Johannesburg, 15 Dec 2011
The HP OfficeJet Pro 8100 ePrinter is aimed at the small business that needs to be able to print from a network or straight from mobile devices. It's punted as an eco-friendly machine that can save businesses up to 50% on printing colour costs when compared with laser printers.
What better way to put these claims to the test than to see how the Pro 8100 handles a near-500-page honours portfolio? Well, in this case, it didn't have a choice.
Look and feel
The Pro 8100 is definitely sexy. It has a sleek black design with a small information screen on the right, which provides details on ink levels and print tools. There aren't too many buttons, so it's simple and not at all fiddly.
What I did notice, however, is that it's quite a bulky machine, considering it's only a printer (no copy/scan/fax capabilities) and it only accommodates up to A4 size paper. That being said, it's sturdy and solid and will look good in any office.
Usability
The Pro 8100 is very easy to set up, taking less than 10 minutes to complete the entire process (USB connection). Installing the ink cartridges is incredibly hassle-free - they pop right in. The printer takes four separate ink cartridges - black, cyan, magenta and yellow - meaning users only have to replace one cartridge at a time, as they run out. HP says this delivers a better value for frequent printing. The Pro 8100 also automatically performs a test print and cleans the printheads - what a pleasure.
Users have three connectivity options - a USB connection straight to a computer; via built-in Ethernet networking; or wirelessly, through the built-in wireless networking. It supports up to five machines (both PC and Mac) on a network, eliminating the need for a printer at every desk. An added benefit is the User Reports, which outlines who is printing, what they are printing and when they are printing.
The wireless networking is only compatible with 2.4GHz routers and HP claims data travel speeds up to 300Mbps across distances up to 30.5 metres.
Another feature, which will no doubt be attractive to the mobile businessperson, is the ePrint function. By linking the printer to an e-mail address, users can print wirelessly from any location. “If you can e-mail it, you can print it,” says HP. Furthermore, users can print wirelessly from an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch via Apple AirPrint. By downloading the ePrint app, users can print from their mobile devices to the Web-connected Pro 8100, eliminating the heaps of unsightly cables inherent in office environments.
Lean, green machine
The Pro 8100 is Energy Star-qualified. HP claims the printer uses up to 50% less energy and up to 70% fewer packaging and supplies by weight than lasers. The Pro 8100 also boasts a cost-per-page saving of up to 50% over lasers. HP points out, however, that these savings will be noticed “over time”.
Based on my experience, I'd say this is spot-on. I threw document after document at the machine, using up nearly an entire ream of paper, and it didn't once cough or splutter. What impressed me the most, however, is that, 500 pages later (some colour, but mostly monotone), the black ink level had only dropped by a third and I hadn't even made a dent in the colour cartridges.
According to HP, with the Pro 8100, users can print up to twice as many pages before replacing cartridges when compared to its 950/951 black and colour ink cartridges.
The Pro 8100 also saves costs and paper via its automatic two-sided printing functionality, and users are encouraged to recycle their old ink cartridges with HP Planet Partners.
Professional quality
The quality of the printed documents, both colour and monotone, is top-notch. None of my 500+ pages had any smudges or random ink splodges, and the colour documents were clear and even.
Running a highlighter over a document does not smudge the ink, and HP says printed material resists fading and water spills. This ensures documents are more durable under heavy handling. All printouts also dry very quickly and HP claims its inks are so superior that documents can be archived and displayed for “decades” without fading.
The Pro 8100 prints quite quickly and is not noisy, scoring it more points as a business machine. HP claims ISO speeds of up to 220ppm for black and 16ppm for colour printing.
HP punts the Pro 8100's ability to print professional marketing material, like brochures, flyers and postcards. It offers borderless printing, allowing users to print to the edge of the paper, taking marketing functions in-house.
The input tray holds up to 250 sheets of paper, although this can be upgraded to 500 sheets by adding a second, optional tray, while the output tray holds up to 150 sheets.
In summary
The HP OfficeJet Pro 8100 ePrinter lives up to its claims of being an eco-friendly business machine. It is simple to use and the quality of printed documents is remarkable. I was seriously impressed with the limited ink usage and the speed and overall functionality.
However, as a business machine, to me, it's incomplete. Had it also been capable of copying, scanning and faxing, it probably would have gotten top marks for being the ultimate small business assistant. However, for the price, I really cannot complain. I would not expect quality like this for under R1 500, and for that, it gets an extra point.
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