We’ve all been there. That sinking feeling when an urgent document needs a physical signature, a last-minute school project requires a printout, or a shipping label for a return needs to be created *right now*. For years, I relied on the local library or a big-box office store, turning a simple five-minute task into a frustrating hour-long errand. The inconvenience was a constant, low-level hum of annoyance in our increasingly digital lives. But the real problem isn’t just the wasted time; it’s the interruption to your workflow and the stress of being unprepared. In a world where remote work and online schooling are the norm, not having a reliable home printer is like not having a stable internet connection—it’s a bottleneck waiting to happen. The search for a solution that is affordable, compact, and doesn’t require a degree in IT to set up is what leads many of us down the path of finding the perfect home printer.
- The DeskJet 2855e is perfect for homes printing to-do lists, letters, financial documents and recipes. Print speeds up to 5.5 ppm color, 7.5 ppm black
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What to Consider Before Buying a Home All-in-One Printer
A home printer is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for bridging the gap between our digital and physical worlds. It provides the freedom to print important documents, creative projects, and cherished photos on your own schedule. The main benefit is undeniable convenience—transforming your home office or study space into a self-sufficient hub for work, school, and personal tasks. It eliminates dependency on external services, saving both time and money in the long run, and empowers you to bring your digital creations to life, from custom stickers to professional-looking reports, right from your desk. The HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer aims to be this very solution for the modern home.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the occasional but crucial need to print, scan, or copy. This includes students printing essays, parents printing school forms, remote workers handling contracts, or hobbyists creating craft projects. It’s for those who value simplicity, a compact footprint, and wireless freedom. However, it might not be suitable for those who need high-volume, high-speed printing, such as a busy small office, or professional photographers who require gallery-quality photo prints. These users might consider a more robust laser printer for document volume or a dedicated photo printer for superior image fidelity.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: A home printer needs to fit into your life, and that includes your physical space. Measure the intended location—be it a desk, shelf, or cabinet—and compare it to the printer’s dimensions (11.97″D x 16.7″W x 6.06″H for this model). Consider not just the footprint, but also the clearance needed for opening scanner lids and extending paper trays. A compact design is paramount for small apartments or multi-purpose rooms.
- Capacity/Performance: Performance is a story of trade-offs. Look at print speed, measured in pages per minute (ppm), for both black and white and color jobs. Consider the input tray capacity (60 sheets for this model), which determines how often you’ll need to reload paper. Also, evaluate the print resolution (dpi), which dictates the sharpness and clarity of text and images. For casual use, moderate speeds and capacity are often sufficient.
- Materials & Durability: Most consumer printers are made primarily of plastic. What’s important here is the build quality and the use of sustainable materials. The HP DeskJet 2855e, for example, is constructed with at least 60% recycled plastics, which is a significant plus for environmentally conscious buyers. The overall sturdiness of the trays and lids can give you a good indication of its long-term durability.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: In today’s world, setup should be simple and app-driven. Look for printers with a user-friendly mobile app for setup and operation. Maintenance often revolves around ink replacement. Consider the cost and availability of ink cartridges and whether a subscription service like HP Instant Ink, which automatically ships ink when you’re low, is a good fit for your printing habits.
Navigating the world of printers can be complex, with countless models catering to different needs. The HP DeskJet 2855e is an excellent choice for general home use, but it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, especially if photo quality is a priority, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
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First Impressions: Big Features in a Small Package
Unboxing the HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer, the first thing we noticed was its compact and lightweight design. At just over 7.5 pounds, it’s incredibly easy to handle and place. The clean, neutral white color and minimalist aesthetic allow it to blend seamlessly into any home environment, a far cry from the bulky, beige office machines of the past. As one user noted, its small dimensions make it “truly so perfect” for a small apartment, fitting neatly on a shoe organizer. The use of over 60% recycled plastic is a commendable touch that feels good from the moment you lift it out of the box. Inside, we found the printer, a power cord, and two starter HP 67 ink cartridges (one black, one tri-color), which is everything needed to get up and running. The setup is guided almost entirely by the HP Smart app, a modern approach that eliminates the need for complex driver installations from a CD, something we, and many users, found to be a massive relief. You can see the sleek, space-saving design for yourself on its product page.
Advantages
- Extremely simple and fast app-based setup
- Compact, lightweight design ideal for small spaces
- Excellent value, often cheaper than replacement ink for older models
- Versatile All-in-One functionality (print, scan, copy) from any device
Limitations
- Slower print speeds not suitable for high-volume tasks
- Lacks automatic two-sided (duplex) printing
A Deep Dive into the HP DeskJet 2855e’s Performance
After the initial unboxing, we put the HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer through its paces to see if its real-world performance lives up to its promises. We focused our testing on the key areas that matter most to a home user: the setup process, the quality and speed of its core functions, and the overall connectivity and cost of ownership. We wanted to understand not just what it can do, but how it feels to live with this machine day-to-day.
