HP DeskJet 5740 Color Inkjet Printer

Rating:
Summary: Not compatible with XP
Review: Do not buy HP Deskjet 5740 if you have windows XP. I have spent hours on the phone with HP Tech support in India to no avail. They even sent me a replacement, we downloaded drivers from the HP Website. Finally, I go to the Microsoft site and find out its not on the list as XP Compatible. I did not buy this from AMAZON but from Best Buy after receiving assurances from the salesperson that it was trouble free.

Rating:
Summary: A fantastic inkjet for Mac OS X!
Review: I have a small desk and that's one reason I picked the Deskjet 5740. Both paper trays fold up neatly when not in use, making this one of the most compact printers I've ever used.

My #1 concern was text print quality as I do a lot of correspondence and not that much color photo printing. With inkjet paper (my favorite everyday paper is HP's Bright White Inkjet which goes for $8 for 500 sheets), the results are outstanding. Text is crisp and black... it looks right out of a laser printer!

The Mac OS X drivers are top notch! It can handle inkjet Avery labels, card stock, envelopes, transparencies, and premium photo paper. Plus it gives you full control over ink density, color balance, and ColorSync (Be sure to download the latest printer drivers from HP's website as the CD was a little out of date).

And when you use glossy photo paper, the color photos are just like film. Really outstanding photo printing from HP's "home office" Deskjet line. It can also use the special "Photo" ink cartridge as well as the standard "TriColor" cartridge. The 5740 also accepts HP's jumbo sized black and tri-color cartridges, which are double the size of a normal cartridge at a much better price.

You can't get a better printer for $99!

Rating:
Summary: totally satisfied
Review: Since we already have a scanner and a separate photo printer I just wanted a simple deskjet printer to use for family and school projects. I spent a day or so researching a bunch of different types and decided on this one. I couldn't be happier. The print quality is fantastic and although it wasn't a priority for me I was thrilled with the speed it prints both color and black and white pages. Just had a paper jam this morning (did I mention I have kids?)and rather than spending 10 minutes trying to rip the paper out of the machine, it very nicely rolled the whole stack right out. I *love* this printer - and am amazed we got it for under $100.

Rating:
Summary: One Great Printer!
Review: This printer is one great printer in its price range! Fast and well built for its weight. The cartriges last a decent time and the colors are good. It's easy to find replacement cartriges too. I did not find the device drivers for Mac OSX to be a problem or the paper handling like the other review. This is not the best ink jet but it may be for the money.

Rating:
Summary: installation problems outweigh value
Review: This printer was bundled (free) when I bought a new Macintosh. Given the time I wasted getting it to run, I should have turned it down.

After running the installation from CD-ROM, the printer setup utility said drivers could not be found. I went to the HP website, downloaded the driver installati0n package, ran it, and re-installed the drivers. Same symptom. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling. No help.

I searched the HP website and finally found a telephone support number. I called them and settled in for a long session on the phone... numerous restarts, deleting preference files, manually deleting drivers, etc. We finally got the printer to work (and the HP support technician was patient and persistent in solving the problem). However, it's unnacceptable to have to spend so much time on what is basically a generic $100 printer. Consumer products in this price range need to be plug-and-play. HP has clearly skimped on testing to get this product to market.

On a related note, we had similar problems with another HP printer we recently bought. We also bought an Epson printer, which worked immediately when we connected it. I've always liked HP products, but after my recent experiences, I doubt I will buy another HP printer.