My previous printer was a high-end Epson with two paper drawers. And ink that cost $80 per pop -- black and color. When I changed my cartridges recently, the printer worked for one day. It showed new ink levels. The next day? Said my cartridges were almost empty. I reinserted them. No change. So, because I need a printer, I bought the HP Envy 4520 -- my first HP printer ever (I've only used Epson and Canon in the past). To be fair, I'm not going to review it and mentally compare it to the previous printer, as they are two completely different classes.
Please keep in mind one thing, though: This is an inexpensive entry-level printer. Nothing insanely fancy. And far from professional-level scanning and printing. However, if you are a home-user (and not a power user), you will be perfectly okay with this printer.
PROS:
- Size is perfect and fits on a shelf; no need to use desk/counter space
- Touch screen is grayscale, but easy to use; it's responsive and basic. I have all the information I need
- The scanner is okay; resolution is not extremely high, but remember... this is an inexpensive home printer
- Edge-to-edge printing is nice
- Duplex printing on a printer in this price range? Great! This is one feature I absolutely can't live without
- Quickly and easily linked to my home network
- The Android app? Nice... Mobile printing is simple and easy
- My printer has it's own dedicated email, so I can actually send things to be printed when I'm not at home
- In my opinion, the Instant Ink program is great (read below for more details)
CONS:
- Print speed is a tad slower than I would like
- It has needed to be "re-added" to my network twice so far; I think it's more a network issue than printer issue, though; it's been fine for a few weeks
- While the touch screen shows the basic information, it is small!
Now. About the HP Instant Ink program...
I've read many reviews that are dead-set against this HP program. After doing research, I'm quite unsure why, honestly.
I love the program, and I think it's a great HP feature -- kudos to the company. (No, I don't work for HP, and I was not paid to list the following.
A few statistics about the Instant Ink program:
1. It's NOT required you join. You are not forced to sign up. You will not get constant ads.
2. They have multiple pricing plans for the program, and all are based on the number of pages you print each month.
3. The 50-page per month plan is $2.99; the 100-page, $4.00; 300-page, $9.99. And you can rollover unused pages.
4. Your printer automatically communicates to HP when you are about to run out of ink, and they ship you new cartridges. They are set to arrive before you run out.
5. The cartridges you get are higher-output than what you would buy in the store (according to HP).
6. Annual savings? $100-$700 based on the plan you choose and how much you print.
7. Free trial (30 days, I believe)
8. You can cancel or change your plan at any time. In fact, I've already upgraded mine based on my print output.
Now a few opinions about the above:
1. Who doesn't want to save money? I know I do. I also enjoy saving time. No need to go to the store and buy cartridges or order online.
2. My first set of ink cartridges were shipped 2 days after I had my printer. Why? The cartridges that come with the printer -- like most any printer -- are low-volume.
3. A pack of ink (black and color) would cost between $30-40 depending on where you purchased them. I'm on the $4.99 plan, so I'm spending about $60 per YEAR for ink. And I know I'll need replacements more than twice (once more if you include the initial shipment).
4. The HP account you sign up for tracks your printing (page use) so you can easiliy upgrade or even downgrade as necessary. You also know your "rollover" page count if applicable.
Overall?
A nice printer. With a great ink program attached. No complaints here.
Printer: 4 stars. 1 star added because of the attached Instant Ink program.
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| Price | — | $397.00 | $269.99 | — |
| Functions | Print, Scan, Copy | Print, Scan, Copy | Print, Scan, Copy | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax |
| Print speed black/color (up to) | 9.5 ppm black, 6.8 ppm color | 12 ppm black, 8 ppm color | 14 ppm black, 9 ppm color | 14 ppm black, 9 ppm color |
| Paper sizes supported (inches) | Letter, legal, No. 10 envelope, 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 | Letter, legal, No. 10 envelope, 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 | Letter, legal, No. 10 envelope, 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 | Letter, legal, No. 10 envelope, 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 |
| Auto document feeder (pages) | 25-sheet | |||
| Auto 2-sided printing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wireless networking | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11b/g/n | 802.11b/g/n |
| Borderless printing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Display (inches) | 2.2 mono touchscreen | 2.2 mono touchscreen | 2.65 color touchscreen | 3.5 color touchscreen |
| Dimensions (inches) | 17.52 x 14.45 x 5.04 | 17.87 x 16.14 x 6.14 | 17.87 x 16.14 x 6.34 | 17.87 x 16.14 x 7.60 |
| Paper tray capacity (input, output) | 100 sheets, 25 sheets | 125 sheets, 15 sheets photo, 25 sheets | 125 sheets, 15 sheets photo, 25 sheets | 125 sheets, 15 sheets photo, 25 sheets |
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| Price | $23.89 | $33.89 | $50.89 | $54.89 | $54.89 | — |
| Description | Print with confidence with standard yield HP cartridges. | Print with confidence with standard yield HP cartridges. | Print high volumes with high-yield HP XL cartridges. | Print high volumes with high-yield HP XL cartridges. | Shop less often and get the convenience of more than one HP cartridge in the pack. | Subscription plans—includes ink, recycling and free shipping. Save up to 50% on ink and never run out. |
| Page yield (each) | Up to 190 pages | Up to 165 pages | Up to 480 pages | Up to 330 pages | Black: Up to 190 pages; Tri-color: Up to 165 pages | 50, 100 or 300 pages/month |
| Cartridge color | Black | Tri-color | Black | Tri-color | Black, Tri-color | Black, Tri-color |
| What's in the box | 1 ink cartridge: Black | 1 ink cartridge: Tri-color | 1 ink cartridge: XL Black | 1 ink cartridge: XL Tri-color | 2 ink cartridges: Black, Tri-color | Enrollment card; requires online registration |
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Reviews with images
Outstanding value - plays well with Linux