The Easiest Printer Setup We’ve Ever Experienced
HP has clearly invested heavily in refining the user onboarding experience, and it shows. The traditional headache of installing printers—fiddling with drivers, IP addresses, and confusing menus—is completely gone. The process for the HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is refreshingly simple. A small quick-start guide directs you to download the HP Smart app on your smartphone, tablet, or PC. From there, the app takes over, holding your hand through every single step with clear, animated instructions. It guided us through removing the protective tape, installing the two ink cartridges, loading paper, and connecting the printer to our Wi-Fi network. The entire process took less than 10 minutes from unboxing to our first printed page.
This experience is strongly corroborated by user feedback. One long-time HP customer declared it the “easiest printer install/set-up process I have done, ever,” praising the app for being “SO EASY to use and follow along.” Another user was amazed they went from unboxing to successfully printing from their phone and laptop “in minutes.” While the app-centric approach is a huge win for usability, it does have a potential downside highlighted by one remote worker: if your work computer has software restrictions that block a non-corporate app, you won’t be able to print directly from that device. For the vast majority of home users, however, this app-driven system is a revolutionary leap in convenience that makes getting started truly foolproof. It’s a feature that really sets it apart in the budget category.
Print, Scan, Copy: Quality Over Speed
As an all-in-one device, the HP DeskJet 2855e’s value lies in its versatility. We tested all three functions to assess its performance for typical home use. For document printing, the text quality is excellent. Using the standard 600 dpi resolution for black and white, we found the text to be crisp, sharp, and perfectly legible, making it ideal for reports, forms, and homework. Color documents were also impressive, with vibrant and accurate hues, although they printed more slowly.
When it comes to speed, the specs tell the story: 7.5 ppm for black and white and 5.5 ppm for color. In our tests, a 10-page text document took just over a minute and a half, which is perfectly acceptable for casual use but would feel slow in a busy office. As one user noted, the printing speed can be “a bit slower than expected, especially when handling larger documents.” We also confirmed the lack of automatic duplexing; to print on both sides, you must manually flip and re-feed the paper, following on-screen prompts. This is a common compromise in printers at this price point.
The flatbed scanner produced clear, high-resolution digital copies of documents and photos, and the copy function worked flawlessly, creating duplicates with a single button press. One creative user even shared how they used the printer to create custom stickers and cake decorations for their children, showcasing the surprising versatility for hobbyists. The print quality, reaching up to 4800 x 1200 dpi for color on photo paper, is more than sufficient for beautiful, borderless photos for albums or frames. For a device this affordable, the output quality across all functions is a significant strength that you can explore further through its full feature set and user reviews.
The Connected Experience: Wi-Fi, HP+, and the Instant Ink Question
The “e” in 2855e signifies that it is an HP+ enabled printer, which is a critical aspect of its design and long-term use. Activating HP+ during setup grants you access to features like the included 3-month trial of Instant Ink, an extra year of warranty, and advanced features in the HP Smart app. The printer’s single-band Wi-Fi connectivity also features a self-healing capability, designed to automatically detect and resolve connection issues to ensure it’s always ready to print. In our testing, the wireless connection was robust and reliable. We sent print jobs from an iPhone, an Android tablet, and a Windows laptop from different rooms in the house without a single dropped connection.
The most significant part of this ecosystem is Instant Ink, HP’s ink subscription service. The printer monitors your ink levels and automatically orders new cartridges before you run out. This system is designed to solve two problems: the panic of running out of ink mid-project and the high cost of retail cartridges. This business model was astutely pointed out by a user who noted, “it’s cheaper to buy a new printer than it was to fill the ink with new cartridges.” By opting for an Instant Ink plan, HP subsidizes the hardware cost. It’s a fantastic value if your printing habits are consistent. However, it’s crucial to understand that the HP+ system requires a constant internet connection and mandates the use of genuine HP ink cartridges, enforced by firmware. The printer is “intended to work only with cartridges containing HP chips or circuitry.” For users who prioritize convenience and predictable costs, this is a winning combination. For those who prefer to source third-party ink, this printer is not the right choice. You can check the latest price and Instant Ink trial offers to see if this model fits your budget.
What Other Users Are Saying
After our own extensive testing, we dug into a wide range of user feedback to see how our experience compared to the public’s. The consensus is overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding the printer’s core strengths. The most frequently praised feature, by a wide margin, is the incredibly simple setup. Comments like “setup was a breeze” and “I installed the HP app and immediately connected the printer” appear constantly. Users also love its compact size, with one reviewer calling it a “game-changer” that prints seamlessly from their phone or laptop. Many express satisfaction with the print quality for the price, calling it “sharp and professional” and “great for basic home use.”
