Summary. Anyone shopping for an office-grade multi-function printer in the $300 to $400 price range will want to consider the HP Officejet Pro 8500A Premium. Because the printer uses high output ink cartridges, the savings in ink alone will generally pay for the cost of the printer. Additionally, the Plus and Premium models have a legal size flatbed scanner built-in, making them excellent for scanning large format documents or images.
Shop Online. The printer is usually available in stores and online through the following stores.
- Apple – 8500A Plus
- HP – 8500A Plus | 8500A Premium
- Office Depot – 8500A Plus | 8500A Premium
- As of 8 June 2011, these models were on sale at Office Depot for $120 to $150 off respectively.
- ResourcesForLife.com Store – 8500A Plus | 8500A Premium
- Staples – 8500A Plus | 8500A Premium
Features. These are the features that make this printer unique, desireable, and economical.
- Apple AirPrint compatibility allows for direct printing from iOS devices such as Apple iPad, iPod, iPhone.
- ePrint technology lets you print from anywhere with your mobile device over the Internet.
- Print PC-free from the web using the 4.3″ touchscreen.
- Built-in wireless networking lets you share with other users. With integrated wireless networking, you can print from almost anywhere in your home or small office (includes a wired network connection, too).
- High-speed printing — up to 15 pages per minute in black, 11 in color (ISO standard).
- Legal-size glass is great for legal, real estate and other business offices.
- Automatic double-sided printing helps save paper costs.
- Features a 250-sheet paper tray, plus a 50-sheet auto document feeder.
- Print professional color documents for up to 50% lower cost per page than lasers, using HP Officejet inks.
Considerations. Below are some considerations for optimal usefulness of this printer.
- Ink Savings. To maximize ink savings, it is recommended to set your print output to draft mode, grayscale, using the black ink cartridge only.
- Money Savings. Frequently turning the printer on and off may use up in and wear out the printer.
- Reliability. To keep the printer performing reliably, it may be necessary to try some different wireless connection settings.
Feedback. Below is some feedback regarding this printer and/or similar printers.
“When I started researching what printer to buy, I was surprised to see all of the very negative one-star ratings that the OfficeJet 8500A was receiving. I’m glad I purchased the printer despite all the negative reviews. It’s one of the nicest printers I’ve worked with.” ~ Greg Johnson