This replaced an aged laser printer and is an ideal home/home-office printer. I am amazed by the features at this price point, some of which are quite clever. For example, the heads have to be aligned when ink cartridges are installed. The printer prints out an alignment page. Then it self-adjusts by scanning the page that you just printed.I am involved in several advocacy endeavors and I believe that the best method of contacting elected officials is by regular snail mail. The appearance of the printed page is very important to me. Letters (including envelopes) look very professional.NOW THEY TELL ME: Setting up the printer from Linux is challenging. Had I simply installed the HP app to my phone or Fire I could have made life much easier. You don't need the app to print stuff from your phone put it facilitates things like scan-to-email so I left it on my Fire 8.QUALITY: Print and scan quality are quite good; excellent really. I am using high quality, 24 lb. — 97 brightness premium paper which helps. Photos from a decent cell phone on glossy paper (which I have yet to try) should be pleasing as well. I have included a test page that was printed and then scanned to email at 300 DPI (the machine is capable of 1,200 DPI scan). It might give you some idea of the quality.E-PRINT: This is a free service from HP. They give you an email address which you can customize. If you send an email from anywhere to that email address the attachments will be printed. I am not entirely sure why one needs to print remotely but it is there if you need it at no cost.FRONT-ORIENTED: Paper input and printed output are to and from the front of the device. A little arm swings out when you print to support the output. Just swing it back in when you are done and it is out of the way. Saves space.LINUX: Hplip is included in my (Fedora) distro. However, it would not add the printer. The native printer utility worked perfectly and allows you to complete setup with quality and paper settings which can be adjusted per job. Everything works fine with LibreOffice including some beautiful color charts.ENVELOPE HANDLING: Better than my HP laser printer.DIAGNOSTICS: Everything you could possible want to know about the printer and its setting can be printed as various reports from the app or the front panel.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2017
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2017
I am involved in several advocacy endeavors and I believe that the best method of contacting elected officials is by regular snail mail. The appearance of the printed page is very important to me. Letters (including envelopes) look very professional.
NOW THEY TELL ME: Setting up the printer from Linux is challenging. Had I simply installed the HP app to my phone or Fire I could have made life much easier. You don't need the app to print stuff from your phone put it facilitates things like scan-to-email so I left it on my Fire 8.
QUALITY: Print and scan quality are quite good; excellent really. I am using high quality, 24 lb. — 97 brightness premium paper which helps. Photos from a decent cell phone on glossy paper (which I have yet to try) should be pleasing as well. I have included a test page that was printed and then scanned to email at 300 DPI (the machine is capable of 1,200 DPI scan). It might give you some idea of the quality.
E-PRINT: This is a free service from HP. They give you an email address which you can customize. If you send an email from anywhere to that email address the attachments will be printed. I am not entirely sure why one needs to print remotely but it is there if you need it at no cost.
FRONT-ORIENTED: Paper input and printed output are to and from the front of the device. A little arm swings out when you print to support the output. Just swing it back in when you are done and it is out of the way. Saves space.
LINUX: Hplip is included in my (Fedora) distro. However, it would not add the printer. The native printer utility worked perfectly and allows you to complete setup with quality and paper settings which can be adjusted per job. Everything works fine with LibreOffice including some beautiful color charts.
ENVELOPE HANDLING: Better than my HP laser printer.
DIAGNOSTICS: Everything you could possible want to know about the printer and its setting can be printed as various reports from the app or the front panel.
Outstanding value - plays well with Linux
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2017
This replaced an aged laser printer and is an ideal home/home-office printer. I am amazed by the features at this price point, some of which are quite clever. For example, the heads have to be aligned when ink cartridges are installed. The printer prints out an alignment page. Then it self-adjusts by scanning the page that you just printed.Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2017
I am involved in several advocacy endeavors and I believe that the best method of contacting elected officials is by regular snail mail. The appearance of the printed page is very important to me. Letters (including envelopes) look very professional.
NOW THEY TELL ME: Setting up the printer from Linux is challenging. Had I simply installed the HP app to my phone or Fire I could have made life much easier. You don't need the app to print stuff from your phone put it facilitates things like scan-to-email so I left it on my Fire 8.
QUALITY: Print and scan quality are quite good; excellent really. I am using high quality, 24 lb. — 97 brightness premium paper which helps. Photos from a decent cell phone on glossy paper (which I have yet to try) should be pleasing as well. I have included a test page that was printed and then scanned to email at 300 DPI (the machine is capable of 1,200 DPI scan). It might give you some idea of the quality.
E-PRINT: This is a free service from HP. They give you an email address which you can customize. If you send an email from anywhere to that email address the attachments will be printed. I am not entirely sure why one needs to print remotely but it is there if you need it at no cost.
FRONT-ORIENTED: Paper input and printed output are to and from the front of the device. A little arm swings out when you print to support the output. Just swing it back in when you are done and it is out of the way. Saves space.
LINUX: Hplip is included in my (Fedora) distro. However, it would not add the printer. The native printer utility worked perfectly and allows you to complete setup with quality and paper settings which can be adjusted per job. Everything works fine with LibreOffice including some beautiful color charts.
ENVELOPE HANDLING: Better than my HP laser printer.
DIAGNOSTICS: Everything you could possible want to know about the printer and its setting can be printed as various reports from the app or the front panel.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Isabelle C
Perfect printer for university purposes
Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2017Amazon Customer
Am very pleased with the results
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2017