HP 520 Ink
OfficeJet 520 Ink Cartridges

HP 520 Printer Review

There are hundreds of all-in-one inkjet printers on the market these days. It seems like in this fast-paced world, the thought of having single-purpose machines is completely out of the question. The HP OfficeJet 520 is among a long list of average multi-functioning devices. The difference, however, is that the 520 is nearly 10 years old and not only still sells, but still competes. Most likely, businesses with heavy printing needs will want to look at a faster printer, but for homes or small offices with basic needs, this is a good, budget-friendly choice.

Printing only 5 pages per minute using only black HP 520 ink and 2 pages per minute in color, this unit will require patience. Looking to up the efficiency of the work group? Perhaps the 520 is not the best choice. It is versatile as far as paper options. It can print on plain, glossy, photo and inkjet paper as well as envelopes, transparencies, labels and index cards.

The two OfficeJet 520 ink cartridges are black and tricolor, consisting of yellow, cyan and magenta printer ink. The black tank can reach a resolution of 600x300 dpi and yield 720 pages. The color HP 520 ink maxes out at 300x300 dpi and only yields 350 pages. Considering the short life span of the HP 520 ink cartridges, it is safe to say replacement printer ink will be needed more often than other competitive models.

This 15 pound all-in-one printer comes with an automatic document feeder as well as a 150-sheet input tray. The scanning feature has a max resolution of 300x300 dpi and features an 8-bit grayscale color depth. The copier can produce 2 copies per minute at a resolution of 600x300 dpi using black or color Officejet 520 ink. The fax machine transfers images at a rate of 14.4 Kbps. The HP 520 may not be the best, but it is reliable and affordable.