in black-and-white printing, benefit from the precision of laser printers.
Automatic duplexing is among the most sought-after features today. This feature saves your ream of paper. Then you have the Wi-Fi feature that allows you to print remotely. Its advantage over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct is a wider range, as it is connected to the local WI-FI network. A USB port is always appreciated, as well as an easy-to-handle LCD screen.
Initialization via a terminal
Open a terminal and enter :
su - -c "hp-setup"
and press "ENTER".
This will ask for your system's 'root' password, then it will start the graphical installation program and guide you through the installation process.
Initialization via "hp-toolbox
Another way to launch the same installation program is to start the "hp-toolbox" application (HP's device manager).
Once your printer is installed, you can use it to add additional hp printers to your printer list.
Initialization via the YaST printer module
Since openSUSE 11.3, you can run the same graphical setup program from the YaST printer module using the "Add" and "Run hp-setup" buttons.
For connected HP printers
If you are installing an HP printer connected to your computer only via a network (LAN or WLAN), you may need the IP address of your printer. The easiest way to get this information will be through the configuration menu of your printer.
PS: To set up HP printers on a network, some knowledge of network configuration is required. The best way to configure the printer's IP address is to use a fixed IP address. This can be done from a direct USB/parallel cable connection to the printer or via the printer menus.
Printer configuration
1. To be able to print photos of a certain quality
In addition to documents, HP printers can be used for printing photos. In case you want to immortalize your most beautiful moments on paper, the printers of this prestigious brand will not fail to satisfy you. This is made possible thanks to the dye sublimation technology that these printers use.
And what better and more suitable than an inkjet printer to offer you a high image resolution.
2. For its speed
Since they combine everything in one machine, HP multifunction printers are especially appreciated for their speed. In record time, you can quickly proceed to print your snapshots, from your smartphone or tablet. In addition, a high-quality multifunction printer guarantees faithful reproduction of scanned documents, photocopies and images of very good quality.
3. For its connectivity
For ease of use, the number of cables connected to the computer is reduced to one. Generally equipped with a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi function, an HP printer allows all employees within an entity to make their duplication or reproduction work remotely from their office. Thus, each employee saves precious time by limiting the back and forth.
This is an extraordinary convenience in the logistic organization of a department, especially when the number of users is increasing.
4. For both personal and professional use
The professional world requires a considerable amount of high-quality printing of photos, printed, photocopied or scanned documents. HP printers currently offer the ability to produce large-scale jobs with exceptional quality, even in high definition.
The most advanced models are even equipped with software for retouching documents and photos for an improved aesthetic. Less expensive HP printers, dedicated to personal use for occasional printing jobs, also offer quality results. Even with these mini price devices, HP is making an effort to ensure that users have a quality printer at their disposal.
5. For HP's Instant ink service
This ink replacement service saves you time and money so you never run out of ink. This makes your life as easy as possible and guarantees a better use of your HP device. The system consists in subscribing to the service according to a formula based on the number of prints to be made in a month.
The remaining unused sheets will be accumulated for the next month. You can change the formula at any time if the number of sheets chosen is not enough for you or to terminate your subscription without additional costs.
We believe these are the best alternative brands to the HP printers:
The Brother brand is specialized in the manufacture of peripherals dedicated to printing. It offers a wide range of affordable, high-performance scanners and printers to the general public and professionals. Brother puts Japanese know-how and technology to develop professional printers that meet the most demanding needs.
Founded in 1975, the brand has been producing multifunctional devices to make everyday life easier since its inception. This brand makes great efforts to impact the environment as little as possible.
Canon is the brand that invented the laser printer and its models are very easy to maintain. It produces high-end printers even though it is mostly recognized by its professional cameras.
Founded in Kentucky 30 years ago, the brand stands out for its very high quality laser printers. The devices manufactured by this brand are very economical.
Xerox is a pioneer in the printer world. The models stamped with the Xerox logo have a rich array of features with good print volumes that match the needs of a workgroup or a small business.
Use a humidifier in your office.
There is no need to remind you that the dust and particles in the air in your office can clog the internal mechanism of your printer and are therefore dangerous for your device. In this sense, consider installing a humidifier to limit this risk. It is also best to use the printer at least once every two or three days.
Save money
To get ink cartridges without breaking the bank in the medium term, buy non-branded ink cartridges. Why? Simply because these are usually two to three times considerably cheaper than brand name cartridges.
You should also consider buying in bulk. Also, save more money by buying your ink cartridges in bulk. You should know that some cartridges are available in XL size. This way, you get a larger volume of ink at a smaller price instead of investing in two smaller cartridges.
You can also buy your cartridges in packs (for example, a pack of three different colors), this will also be more economical than buying one color cartridge at a time.
Print in black and white without waste
To avoid wasting your color inks, always have the reflex to select the "grayscale" mode when you make black and white prints.
Think about increasing the RAM of your HP printer
By
increasing the RAM of your printer, you will benefit from a more powerful device and capable of doing jobs at a higher speed. Most inkjet or laser printers offer endless possibilities for customization and improvement with a simple addition of extra RAM.
Maintain your printer by avoiding jams as much as possible
Repeated jams take a toll on your printer. To this end, it is possible to limit jams optimally and increase printing speed by using only high quality paper on your device. This paper loads smoothly and flows easily through the print heads.
Use your printer regularly
This recommendation is especially for HP inkjet printer users. Indeed, if you don't print regularly, the ink may dry up, especially black ink. To remedy this, print a few letters on scrap paper once a week, using all 4 colors. Also remember to put cartridges in the fridge when you go on vacation.
Wipe the cartridge or toner to get a few more pages
When printed pages start to become less sharp or your printer starts to jam, that's your cue that your cartridge or toner is nearing the end of its life. However, it is possible to gain a few more pages by taking the cartridge or toner out and shaking it. Note, however, that this method does not bring the same result for everyone.
Cover your printer with a cover
Laying on your desk all the time, your printer is exposed to all kinds of dirt that can get inside and damage it. So make sure you always cover it with a cover when you're not using it. You can also replace the cover with a simple sheet.
In order to properly connect an HP printer to wifi, simply press the HP Wireless Direct icon located right on the control panel of your printer. You can also access the Network Configuration menu or the Wireless Settings menu. Once that's done, all you have to do is click Wireless Direct and activate the connection.
To look up your HP printer's Wi-Fi password, right-click on the name of your wireless network and click "Status." Under the connection tab, click on "Wireless Properties." Then click on the "Security" tab. Once that's done, all you have to do is check the "Show Characters" box to highlight the password.
To activate your HP printer scanner, go to "Scanner and Printer" on Windows and right click on the "your printer" icon. Then choose your image profile and source as well as the desired format on the menu that will appear. The format revolves around the file type, colors and resolution. You will have the choice to manage these options according to your needs. Then, place the document to be scanned on the location dedicated to this. Then click on "Preview" to check that the document is well positioned. Finish by clicking "Scan".
To start the process of connecting your HP printer over wifi with your smartphone, first turn on your mobile device and tap "All Printers">"Add Printer", then HP Print Service or HP Inc. Go to "Direct to Printer", select the name of your HP printer that contains the word "DIRECT" and finally press "OK".
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