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HP OfficeJet Pro 8500

*Est. $270

Reviewed January 2010
HP OfficeJet Pro 8500

pros
  • Excellent text-printing speed
  • Good scans and photos
  • Low running costs
cons
  • Not as good for text as a laser printer
  • Wireless networking extra
  • Rudimentary LCD screen
 
 
 
 

The HP Officejet Pro 8500 is aimed at small offices, boasting faster print speeds than most all-in-one printers. In low-quality mode, reviewers confirm that the Officejet Pro 8500 approaches the speeds of a laser printer, though output is not as crisp. HP claims that the Officejet Pro 8500 costs less to run than a laser printer, and reviews find that this can be true under some conditions. It prints, copies, faxes and scans, and includes office-friendly features such as an automatic document feeder (35-page capacity), auto-duplexer and a 15,000 page-per-month duty cycle. The printer is networkable, but wireless networking is only available on the costlier HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless (*Est. $350). The Officejet 8500 is a bit bulkier than similar multifunction printers, such as the HP Photosmart Premium Fax (*Est. $200); it measures about 20 inches by 19 inches by 12 inches, and weighs about 27 pounds.

PCMag.com, one of the most prolific and well-documented testers of printers, gives the HP Officejet Pro 8500 top marks. Other reviewers, such as PC World (Australia) and Britain's IT Reviews and PC Advisor, are generally pleased with this model. Reviews at Amazon.com are generally good, though there are some consumer complaints, which are also made about other HP printer models.

     
 
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HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless All-In-One Printer
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New: $488.00   
In Stock.
Average Customer Review:  
 
 
 
 
     
 
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HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One Inkjet Printer (CC335A#ABA)
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from Amazon.com
New: $367.00   
In Stock.
Average Customer Review:  
 
 
 
 
Where To Buy
 
 
Featured StoresStore RatingNotesTotal Price
StaplesStaples rated 3.00 (117 reviews)117 store reviewsIn Stock. New$299.98
HP DirectHP Direct rated 4.00 (252 reviews)252 store reviewsIn Stock. Free Shipping$299.99
AmazonAmazon rated 3.50 (1675 reviews)1675 store reviewsIn Stock. Get free shipping on orders over $25!$299.99
 
 
 

Our Sources

1. PCMag.com

M. David Stone reports that text speed and quality is good on the HP Officejet Pro 8500, comparable to a slow laser printer. He says that photos and graphics are even better, and they print faster too. While he names this multifunction printer his Editors' Choice, Stone points out that he's testing the Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless model, which also has a larger scanning bed than the base model, and adds touch-screen controls.

Review: HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless All-In-One, M. David Stone, May 8, 2009

2. PC World (Australia)

James Hutchinson also takes a look at the wireless variant of the HP Officejet Pro 8500, which he rates highly. He finds the consumables a better value than the printer itself, and Hutchinson complains about a time-wasting self-cleaning process that precedes printing. Draft speeds are described as on par with mid-range laser printers such as the Brother MFC-9840CDW, but text quality on lasers is still superior.

Review: HP Officejet Pro 8500 Wireless, James Hutchinson, May 12, 2009

3. ITReviews.co.uk

Testers at British site IT Reviews find that the HP Officejet Pro 8500 mostly lives up to its manufacturer's claim that low-cost consumables make it cheaper to run than a laser printer. This, and the various print, scan and fax features, compensate for the somewhat higher price. However, IT Reviews points out that the Officejet Pro 8500 is still significantly slower than a laser, which could be a deal-breaker in some office environments.

Review: HP Officejet Pro 8500, Editors of IT Reviews, April 15, 2009

4. PC Advisor

Reviewer Robin Morris finds the Officejet Pro 8500 inexpensive to run, and a fast printer. While text at laser-printer speed cannot compete with lasers in quality, Morris finds output better than many cheap inkjets. Ultimately, the Officejet Pro 8500 is praised as a good all-around printer for general office jobs, though workplaces requiring a lot of text printing should still stick with a laser.

Review: HP Officejet Pro 8500 All-in-one Review, Robin Morris, April 8, 2009

5. Amazon.com

Over 25 users report on their experiences with the HP Officejet Pro 8500, and more than half are favorable. More than 100 users contribute reviews of the similar (but more expensive) wireless model; a third of them are negative, criticizing networking, print quality and HP's customer support.

Review: HP Officejet Pro 8500, Contributors to Amazon.com

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