HP 4212 Ink
OfficeJet 4212 Ink Cartridges

HP 4212 Printer Review

The HP OfficeJet 4212 all-in-one inkjet printer is proof that buyers don't have to pay a lot to get basic printing, scanning, copying, and faxing. It is also compact enough to easily fit on a desktop, and the cost per page is reasonable, but color HP 4212 printer ink cannot be replaced individually, which could mean more waste.

The 4212 can reach fairly quick maximum speeds of up to 17 pages per minute in black and 12 pages per minute in color. This is under ideal conditions at the lowest quality setting, however. At the highest setting and a maximum resolution of 4800x1200, users should expect much slower times. The print quality is excellent, according to professional reviewers, and is generally better than most of the competition in its class.

The automatic document feeder folds down out of the way when the machine is not in use, but this also covers the control panel, making it a little more difficult to use it as a simple inkjet printer without opening the top tray. Not including a flatbed scanning platen has allowed HP to keep the unit's footprint very compact, but some users might miss the ability to scan stapled sheets, books, and other media that won't fit into the feeder.

When it comes to printer ink, the machine uses one black and one combined tricolor HP 4212 ink cartridge. The tricolor combo is easier to replace, but individual colors often mean less waste. Prices for OfficeJet 4212 ink cartridges aren't the lowest in its class, but third-party sellers do offer remanufactured OfficeJet 4212 ink for a significant discount from the OEM prices.

The 4212 should appeal to the home or small office user who values excellent print quality but doesn't have a lot of extra space. The copy and scan features are somewhat limited by the sheet-fed scanner, and HP 4212 ink prices are a bit on the expensive side.