do i have to buy color ink cartridges? HP Officejet Pro 8600 Plus Windows XP

[Billmanjjdhfhr]

Really??? I paid out for something better than the low price models to avoid some of the price gouging crap, but it seems the printer mfg just want to [Content Removed] people. The note that using color ink for B&W is for better quality is nonsense. I guess I'll end up ordering a refill kit after all [Content Removed]. $90+ for ink refills is idiotic. What I'm truly pissed about is I have to print something tonight and have a new full black cartridge that I apparently can't use because the [Content Removed] yellow is empty.

[VinnyMac]

I agree with the above comment. Before I bought the OfficeJet Pro 8600, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED the customer assistant on the phone if I'd still be able to print if one of the colors ran out. He said, "yes." He told me a BOLD-FACED LIE. I just bought a new cartridge of black ink, and low-and-behold, I still can't print because the Cyan ink is low...Now, I have to waste more of my money and make another long drive (or wait 2 weeks for delivery)! There's NO WAY that I would have bought this computer if I knew that I had to buy pink and yellow ink to print in black.

Between my HP laptop and printer, I'm starting to get pretty fed up with this company...This problem made me switch from Epson to HP. Unless there's some solution for this, I'm going to switch from HP to some other company.

[mkormendy]

This discussion here says this:

banhien wrote:

goanlass wrote:

I want to print in black only and i can't find the solution Help please

Hi,

We can't help because we don't know your printer. Please note, even print B&W, your printer still needs color inks during warming up process.

Regards.

It's an unacceptable answer. WHY does it need color to warm up?

[ravidubey]

This is unacceptable and a naked attempt to make people buy HP color ink more frequently.

[vask100]

i've come to realize HP is taking advantage of their customers by forcing them to buy color cartridges when all that is required is black and white printing. i'm in class and need to print notes (all in b&w) and i have 10+ pages of notes that i cannot detemine what the contents are to PRINT OVER; now i have to GO BACK TO THE STORE to get some **bleep** "c" cartridge, THAT i cannot just buy THAT cartridge i have to spend over FIFTY **bleep** dollars for all 3!!!

that's some **bleep**. add to the fact that the 8600 constantly loses its wireless connection and causes me to reboot the computer to reconnect, i'm thorougly dissatisfied with this printer, which i MUST use for WORK and SCHOOL.

HP should be better.....

[Cluffle]

I know this is an old post but frankly I am disgusted by how people are talking, about something, obviously many of you have absolutely no clue about.

The way printers are designed, is for the majority market. The printer you are all buying is not built for offices, it is not built for printing nothing but black and white. It is built for home use, for printing photographs, screenshots and yes, the occasional black and white document. 

However, the idea that this printer is designed completely against the market it is intended for, is ludicrous.

The way they are designed, is cheaper, safer, and more economic for toner use accross ALL colours. If you wanted a printer which is only going to be used for black and white printing, why not turn your brains on and save a bit of money by buying one that does just that? Only colours in black ink?

Although what the HP representitive stated was probably not giving enough information (answering stupid questions like this is obviously his TOP priority), he was completely correct to send you a link of all of the black and white printers that HP have to offer. These would have suited your needs better, something you should, have thought about doing before you invested your hard earned cash on a printer which doesn't suit your needs!

[VinnyMac]

@Cluffle

Oh, it's built for the mass market? Thanks for explaining the market for practically every consumer product on every shelf ANYWHERE. I'll admit that I haven't read most of the messages here in a while, but I don't remember anyone claiming that the product "went against the market." I'm guessing that's just an asinine statement that you've come up with to support your rant. If you don't have a problem with the printer, then that's great, but don't make up quotes to argue against.

[Inkheadrip]

We were all set to buy this printer for my girlfriend who prints a lot in bw.  Wow!  You have to buy a $30 yellow ink cartridge to keep the bw one working even if you don't need to print in color?  We are so out of here.  We'll look elsewhere hp.  

The link to bw printers that hp provides is for laser only (toner is too expensive for her and she doesn't print thousands of pages at a time or want to spend $70 for each replacement cartridge.  

[Cluffle]

@VinnyMac

I'm sorry? I dont see where I made a quote without backing, I was stating my opinion. I was implying that the idea of making it a more expensive model for all users, just for the (+/-) 1% who want to colour in black ink is a silly idea. 

I understand everyones frustration that they have to have colour ink in the printer to print in black and white, but if you used the printer for its intended purpose, the colour ink would come in useful very shortly anyway. 

The technology behind this concept is marvellous, its a cheaper method along with being safer for the printer. If they were to remove this, not only do you risk doing damage to the printer itself, but the initial price increase would be noticeable. Not to mention HP would have to develop special ink cartridges which would occupy this change, and considering they are for the (+/- )1% market share, these would be expensive too. 

It's just not practical from a business point of view to develop a printer which does this for you guys. It's a harsh truth I know. 

PS. Where did I claim that it was against the mass market. I claimed it was FOR the mass market currently, however if they made these changes it would be against the mass market as explained above. I'm sure some of the top heads at HP have thoughts about this, weighed up the options and decided to go down this way. As with every choice in business there is always a loser, that happens to be the people here who have made this thread, but let me ask you this, how many people are there out there who have this printer and haven't come on the internet to rant about it because it is working perfectly for their needs?

[MAM17]

Inkheadrip,

I wish you could buy a $30 replacement yellow ink only cartridge!!

My experience has been you have  to spend $100 for all the colors - every time. Even if you only need to print with black.

That is the whole problem. The rip off, the class action lawsuit, etc..

Now, my display screen has gone light on me. I can't wait to see how HP will hold me hostage this time.

Do not buy any HP product!!!