HP Envy Inspire Printer and HP Instant Ink review — What to know

I can’t say if the late, great F. W. Lancaster would be happy or sad to know that, so many decades after his prediction of a paperless society, we are still living in a world full of those reliable reams.

What I can say is that even with our continued collective affection for paper, we now rely more on our digital devices to go further and be better, with increased convenience to boot.

However, it’s when both those worlds pair with near perfection — the analog and advanced — that the experience should go unnoticed. 

So, when I needed to print some important documents that I e-signed on my phone not too long ago, while nowhere near a printer, I was thinking, what would be the best way to go about improving this process that comes up from time to time? 

Finding a printer that fits my modern needs, that’s what.

I did some digging, and I kept coming across “America’s most trusted printer brand”: HP. What really stood out were the HP app and Instant Ink subscription. 

So, I found the HP printer that best served my needs — the Envy Inspire 7955e All-in-One Printer — and decided to take it for a spin. Read my full review of the entire process below. 

HP Envy Inspire 7955e All-in-One Printer Overview

Designed to cater to a variety of printing needs from school projects to work documents to vibrant frame-worthy photos worthy of the wall.

Additional key features include a sleek design, a dual tray system for multi-purpose printing, a built-in copy-scanner, and Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity. 

HP+ and HP Instant Ink Subscription

One of the standout features of the HP Envy Inspire family of printers is the inclusion of a 3-month trial of HP’s Instant Ink subscription that you get by signing up for HP+ (after 3 months, a monthly fee will be charged automatically unless canceled), providing significant value and convenience.

The Instant Ink subscription service is a game changer when it comes to home printing. 

Instead of buying ink cartridges online or at the store — assuming you remember which ones you need — the printer monitors ink levels on its own and automatically orders new cartridges when you’re running low. 

According to HP, this service can save users up to 50% on ink by offering a variety of plans tailored to different printing needs, from occasional to heavy usage. The convenience of having ink delivered, combined with the environmental benefit of recycling empty cartridges, makes this service a valuable addition in my opinion.

With HP+, users gain access to additional features such as an extra year of warranty, advanced scanning and mobile faxing capabilities with the HP app. 

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Our HP Envy Inspire Printer Review

First impressions were positive. From the moment I unboxed the HP Envy Inspire 7955e, I was impressed. The printer, power cord, and ink cartridges were neatly packed with minimal packaging, meaning minimal waste. After that, the setup process was straightforward. 

I started by downloading the HP app. Then, after plugging the printer in and installing both ink cartridges, I followed the directions via the app for setup, and I was done in minutes. The HP app further simplified the setup, allowing me to connect the printer to my Wi-Fi network seamlessly.

Using the printer with both my computer and my phone the latter of which I show off in the video above, I was able to print, scan, and fax easily.  

The app’s interface is user-friendly and provides a surprising number of options and presets to make printing easy, no matter the type of job. The dual tray system efficiently handles common paper sizes, and the high-quality photo printing exceeded my expectations.

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It produced vibrant, true-to-phone-quality photos in just a couple of minutes. The option to print custom messages on the back of 4-by-6 photos is a fun feature, perfect for creating personalized greeting cards. I could print pictures of my dog with this printer all day, and might just do that so that come Christmas, I have my cards ready. 

However, this printer truly shines with the HP Instant Ink service. Setting up the subscription was easy, and never having to think about buying ink cartridges again is invaluable. I could literally never buy another ink cartridge again and be fine. The service automatically ships new ink cartridges when the printer detects low ink levels, ensuring uninterrupted printing.

Plans are tiered and include everything from light printing, which starts at 10 pages for $1.49 a month, to frequent printing, which goes up to 700 pages for $27.99 a month. Even as a frugal millennial, I am sure I have spent more than $1.49 on avocado toast in the past month (or whatever we’re wasting our money on now). 

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Final Verdict

The HP Envy Inspire 7955e All-in-One Printer is a fantastic choice for households with diverse printing needs. Its ease of set-up and use, high-quality prints, and the added value of the HP Instant Ink subscription make it a standout product in its category. 

Whether you’re printing simple schoolwork, important documents, or sentimental photos, this printer can deliver reliable performance and exceptional quality. HP Instant Ink services add a level of convenience and cost savings that is hard to beat today. 

I highly recommend this printer to anyone looking for a versatile, cost-effective, and user-friendly printing solution.

How We Tested

To thoroughly evaluate the HP Envy Inspire 7955e, we conducted a series of tests. We started by timing the unboxing and setup process, ensuring that all steps were followed according to the manual. 

We printed a variety of documents and photos to test print quality, speed, and color accuracy. We also utilized the scanner and fax functions through the HP app to assess their ease of use and reliability. 

The HP Instant Ink subscription was tested by monitoring ink levels and confirming the timely delivery of replacement cartridges. Additionally, we compared the printer’s performance with other models in the same price range to provide a comprehensive assessment.

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