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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: Cazza47 on Wednesday 13 April 22 11:28 BST (UK)
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I have just bought a new HP printer, I have the option to sign up to Instant Ink which gets shipped when I need it, does anyone have any experience of this, is it an expensive way to buy ink?
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Hello
Yes, I've been using that system for about 5 years. No problems. The ink cartridges they send are much bigger than the ones you buy and last me for ages. I expect over a long period you end up spending the same but it's convenient not having to think about it.
Martin
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Thank you Martin.
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Yes, I use that system.
Previous printer was also HP, but before this arrangement came in. My new printer came with (I think,) 5 months free after which I started paying the monthly sub. So far, no problems.
Before I signed up, I costed the price of a single print, using the estimated copies per cartridge as a guide. At that time, it was way cheaper to use the subscription method, rather than buy cartridges when they ran out.
If it doesn't work out for you, you can always cancel and go back to buying cartridges when you need to, but I know which method I prefer!
FS
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I'm just reading an article in one of the tabloids which states that if you cancel your ink
subscription, that HP will remotely stop you using the cartridge in the printer even if it's full.
You can resume using that cartridge at any time if you renew. A lady that used this service, was very confused that when she cancelled, she found that couldn't print, even though the cartridge was full.
( it's buried in the 8,000 word small print)
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Good morning,
We got a new HP printer for Christmas. I set it up and used it for a couple of months before I decided to sign up for Instant ink. The hardest bit was deciding which option to go for. 50 sheets per mth at £5-99, 100 sheets at £7-99 etc. You can go online and change it at anytime so I have 6 months free trial at 100 sheets. I have just received my first delivery but am still using the ink that came with it. So may go on and change to the lesser amount.
I received an e-mail saying that it was offline so they couldn't monitor it. I have to leave it switched on but allow it to go to sleep. I now have a cover over it because the 2 tiny lights stay on and they are so bright it lights the bedroom up.
John915
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Good morning,
We got a new HP printer for Christmas. I set it up and used it for a couple of months before I decided to sign up for Instant ink. The hardest bit was deciding which option to go for. 50 sheets per mth at £5-99, 100 sheets at £7-99 etc. You can go online and change it at anytime so I have 6 months free trial at 100 sheets. I have just received my first delivery but am still using the ink that came with it. So may go on and change to the lesser amount.
I received an e-mail saying that it was offline so they couldn't monitor it. I have to leave it switched on but allow it to go to sleep. I now have a cover over it because the 2 tiny lights stay on and they are so bright it lights the bedroom up.
John915
So what you are saying is because of their conditions of contract you possibly have to pay more in electricity than the cost of the ink over a year. Apart form the costs involved it is not very environmentally friendly to have thousands of printers online 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
Hewland Packard claims "HPE empowers our customers to grow their businesses and meet society’s need for sustainable solutions" See:-
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01rhx/
However Cazza47's experience shows they have not even taken the first steps on the journey.
Cheers
Guy
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I've just been watching the News when ' experts ' were telling you to switch all electrical
items not in use or on standby. They estimate it costs an average family £174 a year by leaving
devices on. They advise to switch off at the mains.
P.S I use compatible inks, save a fortune and get brilliant results printing photo's.
What are vampire devices?
Vampire devices are electronics that drain a surprising amount of power even when they are on standby. British Gas research indicates households in the UK are spending £3.16bn annually just for the privilege of leaving vampire devices on standby.
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I've chosen HP printers for years, but have been disappointed with my most recent purchase. Overcomplicated. Attempted to register for Instant Ink but failed so abandoned that and have gone back to using only remanufactured cartridges very happily.
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Interesting article from Daily Mail on HP printers using ink subscriptions!
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/printers-being-remotely-disabled-if-customer-cancels-ink-subscription/ar-AAWD5vV?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBoPWjQ
[Not for me after reading the full article.]
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I have been using this for some years now and I think it is great, plus they send a packet to return your empty cartridges in for recycling. Regarding needing to keep it switched on so that it can be monitored I don't do that, I have learned that it will be looked at about the 1st/2nd of the month so switch it on for a few hours then switch it off, this works fine for me.
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It seems that nearly every company is jumping on the "subscription model" way of doing business. After all, it brings in loads of money for them doing virtually nothing.
You think you have paid for something, but the small print says that it isn't yours at all. You just have a licence to use it until the manufacturer says otherwise.
Bought an exercise bike or treadmill from that company with loads of telly ads? No you haven't. If you don't pay the monthly sub, the brakes are jammed on.
Bought a Toyota in the last couple of years? The heated seats don't work after the "introductory period" unless you pay monthly.
Of course, should the outfit involved go bust, everyone using their products has useless kit on their hands, because the needed servers will be switched off. There are already people with heart pacemakers which can no longer be monitored or adjusted.
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Good evening,
I have been using this for some years now and I think it is great, plus they send a packet to return your empty cartridges in for recycling. Regarding needing to keep it switched on so that it can be monitored I don't do that, I have learned that it will be looked at about the 1st/2nd of the month so switch it on for a few hours then switch it off, this works fine for me.
I was thinking about the "keep switched on" earlier. I've decided that as i'm on the computor almost every evening, often with the printer on as well that should be enough for their monitoring. I just hadn't used it at all for nearly 3 weeks over Easter for various reasons.
