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       People hate printers. They have a lot of parts that wear out and require expensive ink refills. But things got worse when HP started making printers that required a 24/7 internet connection and blocked third-party cartridges with DRM.
       The situation became so bad that consumers began suing HP, which eventually decided to err on the side of caution and discontinued production of the HP+ e-series printers.
       According to a statement obtained by German site Drucker Channel (and spotted by Tom’s Hardware), HP has discontinued the HP+ LaserJet series of printers, effective immediately. This includes more than a dozen printer models from different series that are virtually identical to other designs, save for the letter “e” added to the end of the model number.
       Below is a list of the affected models. Again, these models all have similar numbers, just without the “e” at the end, and should still be sold:
       All of these models require an active Internet connection to HP servers to print and have stricter DRM protection to force users to use expensive HP ink instead of third-party refills.
       You probably already know that manufacturers sell cheap printers to get you to spend a ton of money on ink, but HP has taken it a step further by turning ink into a subscription model.
       HP+ Instant Ink Upgrade automatically orders new toner when the printer indicates that the toner cartridge is low. This, of course, does not prompt the printer to reduce the toner pack or cause a failure when you press the Order button if the current cartridge is not completely empty. Not at all.
       HP also said that Instant Ink is dead. It will be shut down later this year, but existing users of the service may be able to continue using it. The same goes for the Always Connected e-series printers — they will disappear from store shelves, but existing printers will not be turned off.
       However, HP’s statement (machine translated, as I don’t understand German) does not say that always-on printers currently in use will be updated or modified to remove this dependency. So if you have a printer sold under the HP+ program, you may still need to keep it printing 24/7… as long as HP’s servers are running.
       The attempt to turn print into a subscription service was met with strong resistance from many consumers early on. While it makes sense for businesses to build supply chains to meet their print needs, home users’ reliance on print is declining—and by design.
       Today, all you need is a mobile phone to send packages, attend concerts and sporting events, and even ride trains and buses. Many people no longer have printers, and when they need to print something, they prefer to go to stores like FedEx or libraries.
       HP’s attempt to lock users into its ecosystem of artificially inflated ink prices hasn’t gone down well. Earlier this year, some users in the U.S. filed a class action lawsuit against HP after discovering that they couldn’t use third-party cartridges after updating their printer software.
       This isn’t the first time HP has taken a step like this, nor the first time it’s been sued by its own customers. While HP didn’t mention these legal issues when it announced it was discontinuing its always-on printer and subscription services, it appears someone had them in mind when they made the call.
       As a former printer, I know all too well the necessity of printing, and the aversion of the average user. A few years ago, I bought a cheap Brother laser printer, which I now recommend to anyone who only needs to print the occasional black-and-white shipping label or document. It connects via Wi-Fi, boots up quickly even after months of not being turned on, and works great with cheap third-party toner.
       Michael is a tech journalist with 10 years of experience, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. He’s a lifelong PCWorld keyboard junkie, always carrying a new keyboard to review, and in his spare time he’s building new mechanical keyboards or expanding his desktop battle station. Michael has written for magazines like Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress. Michael lives in Pennsylvania and is always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.