A Decade With The HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 Wireless

For many years, I used Epson inkjet printers because of their print quality; however, I would constantly run into the issue of clogged printhead nozzles and degraded print quality. To resolve the issue, I would run the printer maintenance and head cleaning utilities which would normally fix the issue, at least temporarily, but it would also use up a ridiculous amount of ink with each cleaning (as you probably know, ink cartridges aren’t cheap). Eventually, printer maintenance and head cleaning wouldn’t work anymore so I’d have to buy a new printer. I think I went through three or four Epson inkjet printers replacing them every two to three years on average. 

After using Epson inkjet printers for so long, I decided to make a switch. It became too costly to keep wasting ink cartridges with constant head cleaning and printer maintenance and made no sense to have to replace the printers so often. After looking at various options, I decided to go with HP. I was hesitant at first given prior experience with some HP inkjet printers but after doing the research and seeing the HP printers in-store, I made the leap and I’m glad I did. Just to note, I’ve had plenty of experience with HP LaserJet and HP Color LaserJet printers and they do perform very well and can last a long time when properly maintained; however, my previous experience with HP inkjets weren’t as positive.

Since making the switch, I’ve only had to replace a HP printer once due to mechanical failure. My first HP printer, a multifunction HP OfficeJet, had terrific print quality, offered solid performance and longevity, didn’t require constant printhead cleaning and maintenance and it was affordable. When it broke down, I bought another HP and I’ve been extremely impressed with the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 Wireless which I’ve now had for over ten years and it’s still going. And yes, it does get plenty of use!

What has helped with longevity is the fact that the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 printheads are user replaceable consumables. There are two printheads required for the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 Wireless – one for Black & Yellow and one for Cyan & Magenta. When the printheads wear out, you’ll start to see print quality degrade. If routine printer maintenance does not resolve the issue, replace the printheads. I’ve replaced the printheads two or three times over the past 10+ years and the printer has worked like new.

Granted, the printheads aren’t cheap (around $70-$90 per printhead) but given that this OfficeJet Pro works like new with the new printheads, I chose to go this route rather than tossing the printer and buying a new one. Sure, if there was a hardware or mechanical failure, that’s a different story but if there’s a user accessible part that can be easily replaced and renews the life of the printer, it’s certainly worth a try!

You may wonder about compatibility with the latest operating systems and the good news is that printing currently still works in Windows 10/11 (using the generic Windows driver) and macOS (macOS requires installing the HP 5.1.1 Printer Software Update), scanning works in macOS but as the HP Solution Center software for Windows is no longer supported, unless you already have a pre-existing installation of the HP Solution Center software and related drivers (and HP Scan Extended or HP Scan and Capture), scanning will no longer work in Windows 10 and is not supported in Windows 11.

My only complaint with this printer from day one is with wireless. The wireless performance is choppy and unreliable, so I connect the printer to my network using a wired ethernet connection. It’s not a big deal as I typically prefer having the printer connected over a wired connection. Much has improved with wireless printers so if you buy a current model, you’ll probably have a better experience.

 

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HP 940 Printhead (Black & Yellow)

HP 940 Printhead (Cyan & Magenta)

HP 940XL Black Ink Cartridge

HP 940XL Cyan Ink Cartridge

HP 940XL Magenta Ink Cartridge

HP 940XL Yellow Ink Cartridge

 

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