HP Officejet 6100 ePrinter

Bottom Line

The HP Officejet 6100 ePrinter is a great choice for homes or small offices that need a wireless printer. It doesn't offer dual-sided printing or other upmarket features, but has an ample paper tray and performs very well.

Performance

Nice prints in a jiffy. Professional and amateur photographers alike agree that the HP Officejet 6100 is an impressive basic printer. Tests show that this speedy performer is especially adept at producing clean black text. Reviewers say that while photo and color prints are decent, they're unlikely to wow you; best photo results require glossy stock.

A few owners note that the printer is noisy. One who gives the printer 4 out of 5 stars calls it "a bit clunky, like an old washing machine as it prepares to print." As with many printers, there are some complaints about paper jams.

Features and Design

Virtual connectivity, 250-sheet paper tray. Given its price class, you shouldn't expect too many bells and whistles with the HP Officejet 6100 ePrinter. It doesn't include a memory card reader, a preview screen or PictBridge, which allows printing directly from a camera.

Connectivity, however, is excellent. The 6100 is networkable via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and there's support for printing directly from iOS devices like the iPad via Apple AirPrint. It also has access to HP ePrint, a service with which you can email documents directly to the printer from anywhere and from any device, including smartphones, although with sometimes reduced print quality. And, yes, you can connect the printer to your PC directly via USB.

The HP 6100 isn't the sleekest device out there, but at 7.1 by 18.4 by 15.3 inches and 10.6 pounds, it fits well in home or small offices. Its one paper tray is larger than most, holding 250 sheets. Automatic double-sided printing isn't an option, and if you want to print on different-sized stock like envelopes, you must remove all paper from the tray first, PCMag says.

Durability

Startup ink cartridges won't last long. Few reviews address the durability of the HP Officejet 6100 ePrinter. Ink usage is always a concern, however, and HP ships the printer with only startup cartridges that run out after about 35 pages, according to one reviewer. After replacing those, "the ink lasts longer than most," one user claims, but others say ink consumption is pretty high. This split opinion isn't a surprise, since feedback on ink usage tends to vary widely depending on owner expectations and exactly what's being printed. Color ink cartridges can be purchased individually.