Replacement printhead or new printer?

[milleniumaire]

Having purchased my Officejet Pro 8600 Plus in 2012 you could argue it has provided a long period of service, but in reality it hasn't been used much, maybe to print around 10 pages per month, more on occasion, but mainly used for scanning documents.

The dreaded error is "The printhead appears to be missing, not detected, or incorrectly installed".  I've googled all the possible fixes, but nothing works.  I did get this error about a month ago (possibly when I last printed), but turning off and back on seemed to clear it, now it is permanent!

So, my options are:

1. Purchase a new printhead.  I'm not even sure if HP supply them, but there appear to be "compatible" printheads available.  Prices are high at over £100, which seems extremely high given the price of the printers!  Even if I purchase a new printhead, which would be the most environmentally friendly option, I don't feel confident it will resolve my issue given some of the forums I've read!

2. Purchase a new 9000 series all in one printer.  Just over £200 will get me a brand new printer.  What a waste to have to throw away my existing printer, which really should be repairable!  I believe these newer printers use different cartridges, so my spare full set of 951 cartridges for the 8600 would be wasted!  Why do HP have to keep changing cartridges?

3. Look at a printer from another manufacturer in the hope they will a) be more reliable, b) be more recyclable and c) it will be cheaper to run (cost of cartridges).

I'm also completely confused by the 9000 series range.  On the HP website they all look the same to me, but all have different prices.  I've no idea what the differences are for example, between the 9022 and the 9022e or the 9022e and the 9025.  Why do HP have to make it so complicated?

I'm also a little concerned about the quality of the scanner in the 9000 series.  My 8600 can scan at 4800 dpi if I choose, but the 9000 range states it scans at 1200 dpi, which seems quite low and a definite step backwards.  Possibly a reason to look at another manufacturer?

I would appreciate your thoughts?

[Kumar0307]

@milleniumaire, Welcome to the HP Support Community! I’m here to help.

I understand you are not able to print due to this error. Kindly perform the steps mentioned in this document - Printhead errors

Reinsert the ink cartridges.

If the error persists, I'm afraid the printhead has gone bad. It is removable but I'd not recommend replacing it as it may or may not resolve this issue and the printhead costs as much as a new printer.

Note: If you have many unused ink cartridges already in stock, you may replace the printhead at your own discretion depending on its availability.

You may visit the online Hp Store to check its availability or to order it. Also, for more info on HP Officejet 9000 printers, you may refer to its specifications or contact the HP sales team.

If the printer is out of warranty, I suggest you upgrade the printer. You may visit Hp Store to check the available printers.

Keep me posted for any other assistance.

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

Click on the YES button to reply that the response was helpful and/or to say “Thank You”.

Have a great day! 

[milleniumaire]

It is disappointing to be told it is more cost effective to replace a printer when a component (the printhead) makes up about 5% of the size of the machine.  I'm not an environmentalist but I expected better and hate the throw away culture!

After buying only HP printers over the last 25 years, this has got me frustrated enough to try another brand.  The cost of HP print cartridges is also a factor, so I have decided to go with an Epsom EcoTank multifunction printer.

So long HP printers, for now at least.