HP Printer Instant Ink Plan

My HP printer is now located in the dusty lower shelf of our TV cabinet. It’s the perfect spot for the occasional use. When I got the printer, it was used primarily to print my digital custom pet portraits. I would mount them on foam board and hang them in the Wagtime shop on Capitol Hill by the Navy Yard. Since I no longer need to do that since we moved to northern Virginia, the printer use is much less. I also started an HP printer plan. HP would monitor the ink status and automatically send a cartridge when it was time, and the old cartridge would be mailed back for recycling in a pre paid envelope. I really liked the idea because I hated going to the store to buy ink. The plan was only $3.99 per month - a lot cheaper than buying the ink. This week I reviewed the plan and found that a lower priced plan was also available. It was only $0.99 per month. We rarely print anything anymore so this seemed like a great idea. So on the website the changes were made and the update was implemented beginning next month. If you do go over the allotted amount of printer pages in the month, you will pay more, but I just don’t see that happening. I’m glad I checked out the options again since it’s been a while and my printing needs have definitely changed. 

HP Printer Replacement Ink Cartridge Program

The primary use for my printer is to make my digital art pet portraits come to life so I can display them at the Wagtime Shop. My old printer bit the dust a couple weeks ago and I researched HP printers and decided on the HP Envy 5660 all in one e printer. Of course, none of my old ink cartridges will work in the new printer, but I was intrigued by the mail in ink replacement program that HP offered. I always seem to have to make special trips to get the ink, never really knowing exactly when it would need to be replaced. So I signed up for the cheapest option at $2.99 a month, with the first three months service charge free, and my introductory kit just came in the mail. The program starts once I insert the replacement cartridges that were sent, and then the printer orders the new ones on line when it figures out it is running low. The program is based on sheets printed rather than by month, and the price for the ink is supposed to be a lot less. Also enclosed in the kit is a recyclable pouch that you send back to HP postage free when the cartridges are empty. So far I am happy with the printer and looking forward to seeing how this works. At least now I only have two cartridges rather than four. It's a necessary evil for my artwork, but it's well worth it! 

HP Photosmart Printer Bit the Dust

When we first moved to DC ten years ago, I had to get a new printer. I remember driving out to some place in Virginia and getting an HP Photosmart printer because back in the day I would print a lot of personal photos. Plus it was nice to have FAX and scanning capability. A few years later, that one needed to be replaced and we got an all in one Photosmart printer that also required four ink cartridges. Now we use it primarily for my digital artwork and it takes FOREVER to print one page. I have a gallery wall at the Wagtime shop and I need the printer to make 8x10 photos that I mount on foam board. Yesterday I was trying to get a bit organized and print up the latest batch of pet portraits. The first one went without a hitch. Then I tried to make my business cards and they looked dreadful. I checked the ink and replaced a couple cartridges. I tried again. No luck. I cleaned the cartridges and ran a quality report. Terrible! I tried to align the cartridges and it failed the test. I turned it off an on, and cleaned the cartridges again. Nothing. It would get a little better, then scratchy again. I changed the black ink cartridge. Still nothing. After messing around with this for a couple of hours, I rechecked the website to see what else I could do. I wasn't about to change the print headers, or whatever they are - it would be easier to just replace the printer. Unfortunately I still have a few unopened and very expensive ink cartridges for this printer. So I spent the rest of the day looking at the newest HP printers available today and planned to get a replacement before the weekend. I also wondered if I should start sending the pet portrait images to a printing place rather than doing it myself. But then we wouldn't have the printer when we really needed it to print something out or make copies of other things. I'm hoping I can get a deal being that the school year just started. That will be the next story.