HP Officejet Pro 8600 - Now won't print in Black Ink Only!

[ErinB23]

We bought our HP Officejet 8600 PRO from PC World last year for our small office.

I asked the sales guy about the printer before buying, he assured me that as the printer has cartridges for the different colours we'd only have to replace the colours we use and he also assured me that it would print "black only". It's "very economic" he said. (Yeah right!)

Well, we've had nothing but problems. We had an issue a few weeks in when the setup cartridges ran out, the new inks wouldnt register and we had to return the machine, not to the local PC World where we bought it, but to HP in Holland by courier! We were told by HP to keep the ink head (socket for inks) as that would not be supplied with the new printer. 

When the new one finally arrived, the head wouldn't register new inks again. Best call HP again hey... HP tried to charge us for a new head, which I refused. Then they tried to charge us for delivery of the new head, I also refused. We then had to wait WEEKS for the new head to arrive before I had to fit it myself (like I'm some sort of printer engineer!). So after all that messing around there was no need to return the printer, just replace the head. Nightmare. In the mean time we have no printing facilities in our office and things were turning to chaos.

We never use the colour ink, always the black ink only setting, but we've had to change all the colours twice in 12 Months. It costs a fortune! 

Bottom line is, I will never ever as long as I live recommend or buy a HP printer again. They're useless.

I also agree that its a built in setting of HP to not print "Black Only" when another colour has depleted. [Moderator edited comment and sent PM]. It's not fair on the customers who have already spent money on the HP printer. 

[olilynton]

Having posted on this feed many times my 8600 now stands idle serving only as a large, and very expensve, scanner. I have since bought a replacement printer from another company that does what it says in the manual.

Adios HP

[James611]

I just purchased a HP Officejet Pro 8600 about six weeks ago, I can't believe it won't print in black only

after running out of color.  I have been an avid HP buyer for many years, Today I took my nearly new HP

Office Jet Pro 8600 and threw it in the trash. Nice move HP, I'll never buy another HP Product again

just another company ripping off the public. I know quite a few people who use HP, you guess what I'm

going to tell them.

[1216bandit]

I have to believe that no one from HP reads any of this otherwise they would have done something about it.  My colour cartridges are low and the cost for replacement, including the black, is more than the cost of a new 8600 which is on sale!  Shame on you HP...I will trash this thing and go with something else before you ever get another nickle out of me.  It is outrageous that you have not dealt with this.

[Bob_Headrick]

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@1216bandit wrote:

I have to believe that no one from HP reads any of this otherwise they would have done something about it.  My colour cartridges are low and the cost for replacement, including the black, is more than the cost of a new 8600 which is on sale!  [snip]

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The set of standard size cartridges is $27 + $57 = $84.  Where can you find a new Officejet Pro 8600 for $84 or less?  I may need to pick up another as a spare.

[1216bandit]

the printer is on for $129.97 at staples in Canada.  The black high yield ink is $49 and the color is $36.80 each which comes to $159.40....both prices are before taxes! 

[sacha2015]

I agree wit every1..HP is a big rip off...

Why cant we print black ink only? We already choose to buy your HP printer why cant u give us a choice to choose black ink only...WHY DO WE HAVE TO BUY COLOR INK ALSO..

NEVER ME AGAIN WIT HP...U LOST ME AS A CUSTOMER

[olilynton]

I have been off this post for a while and my HP Officejet "Pro" is now just used as an oversized scanner as I upgraded to an Epson that not only prints in black but also picks up photo paper without any issues.

Adieux HP

[trimanbj]

I have used, sold, recommended and advocated using HP equipment since the VERY small HP Touchscreen 150 I believe it was called. Sold Multi Station VAR CADD systems with HP Super Mini's and large HP Plotters. All I can say now to all the Architectural, Engineering and Aero Space companies is "I am so VERY SORRY and I hope you will forgive my misplaced loyalties. I too continue to be the receiver of HP's predatory and destructive practices with my 8600 Pro. 3 full BLACK cartridges that are of no use since my Yellow shows empty and my INK Supplier lost my order. I know my yellow is over 3 years old but that is because I DONT use color. HP - I will never buy your printers again much less your ink. You have made all the $ off of me and my clients that you will ever do. What a destructive corporation.

[crispy40]

I found  a way to print in black only: I have to reset preferences everytikme I print BUT I agree w the previuos post. It is unconceivable that we have to buy color ink when we never print in color just so that the balck will work. HP knows **bleep** well this was a  trick to gauge us (clearly adding yellow to balck does not enhance black quality)

Bad company!