Are you seeking a straightforward and budget-friendly printing solution for your home that doesn't compromise on colour capabilities? The HP DeskJet 2855e emerges as a contender in the realm of all-in-one inkjet printers, offering printing, scanning, and copying functionalities within a compact design. Let's delve into the features, setup, performance, and potential drawbacks to help you determine if this printer is the right fit for your needs.
Unveiling the HP DeskJet 2855e: Key Features and Advantages
The HP DeskJet 2855e is designed with the home user in mind, offering a range of features aimed at convenience and ease of use.
- All-encompassing Functionality: This device integrates printing, scanning, and copying into a single unit, saving space and simplifying your home office setup.
- Vibrant Colour Output: A significant advantage of the DeskJet 2855e is its ability to produce colour prints, making it ideal for tasks such as generating colourful QR codes for business pamphlets or printing vivid documents.
- Space-Saving Design: Its modest footprint ensures that the printer can be easily accommodated in various home environments without occupying excessive space.
- Seamless Wireless Connectivity: Built-in Wi-Fi allows you to connect the printer to your home network wirelessly. This provides the flexibility to position the printer away from your computer and print from various locations within your home.
- Intuitive Mobile App Experience: HP provides a mobile application that streamlines the initial setup process. Users have reported being able to get the printer up and running within approximately five minutes using this app. The app also enables you to print, scan, and copy directly from your smartphone.
- HP+ and Instant Ink Benefits: Upon activating HP+, users may be eligible for a trial period of the Instant Ink subscription service, potentially receiving up to three months of ink delivered directly to their door. This program aims to ensure you have ink when you need it.
- Environmentally Conscious Design: Recognizing the importance of sustainability, this printer is constructed with at least 60% recycled plastic. Furthermore, it holds Energy Star and EPEAT certifications, highlighting its energy efficiency.
Getting Started: A Simple Setup Process
Setting up the HP DeskJet 2855e appears to be a user-friendly experience, based on multiple accounts. Here’s a breakdown of the typical setup steps:
- Unboxing and Preparation: Begin by removing the printer from its packaging and carefully taking off all protective plastic films and tapes.
- Power Connection: Connect the provided power cable to the back of the printer and plug it into a wall outlet. Then, press the power button to turn the printer on.
- Software Installation: Follow the on-screen prompts or the instructions in the setup guide to install the necessary HP software on your computer or mobile device.
- Wi-Fi Configuration: Utilize the HP Smart app on your smartphone or computer to connect the printer to your home Wi-Fi network. The app will guide you through this process, which typically involves selecting your Wi-Fi network and entering the password. You may need to press a flashing information button on the printer during this stage.
- Paper Loading: Open the paper input tray located at the back of the printer. Adjust the blue slider to match the size of the paper you intend to use and then load the paper into the tray. An extendable output tray at the front catches printed pages.
- Ink Cartridge Installation: Lift the top door of the printer to access the ink cartridge chamber. The chamber will likely move to the center for easy access. Remove the orange protective seals from the black and tri-colour ink cartridges. Insert the colour cartridge into the left slot and the black cartridge into the right slot, pressing them in until they click into place. Close the ink cartridge chamber door.
- Alignment: After installing the ink cartridges, the printer will usually print an alignment page. Open the scanner lid, place the alignment page face down on the scanner glass (aligning it with the indicated corner), and press either the black or colour copy button to scan the page. This process helps to ensure optimal print quality.
Performance in Action: Speed and Quality
When it comes to performance, the HP DeskJet 2855e offers a balance suitable for typical home usage.
- Print Speed: The printer is reported to have a print speed of up to 7.5 pages per minute (PPM) for black and white documents and 5.5 PPM for colour documents. While some users might find this speed adequate for occasional printing, it may not be ideal for high-volume printing tasks.
- Print Quality: Users have generally reported satisfactory print quality, with "nice clean colours" being a noted attribute. This makes it suitable for printing everyday documents, as well as colour-rich materials like photos or marketing leaflets.
- Scanning and Copying: The integrated scanner allows for easy digitization of documents. To make a copy, simply place the document on the scanner glass and press either the black or colour copy button. Wireless scanning and printing are facilitated through the HP Smart app.
- Wireless Convenience: The reliable Wi-Fi connectivity enables printing from various devices connected to your network without the need for a direct USB connection. Some users appreciate the "airplane mode" or deep sleep functionality, allowing the printer to remain discoverable on the network even after periods of inactivity.
Points to Consider: Potential Drawbacks
While the HP DeskJet 2855e offers several advantages, there are a few potential drawbacks to consider:
- Printing Speed Limitations: As mentioned earlier, the print speed might be slower compared to some other printers, especially for large print jobs.
- Original HP Cartridge Requirement: The printer is designed to function only with original HP ink cartridges, which could limit your choice of ink suppliers.
- Single-Sided Printing Only: The HP DeskJet 2855e does not offer automatic duplex (double-sided) printing. If this is a frequently used feature for you, this printer might not meet your needs.
- Paper Feed and Output Tray Design: Some users have expressed minor concerns about the paper feeding mechanism and the output tray design, although these seem to be largely matters of personal preference.
- Potential Reliability Issues: While many users report a positive experience, one account mentioned significant issues with the printer not printing consistently, failing to power off or on correctly, and experiencing ink cartridge recognition problems. It's important to note that this appears to be an isolated negative experience among the provided sources.
Is the HP DeskJet 2855e Right for You?
The HP DeskJet 2855e appears to be a capable and convenient all-in-one inkjet printer best suited for home users with basic printing needs, particularly those who require colour printing capabilities. Its compact size, ease of setup, and wireless connectivity make it a practical choice for everyday tasks like printing documents, to-do lists, letters, and recipes. The option for the Instant Ink subscription can also be a cost-effective solution for regular ink replenishment.
However, if you frequently handle large printing volumes or require features like automatic double-sided printing, you might want to explore alternatives with higher print speeds and duplexing capabilities. While generally well-received, considering the potential for occasional reliability issues, as highlighted by one user, might also be prudent.
In conclusion, the HP DeskJet 2855e presents itself as a solid, affordable, and user-friendly option for home users seeking a colour inkjet all-in-one printer that balances functionality with a compact design.