However, the feedback isn’t without its criticisms, which largely align with the trade-offs we identified. The most common complaint is the print speed, which some find too slow for multi-page documents. One user detailed the frustration of their phone going to sleep during a slow print job, causing it to fail. Another key point of feedback is the lack of automatic double-sided printing, with one user noting, “if your a student or teacher needing it for efficiency this is not the printer for you.” These critiques are valid and important, highlighting that the HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is a specialized tool for casual, low-volume users, not a workhorse for a demanding environment.
How Does the HP DeskJet 2855e Compare to the Alternatives?
While the HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer excels as a general-purpose home device, it’s important to understand what other specialized tools exist. The provided alternatives highlight different needs within the broader printing and labeling category.
1. SUPVAN E10 Bluetooth Label Maker
- For Home, Office and School Organization: Ideal for home organization (storage box, spice, food container, personal daycare...), device identification...
- Easy to Use: The App requires no fees or registration; no ink or toner needed; rechargeable battery lasts a full month on a single charge; create labels...
This is not a direct competitor but a complementary tool for organization. The SUPVAN E10 is a dedicated thermal label maker designed for creating small, durable labels for kitchen containers, office files, school supplies, and more. It prints via a Bluetooth connection to a versatile app on your phone. If your primary goal is not to print A4 documents or photos but to bring order to your home and office, the SUPVAN E10 is a far more specialized and effective solution. The DeskJet can print on sticker paper, but the E10 is purpose-built for creating quick, waterproof, individual labels with ease.
2. HP 65 Black Ink Cartridge
- HP Ink Cartridges are engineered to work with HP printers to provide consistent quality, reliability and value
- This cartridge works with: HP AMP 100, 105, 120, 125, 130; HP DeskJet 2622, 2624, 2625, 2628, 2635, 2636, 2640, 2652, 2655, 2680, 3720, 3722, 3752, 3755,...
This alternative is an accessory, not a device, and it’s crucial to note it is not compatible with the HP DeskJet 2855e, which uses HP 67 cartridges. This HP 65 cartridge is for older printer series like the DeskJet 2600/3700 or ENVY 5000. This comparison serves a valuable lesson in printer ownership: the ongoing cost of ink. If you own a compatible older printer and are happy with its performance, buying a genuine HP 65 cartridge is the correct choice. However, as one user pointed out in their review of the 2855e, the cost of replacement cartridges for an old printer can sometimes exceed the price of a brand new, more modern printer that includes starter ink, making an upgrade a financially savvy decision.
3. Nelko P21 Bluetooth Label Maker
- 2025 New Version: Compared with the traditional label makers, half weight and size of the traditional label maker, smaller, smarter and convenient for...
- High-quality Printing: Label Makers with BPA-Free Direct Thermal Technology. Equipped with high-speed chips and 203 DPI, you can enjoy high-definition...
Similar to the SUPVAN, the Nelko P21 is another excellent Bluetooth-enabled thermal label maker. It competes directly with the SUPVAN, offering a wireless, app-driven experience for creating custom labels for organization. It emphasizes its library of templates for school, office, and home use. When comparing it to the HP DeskJet 2855e, the choice is clear. If you need to print a full-page document, a photo, or scan a receipt, the DeskJet is the only option. If your task is to quickly label a dozen spice jars or file folders, the Nelko P21 will do it faster, more efficiently, and without using any ink.
Final Verdict: The Ideal Printer for the Modern, Casual User
After weeks of testing and analysis, our conclusion is clear: the HP DeskJet 2855e Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is an outstanding value proposition for the right person. It’s not trying to be a high-volume office machine, and it’s not a professional photo printer. Instead, it absolutely nails its mission to be the perfect, hassle-free, all-in-one solution for the modern home. Its dead-simple setup, reliable wireless connectivity, and compact, attractive design solve the biggest pain points of printer ownership. While its print speeds are modest and it lacks automatic duplexing, the quality of its output for documents, photos, and copies is more than sufficient for the vast majority of home and student needs.
If you are a student, a parent, a hobbyist, or a remote worker who has been putting off buying a printer because of cost, space, or technical complexity, your wait is over. This printer offers immense convenience and capability for a remarkably low entry price. It frees you from last-minute trips to the print shop and empowers you to be more productive and creative at home. For its intended audience, we can recommend it without hesitation. Ready to finally solve your home printing problems? You can get the HP DeskJet 2855e today and experience the convenience for yourself.
Last update on 2025-10-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API