I had one return envelope with the printer and then another with the new cartridges. So I have just packaged up all my old HP 364 cartridges to send off tomorrow. We don't seem to be able to do it in sainsbury any more. I always purchased those in sainsbury when they had an offer on the packs of 4, often with 6x4 photo paper as well.
John915
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I bought an HP Series 6000 printer a few months ago. I am totally unimpressed with it. It's wi-fi connected and initially it worked well. Recently it started showing it was off-line despite the wi-fi blue light showing. I had a technician in and he was able to get it to function but unfortunately it is now showing off-line again. I think I will connect it with a usb cable and see if there is any improvement. If not I will definitely buy another manufacturer's product.
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I bought an HP Series 6000 printer a few months ago. I am totally unimpressed with it. It's wi-fi connected and initially it worked well. Recently it started showing it was off-line despite the wi-fi blue light showing. I had a technician in and he was able to get it to function but unfortunately it is now showing off-line again. I think I will connect it with a usb cable and see if there is any improvement. If not I will definitely buy another manufacturer's product.
We bought an HP printer during lockdown to replace our previous old but excellent and reliable HP printer.
It works OK - when it's not 'offline'. We have it as close to the router and computer as possible (within about 2 metres either way). I've lost count of the times I've used it successfully, left it for half an hour then it's failed to print because it's 'offline'- or worse, the amount of time I've wasted switching the printer and/or laptop on and off hoping they will talk to each other.
Our old printer was in a completely different room from the WiFi router and worked perfectly. Never again :-\
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Well that's interesting Roopcat and Wyndham! My recent purchase was an HP6000 - unimpressed, constantly off-line, overly-complicated system of lights that you have to decipher. Abandoned it! Have purchased a reconditioned HP5520 for £45 from Ebay, and it's perfect!
I bought an HP Series 6000 printer a few months ago. I am totally unimpressed with it. It's wi-fi connected and initially it worked well. Recently it started showing it was off-line despite the wi-fi blue light showing. I had a technician in and he was able to get it to function but unfortunately it is now showing off-line again. I think I will connect it with a usb cable and see if there is any improvement. If not I will definitely buy another manufacturer's product.
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I recommend reading Which?’s article. It’s free.
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/printers-and-ink/article/which-printer-should-you-buy/hp-instant-ink-vs-other-types-of-printer-ink-a1EAq9e4KUGK
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An interesting article. I was disappointed to find that you had to subscribe to find out what were the best all-in-one printers as I am certain I am going to ditch my new HP one.
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Good evening,
I usually go to Curry's to look at things and get all the info on them. But then find out where it's cheapest. ie; online, John Lewis, local shops etc.
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It seems that nearly every company is jumping on the "subscription model" way of doing business. After all, it brings in loads of money for them doing virtually nothing.
You think you have paid for something, but the small print says that it isn't yours at all. You just have a licence to use it until the manufacturer says otherwise.
Bought an exercise bike or treadmill from that company with loads of telly ads? No you haven't. If you don't pay the monthly sub, the brakes are jammed on.
Bought a Toyota in the last couple of years? The heated seats don't work after the "introductory period" unless you pay monthly.
Of course, should the outfit involved go bust, everyone using their products has useless kit on their hands, because the needed servers will be switched off. There are already people with heart pacemakers which can no longer be monitored or adjusted.
That more or less describes the situation that large and small companies found themselves in who had bought commercial copying machines in the 1980s-1990s. The machines weren't cheap but the purchasing contract had the clause that the seller regularly maintained the machines. Along with the annual maintenance fee was the inclusion of twopence per copy that had been run off during the period in between maintenance visits.
We were lucky in that our maintenance provider folded and declared themselves bankrupt and their company's contracts were taken taken over by one of the directors (name of Robin Banks). He submitted his Business Terms and Conditions which quoted the increased price of three pence per copy. By rights he should have quoted the same price that each customer had been paying, but by demanding an increased maintenance price he was outside the law and we were freeeeeeeeee.
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Despite my reluctance to keep my HP printer, I attached an usb cable and lo and behold it started to perform normally. Cross fingers and hope this continues.
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I've been meaning to cancel my subscription for a year or two now, but the latest price increase has firmed my resolve.
Am I right in thinking that when I do cancel the ink cartridges currently installed (and supplied under the subscription) will stop working, so I need to buy more myself and have them ready for the day the cancellation kicks in, please?
Many thanks
STG
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Good morning,
[1quote author=SmallTownGirl link=topic=861139.msg7644709#msg7644709 date=1743589366]
I've been meaning to cancel my subscription for a year or two now, but the latest price increase has firmed my resolve.
Am I right in thinking that when I do cancel the ink cartridges currently installed (and supplied under the subscription) will stop working, so I need to buy more myself and have them ready for the day the cancellation kicks in, please?
Many thanks
STG
[/quote]
Yes, that is true. If I remember correctly it doe's tell you in the small print when you first sign up. You would need to monitor your ink levels and cancel when they are very low and before they send a new supply.
John915
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Many thanks, John.
I'll get some cartridges ordered so that I'm ready for when HP switch of the subscription.
Fingers crossed it works, eh?
STG