Replacement service, is what printer manufacturers’ offer to their users nowadays. When you buy a printer, you can subscribe to this service so that when your printer runs low on ink, they will automatically send you a replacement cartridge. Sounds convenient? It actually is. But I’m not advising you to subscribe just yet. This kind of program is all good and convenient but this service is something you might not need at all.
HP Instant Ink is perhaps the most that we hear a lot. It’s easy, hassle-free and convenient. But let’s take a closer look on what you’re going to sign up for.
The number of print pages
Once you subscribe, you are going to pay for a plan. Yes, it is a monthly subscription that automatically adds up to your bill. But what are you paying or? The cheapest offer is $2.99 every month and could go up to $9.99. Yes, you read it right and you might even think it’s actually cheap. For a $2.99 monthly subscription, you get for 50 prints a month and it gets higher depending on your plan. So what could be the problem if it is this cheap? Well, it matters on the frequency of your printing. Now, regardless whether you print in color or black, full page or just one line of print, it still counts as 1. If you have 50 prints monthly subscription that would totally limit your printing activities.
Extra payment fee
With regards to the set number of prints, you will be of course charged for extra pages that you print. HP Instant ink additional charge of $1 for every 15 to 25 prints depending on your plan. Yes, this does not sound like a big deal. Some of us might be too willing to pay extra. But if you are a frequent printer or prints in high volume, you might want to weigh your options. How much in an average do you print in a month? You don’t want to be paying extra every month for something you could have avoided.
Days of delivery
If your business relies on continuous printing, this might not exactly the service for you. HP Instant ink sends replacement cartridges via standard shipping. This type of shipping could take up to 5- 10 business days. So if you’re in need of an immediate replacement, this might not work out for you. Unless, this long waiting period isn’t an issue for you.
HP monitors printing activity
How will HP know when to send the replacement? Once you subscribe to the program, HP is authorized to monitor your printer activities. This is how they learn when you reached your limited print page or you are printing extra. They monitor your ink level and use it as basis if you still have enough ink to last until your replacement arrives.
Unused prints add up
What if you did not use up all your prints? Well, it adds up to your next month’s number of prints. BUT only for a limited number of pages. Your pages can roll up from 50 pages up to 300 pages depending on your plan.
Have you considered getting subscribed to HP Instant Ink? But here’s the last catch. It only works on certain HP models. Some of these printers are priced around $100- $300 on average. For older printer models, you might need to upgrade and enroll your printer to the program.
Is HP Instant Ink worth it? Again, it will depend on your printing activities and its frequency.
Not worth it. I was sent new cartridges after 2 years because my printer wouldn’t print. Over two hours of diagnosis with a “pro” did not solve the problem. Frustrated, bought a new printer. Decided to use the “new” cartridges since I paid for them. HP shut them off so they were unusable.. No fair. I sent them back to HP and they never acknowledged anything. Poor setup in my mind.
WOW! this is GREAT information, so is definetly not worth it for a business, but i dont think is worth it for any context either, for example a home, which most likely wont use the entire limit per month, but then you wont be able to acumulate all of them, but you still will be paying, not a great deal for me.
Indeed it could look like a very small ammount compare to all the expenses in the house, but if is not the best deal, but maybe with time you could see a difference.
My brother had a very old model which you just needed to buy the replacement ink and set it by yourself, that should be just fine.
Thank you for the information, it was interesting, relevant and makes you be carefull of what you use and buy, love it! This is the kind of information you don’t get clear or very specified when you purchase a printer, am i right?, so once you have it, what options do you have?. It leaves to reflection.