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My Overall Rating : ★★★☆☆

HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless All-In-One Printer Review

Hewlett Packard OfficeJet Pro 8500 multifunction printer may seem like a good deal. In addition to providing good print and excellent scanning quality, moderate speed, and trouble-free operation, the easy-to-use OfficeJet Pro 8500 is one of the least-expensive color-inkjet all-in-ones to operate. It also comes with a host of software and Web-based services that further extend its usefulness.

The large, boxy, black-and-gray OfficeJet Pro 8500 has a stodgy all-business look that won’t win any beauty contests, especially compared with other recent inkjet MFPs, such as the Epson Artisan 800. But under the hood are various refinements that make using the OfficeJet Pro 8500 a pleasure to use. For starters, the scan bed is large enough to accommodate 8.5×14-inch paper without having to double-scan and stitch legal-size documents. The 250-sheet paper tray is so accessible that a separate slot or feeder isn’t necessary. If you need a higher page capacity, the 8500 can accommodate a second 250-sheet tray ($79.99). What’s more, the receiver tray on top is angled upward, with an adjustable pull-out stop, so ejected pages can’t slough off and drift away. It also features a built-in duplexer, a 35-sheet ADF, and an e-mail function that you can operate without a computer.

The 8500’s touch-screen control panel is one of the best we’ve used. It’s large (3.5 inches), as easy to read as a GPS, and so intuitive that you really don’t have to study the user manual to understand and use all its functions. To the right of the touch screen are lights indicating when the network or wireless interface is available. The function buttons are intelligently positioned and well marked. On the right side of the printer are memory-card and USB slots for direct printing, as well as for saving scans, photos, and files.

Be prepared to spend between 45 minutes and an hour setting up the printer and installing software. First, you must attach the receiver tray and a plastic cover for the duplexer. Then, you insert the two printheads (one black and yellow, the other cyan and magenta) followed by cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink cartridges. Each is designed to fit in only the correct slot, but lining up and pushing them in correctly can be tricky.

The cartridges have a larger-capacity reservoir of ink than most comparable MFPs, which makes them significantly more economical than comparable inkjet AIOs. (Plus, you don’t need to replace them as often.) High-capacity color cartridges ($25.99 each) are rated for approximately 1,400 pages, while the extra-capacity black cartridge ($35.99) is rated for about 2,200 pages. That equates to about 1.6 cents per page for text, and 7 cents for color in ink costs, plus another two-tenths of a cent for printhead wear ($59.99 each), which must be replaced after approximately 40,500 pages. In addition, HP says that the Energy Star–rated 8500 uses 50 percent less electricity than a laser printer.

Once installed, the printer requires 20 to 25 minutes to align and calibrate the printheads automatically. And since HP provides a vast array of programs, templates, and utilities, software installation is also time-consuming. The only problem we had was when we followed the setup booklet, which said that the firewall shouldn’t be turned off while installing the 8500 as a network or wireless device. Our installation failed twice until we consulted the 291-page user manual, which, contrary to the setup booklet, told us to turn off the firewall, after which it performed flawlessly.

Except for a couple of cryptic messages and accompanying brief delays (waiting for a color photo to dry, cleaning the printhead after we switched from text to photo printing), operation was flawless. We experienced no paper jams, misfeeds, or other problems. HP’s interface is exceptionally simple to use, especially since the settings for various types of originals and paper types automatically program in the appropriate parameters.

Printing text in normal and draft mode is relatively fast, edging out Epson’s WorkForce 600 and Kodak’s ESP 9. Our test text page scanned in 14.1 seconds, and a 4×6-inch photo in 1 minute and 9 seconds. Printing 10 pages of text and graphics in draft mode took only 36 seconds, though quality text mode slowed the printer down to 4:20 (just a hair faster than Epson’s WorkForce 600). Our 20-page text-only document printed in a fast 1:03 in draft mode, though it took 5:29 in quality mode. A 4×6-inch photo was slower than both the Epson and Kodak ESP9 printers, taking 1:09. Generally, we found the 8500 (using quality mode) to be slower than the Epson but better than the Kodak. Printing color on plain paper is also faster than the Epson and Kodak models but much slower than either when generating photos.

Text quality is very good, with dark and generally well-formed characters, though it isn’t as crisp and clean as that of some competing AIOs. Though vibrant, colors are punched-up and inaccurate; they’re more suited for business graphics than photos. Scanning and copying are simple, fast, and trouble-free. Our test scan to Microsoft Word performed flawlessly. Especially useful is the e-mail function, which wirelessly transmits scans to any preselected address.

