HP may introduce subscription for printers. What do you think?

[Piotr Kostrzewski]

Today I read that HP may introduce subscription for printers. What do you think?
Translation of a fragment of the article: " HP simply wants to sell them cheaper - for $6.99 (approx. PLN 30/month), the company will send the printer to the user's home. At this price, there will be 20 pages to print per month, with ink automatically supplied ( when it runs out), as well as technical support. The manufacturer hopes to convince people who print rarely to purchase - they would consider that the amount of PLN 30 is low enough to decide on such cooperation and rent a printer. In turn, people "who print frequently can choose the $35.99/month option and can then print up to 700 pages per month."
I can send a link to the article if anyone is interested (in Polish)

[Moonchild]

It's BS. inkjet printers are one of the biggest grifts out there. subscription printers are worse.

Do the math. 20 pages per month for $7? You can go to a copy shop and print photos for that amount of money.
Also fine print: after 12 days "grace" you are locked for 2 years with a high cancellation fee.

Anyone in need of a home printer should pick up a cheap laser printer and not worry about running costs. e.g. I've had a Samsung color laser for many years now, I print somewhat regularly, and I'm still on my original toner cartridges. On a tight budget? get a monochrome one.
You won't be suddenly "out of pages to print" when you happen to print more in a certain month either, e.g. when you have to file a tax return or what not.

At $36/month you'll have your laser printer investment back after about 6 months or so (unless you splurge) and you know the best part? That printer will be your property.

[Piotr Kostrzewski]

It's BS. inkjet printers are one of the biggest grifts out there.

Anyone in need of a home printer should pick up a cheap laser printer and not worry about running costs. e.g. I've had a Samsung color laser for many years now, I print somewhat regularly, and I'm still on my original toner cartridges. On a tight budget? get a monochrome one.
You won't be suddenly "out of pages to print" when you happen to print more in a certain month either, e.g. when you have to file a tax return or what not.

At $36/month you'll have your laser printer investment back after about 6 months or so (unless you splurge) and you know the best part? That printer will be your property.

You're right. Nowadays, almost everything is moving towards subscriptions. In Poland there were (I don't know if they still are) smartphones for rent. I prefer to own.
What is the situation in your country with subscriptions etc?

[Pentium4User]

I won't subscribe to such a service. I will use my old printers until they finally stop working. Then I will buy used ones that are old and donÄt have subscription models nor planned obsolescence.

[Piotr Kostrzewski]

I won't subscribe to such a service. I will use my old printers until they finally stop working. Then I will buy used ones that are old and donÄt have subscription models nor planned obsolescence.

This is some solution. Until used printers without subscription are available.

[Pentium4User]

I won't subscribe to such a service. I will use my old printers until they finally stop working. Then I will buy used ones that are old and donÄt have subscription models nor planned obsolescence.

This is some solution. Until used printers without subscription are available.

I am sure they will. I have an old OfficeJet 350, no network, no vendor-lock-in cartridges, more than 25 years old. Cartridge can be refilled.

[Piotr Kostrzewski]

I am sure they will. I have an old OfficeJet 350, no network, no vendor-lock-in cartridges, more than 25 years old. Cartridge can be refilled.

Works without repairs? Today's equipment probably won't work that well.

[Pentium4User]

I am sure they will. I have an old OfficeJet 350, no network, no vendor-lock-in cartridges, more than 25 years old. Cartridge can be refilled.

Works without repairs? Today's equipment probably won't work that well.

I needed to lubricate the carriage. That was the only repair task I did. The printer was sitting unused for years in my uncle's living room.

[Piotr Kostrzewski]

I needed to lubricate the carriage. That was the only repair task I did. The printer was sitting unused for years in my uncle's living room.

That's not a lot of repairs.

[Basilisk-Dev]

Sounds like a scam to me. I'll stick with my old HP laser printer. I share them over the network through my home server and am able to print from any machine in the house just like a modern networked printer. Works from my Windows and Linux machines as well as my wife's Mac, and there is no subscription needed.

[Echedelle]

It's BS. inkjet printers are one of the biggest grifts out there. subscription printers are worse.

Do the math. 20 pages per month for $7? You can go to a copy shop and print photos for that amount of money.
Also fine print: after 12 days "grace" you are locked for 2 years with a high cancellation fee.

Anyone in need of a home printer should pick up a cheap laser printer and not worry about running costs. e.g. I've had a Samsung color laser for many years now, I print somewhat regularly, and I'm still on my original toner cartridges. On a tight budget? get a monochrome one.
You won't be suddenly "out of pages to print" when you happen to print more in a certain month either, e.g. when you have to file a tax return or what not.

At $36/month you'll have your laser printer investment back after about 6 months or so (unless you splurge) and you know the best part? That printer will be your property.

In fact, some offices use to resell their (small-size) laser printers sometimes if you are lucky enough. Some people have also told me that continuous ink is also very nice in case of not wanting to/cannot pay for a laser.

[moonbat]

In general, never buy any physical product that is wholly dependent on a proprietary online service to function. I'm assuming the printer needs to connect to an HP server to verify your subscriptions. Same reason I shun similar smart devices, let alone Google Home or Alexa.

[Moonchild]

I've not read the terms and conditions, but ultimately this seems like you're getting the short end of two sticks: You're bound to their service and the internet and HP's servers working for your printer to function, but you're also responsible for your own maintenance. So it's not really a purchase because you don't really own the device if they determine your use of the device and can at any point decide to make it not function, but you're also not leasing/renting it because you yourself will have to deal with any issues (e.g. clogged print head or what not) and maintenance overall. So none of the benefits of either a purchase or leasing, but all of the negatives...

[fatboy]

I think that HP should go burn a slow death in a dumpster

[suzyne]

Do people really care about HP branded printers?

Just switch to one of the multinational Japanese brands like Brother, Canon, or Epson.