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People are very angry about HP printers. Wait, wait, let me correct this: People are angry about all printers, always have been, but HP printers have become especially annoying in the last few years. HP’s attempt to lock users into its expensive, proprietary ink has led to a class action lawsuit, but the outcome may not be what you wanted to hear.
Last week, a federal judge in California finally settled a lawsuit that had dragged on for more than four years, leaving Hewlett-Packard with no admission of fault or compensation for the vast majority of users affected by software updates that the plaintiffs called “malware.” Each of the three parties involved in the lawsuit will receive $5,000 in damages, and users will be given the opportunity to roll back the affected updates on 21 LaserJet printers. Ars Technica has published a full list of the affected models.
Models released before 2016 are included… but that’s a relatively small percentage of printers still in use nearly a decade later. HP has begun, at least nominally, warning customers that its new printers have a “dynamic security” feature that blocks cartridges that don’t use HP’s proprietary authentication system. HP has seemingly abandoned its more public efforts to make printing a subscription service, but it continues to invest heavily in locking customers into its expensive printing systems.
As a consumer advocate and someone who occasionally prints, I recommend buying the cheapest Brother black and white laser printer and leaving the beautiful color prints to a specialist service. Brother printers are generally reliable, last a long time on a single toner cartridge, and are happy to accept refills from third parties even if the cartridge is empty.
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.
Post time: May-07-2025