HP F4172 Ink
Deskjet F4172 Ink Cartridges

HP F4172 Printer Review

Need an all in one that scans, prints and copies? Take a look at the HP Deskjet F4172. Though this unit has recently been discontinued, it is still available new and used online. With decent speeds and resolutions, it's no wonder small offices and home users are still using this machine. Compatible with Windows and Mac and connecting via USB, setting up this inkjet unit couldn't be easier. However, newer models have since been manufactured that can blow the F4172 out of the water.

Its speeds are decent, especially for its time. Using black HP F4172 ink, up to 20 pages can be printed a minute. When color printer ink is used, it can produce only 14 pages per minute. Copying speeds are the same. It can, however, print a color photo in 50 seconds. Many different media types are compatible with this machine—plain, inkjet, photo, glossy, envelope, transparency, label and card paper all can be used in conjunction with the HP F4172.

The HP F4172 is relatively portable, weighing only 9.39 pounds. It also makes a small footprint with its dimensions of 7.11x16.76x10.53 inches—this unit will fit almost anywhere.

Two HP F4172 ink cartridges come in the box upon purchase and are needed for any of the three main functions. One is a tricolor Deskjet 4172 ink tank, and the other is black. Two versions of the color printer ink are available—one with a page yield of 165 pages and the other with a yield of 400 pages. The black only yields 190 pages. A third photo HP F4172 ink cartridge is optional—taking the place of the black tank when used—yielding 140 pages. The highest resolution possible for this unit is 1200x2400dpi.

This unit may not appeal to many these days, but it still has a lot to offer—especially for those with smaller outputs. Its main problems may be its lack of faxing capabilities and its high price of Deskjet F4172 ink.