HP PSC 1503 Ink Cartridges

HP PSC 1503 Printer Review

Though it is not as powerful as many larger models, the HP PSC 1503 provides the most essential print, scan, and copy features home users will need, without taking up a lot of space, and all at a very affordable price. HP PSC 1503 printer ink prices are reasonable, and print speeds are as fast as 20 pages per minute in black and 15 in color at draft settings, with higher quality settings reducing the speeds.

The PSC 1503 is clearly designed to be easy to use, with one-touch buttons for functions like scanning and copying. The scanning feature requires a computer, but pressing the one-touch button initiates the scan and sends it to the HP Image Zone software, where it can be edited and saved. Copying can function without the need for a computer, which is very convenient, and different quality settings are available from the control panel menu.

Lack of faxing shouldn't be a problem for the majority of home users, and while the input paper tray holds only 100 sheets, this seems like a decent compromise given the machine's small size. A front USB port gives users the option to connect a PictBridge-enabled camera for direct printing, and memory card slots offer another convenient option for transferring or printing photos as well.

The black HP PSC 1503 ink cartridge has a standard yield of around 220 pages. The combined tricolor HP PSC 1503 ink cartridges come in two capacities, offering either 220 or 330 pages, depending on how much color printing the user does. A separate "photo color" supply can help enhance photo quality, and remanufactured HP PSC 1503 printer ink is available from third-party resellers for a fraction of the OEM costs.

Although it lacks some of the network sharing features that would make it an even better value, the HP PSC 1503 is a great choice for the user who wants a simple all-in-one inkjet with basic functionality. It is easy to use and fairly fast, and its low price is hard to beat.