Where the OfficeJet Pro 8500 excels is in its value-added extras. HP provides a comprehensive package of free software and Web-based services designed to assist businesses in generating, storing, transmitting, and managing documents. The software includes a utility for clipping, collecting, and printing parts of Web pages; an activity center with scores of business and personal projects and templates; and an online document center that aids scanning, annotating, faxing, and filing of all sorts of documents.

The OfficeJet Pro 8500 is a no-nonsense, all-business device that will give excellent service to small-office and home-office workgroups. The initial purchase price is high, but low operating costs could make the 8500 ultimately cheaper than the competition.

Let’s take a look at all of the HP Officejet Pro 8500 features/specification:

  • All In One Printer with Wireless 802.11g Networking
  • Laser Quality Speed Up to 15 ppm Black/Up to 11 ppm Color and Maximum 35 ppm Black/34 ppm Color
  • 3.4 in Touchscreen LCD Display and Up to 2400 x 4800 dpi Scan Resolution
  • 128 MB Memory and 348 MHz Processor Speed
  • 250-Sheet Paper Tray, 50 Sheet Automatic Document Feeder, and Automatic Two Sided Printing

If you want to buy HP Officejet Pro 8500, you can get it cheap online through Amazon.com here. They offer special discount price and reliable shipping service.

Let me show you what current owners have to say about it:

“…Recent reviews of the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 Wireless were critical of noise, vibration, and ink usage. Here are what I have discovered since installing this printer.
1. On most surfaces the noise from the printer is minimal. Movement of the plastic gears on HP, Canon, and Epson are not silent. Perhaps newer versions of the 8500 by HP will address this minor concern.
2. The printer vibrates slightly compared to a laser printer, but not to the extent that it is objectionable. Perhaps HP can reduce or eliminate this in future models but probably by increasing the weight of the printer. Most users, I suggest, would not want a heavier printer.
3. Ink usage is part of the printer expense “game” but with HP you can continue to print in B&W even if any or all of the color cartridges are empty [Verified by HP Support] That may not be the case with some recent offerings from Epson or Canon, although I personally prefer Espon and Canon printers for color prints.
4. The ink cartridges are dated, but they will continue to function even after the “expiration” date. HP prints a date on the ink package, but it does not prevent the cartridge from working. As a matter of fact, ink will remain usable in a SEALED packet for an extended period without concern. This date code is not a rip-off by HP anymore than other companies who print a freshness date.
5. It is certainly less expensive to order color prints online than to purchase OEM ink and paper. For those with a digital camera who need a quick print now and then the quality of the HP is excellent.
6. Setup is easy. I would only add a note to the directions for Step 7 to input your choice of language and then follow the touch screen directions as the printer processes alignment. The directions are not clear on that one point, and you could wait for 30 minutes wondering why it hasn’t competed alignment of the print heads. Check this out if you purchase this printer.
7. I am punctilious concerning most purchases and, at least in this case, I feel that this printer is an outstanding VALUE even when other offerings from Canon, Brother, and Epson may be less expensive. I have seen printers on sale for less than $50, but the thin plastic housing and the print quality reflect the price. We wanted Print / Copy / Scan / Fax, although we will seldom use the FAX function. (I will only connect the FAX as needed).
8. Follow the directions CAREFULLY and install precisely and you will enjoy owning this printer…”

If you want more info on this HP Officejet Pro 8500, I suggest you take a look at the HP Officejet Pro 8500 reviews on Amazon here. A lot of consumer positive response to this HP Officejet Pro 8500 here.

Here is why HP Officejet Pro 8500 is worth buying:

HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless All-In-One Printer : Pro

  • Prints professional-looking documents
  • Wireless connectivity
  • Intuitive controls and interface
  • Double-sided printing
  • All-in-one device
  • Green paper- and power-saving features
  • Quality compares to a laser printer
  • Comes with helpful software
  • Cost- and energy-efficient
  • Powerful enough for a business
  • Full set of features

HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless All-In-One Printer : Con

  • Some software quirks
  • Noisy
  • Slower than a laser printer
  • Too slow for big print jobs

Conclusion

If you’re thinking of moving up to a color laser all-in-one (AIO), be sure to check out the HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless All-in-One as well.

This HP Officejet Pro 8500 can be ordered directly from Amazon.com today. CLICK HERE for the best price and get your HP Officejet Pro 8500 today! They are 100% secure site so you can be rest assured that your details are protected when ordering.

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