Technology makes life easier; there’s no question about it. From smartphones to the internet to vehicles, modern tech helps us do more with our lives.
One device that every home and office should have is a printer. Whether the kids are printing out school assignments, the adults are scanning documents, or printing family photos, printers allow you to turn anything you create digitally into something physical.
HP has been a leading name in the printer industry for years for their innovative machines. Today, they’re still innovating, with modern ways for customers to buy HP ink cartridges that are seamless and continuous. HP’s subscription ink service called HP Instant Ink, means that customers will have ink delivered to their door in cycles for a recurring subscription fee. But is this service worth the cash or just another cash grab?
In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of Instant Ink and weigh up if it’s a worthwhile fee for HP customers.
What is HP Instant Ink?
The Instant Ink program is a monthly service similar to the subscriptions you already have, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and other retail subscriptions. HP is changing the way customers buy ink at a competitive price. However, after years of high cartridge prices, some customers are still wary and apprehensive about the service.
How Does it Work?
This subscription service functions a bit differently from other similar products. HP will only send you the amount of ink you need when you need it. So, it isn’t quite as “instant” as the name suggests, as you need to wait for delivery, and it is not a regular shipment of ink. However, in theory, the tech behind this service will determine your ordering patterns and, ideally, send out the ink when you are almost at the end of your current cartridges.
The model works differently from the way you’re used to buying ink. Instead of buying and owning a cartridge outright and printing when you need to, the Instant Ink service means that you pay to print a set amount of pages each month, depending on what package you choose for your service. The Instant Ink program comes in different price points, so you can pick a plan that suits your printing volume best. Replacement cartridges get automatically sent to you as your current cartridge hits empty. Fortunately, there is no long-term lock-in contract with HP Instant Ink, just a monthly commitment so that you can cancel at any time.
The price of the Instant Ink service varies, depending on the amount of ink you require. It ranges from USD 2.99 for ten pages a month all the way up to USD 44.99 a month for up to 700 pages, which is likely suitable for businesses or those that print a high volume for various reasons.
What Does Instant Ink Ready Mean?
You’ll likely see the phrase “HP Instant Ink Ready” on most new HP printers available on the market today. This means that these new printers can take HP Instant Ink cartridges. Older HP printer models aren’t designed to use HP Instant Ink cartridges, so you can’t sign up for HP Instant Ink if you own an older model. Luckily, there is a list available that contains all the printer models that can use instant ink cartridges.
What do Instant Ink Cartridges Look Like?
You might be surprised to learn that HP Instant Ink cartridges don’t look like regular HP ink cartridges that you are used to seeing. Instead, Instant Ink cartridges are much bigger and, luckily, contain more ink than standard and even XL HP ink cartridges.
Is it Right for Me?
The idea is for HP customers not to need to replace cartridges as often and to rely on the subscription service. However, suppose you’re not a frequent printer user. In that case, however, you may find this service is not worth the money, as printer ink cartridges tend to dry up when left unused for a while. This applies even more so if you have a larger cartridge with more ink in it. It may be worth assessing how much you print each month and what it costs you to buy cartridges outright. Then, you can compare this to the different price points that Instant Ink offers.
Also, a reoccurring fee and delivery make less sense when you use your printer sporadically, as it’s hard to estimate when you’ll need more ink and you may receive some that you won’t use. You may find that it is cheaper for you to continue to buy ink cartridges instead of using this fee-for-service program.
However, if you print a large volume each month for various reasons, such as kids’ homework, working from home or running a small business, you may find that this ink subscription service actually saves you some money in the long run.
In Summary
HP’s Instant Ink subscription service can be a huge help for customers who are fed up with running to the shop when their printer suddenly runs out of ink. However, it’s not a reasonable solution for everyone; people who don’t print often may end up overpaying and have ink go to waste. It depends on how much you print each month and whether the service’s cost will save you money compared to buying ink cartridges outright.
