Categorized | Printers

30 Comments For This Post

1. Midwest Daisy Says:
   November 16th, 2009 at 6:06 am

   Great printing and copying, but won’t scan with HP software
   Rating:3 out of 5 stars
   Okay, so I’ve had this thing about a week now, and it WILL scan a document, just not with the driver/software package provided by HP. The HP help website states, in fact, that the push-button scanning feature does not function with Vista at all, but I haven’t been able to scan to the computer either. However, my research at least provided a work-around: use Windows Photo Gallery, click File, then Import from Camera or Scanner. Select the device and follow the instructions. It will save as a picture file, which you can then insert into a Word doc. Or, you can basically do the same thing using Microsoft Paint. Photo Gallery seems to be a little faster for me on this. Inconvenient? Yes. Impossible? No.

   The printing is fast and very sharp, though I’ve already burned through the original black cartridge (HP 60). I don’t think I got anywhere near the 200 pages the cartridges are supposed to yield. (Maybe they count pages the same way auto manufacturers used to measure gas mileage.) Thankfully, the unit has no trouble recognizing the recycled 60XL cartridge I installed yesterday. Also, when installing the HP software (which I did twice, hoping to fix the scan issue above), I printed a test page (regular paper, not the photo it suggests). Both times the paper jammed. I pulled it out and it worked fine after that. So if it happens to you, you’re not alone.

   Overall, this isn’t a bad printer, especially if what you want to do is mostly print or copy. However, I’m only giving it 3 stars because I shouldn’t have to go to this much trouble just to scan. It does say Print-Scan-Copy on the front, after all. Plus, it does seem to be pretty thirsty for ink.

2. W. Beau Christian Says:
   November 17th, 2009 at 2:36 am

   Other than scanning, very nice
   Rating:3 out of 5 stars
   The first thing I learned when I put the HP 4680 on line was that the old usb cable I had from my evidently crippled HP 1210 had failed. I didn’t even know that usb cables could do that, but the 4680 couldn’t ’see’ the connection using the old cable. When I purchased and attached the new cable, the 4680 then went righ along very well.
   
   Incidently, my curiosity was eating me alive as to whether, all this time, the cable could be the problem with my old HP 1210. Turns out, it was, and the old printer was once again functioning. With it now resurrected, I began to question whether I really needed the new 4680. Still, it was pretty nice with the little LCD screen & all – so I put it on line.
   
   Two days later my wife was attempting to scan a page, not using the computer, and it would not, saying, instead, try scanning from the computer. So – went to the HP Solutions Center program, and again, it would not, and gave some sort of ‘disconnect’ error code.
   
   Yesterday I spent over two hours with HP tech support and really they were very polite, worked hard, reinstalled the software, installed other software, etc., and still could not get it to scan as indicated in the manual. The tech guy DID discover, however, that it would scan using Microsoft Windows Gallery, under the heading of ‘Insert’ ‘Scan’. So we then knew that the scanner really works, just not using the software from HP, at least so far.
   
   So – now I am about convinced to return the 4680 and shop for some other sort of printer, or just keep going with my old one. I don’t know whether anyone else has had this problem, nor, of course, whether a solution has been found. I just want it to work as indicated.

3. Timothy Brady Says:
   November 18th, 2009 at 3:03 am

   very nice
   Rating:5 out of 5 stars
   This everything that i could want, it’s so easy to use and where has this been all my life

4. A. McLeod Says:
   November 18th, 2009 at 5:06 am

   Terrible purchase. Spend the extra few dollars.
   Rating:1 out of 5 stars
   Absolutely the worst purchase I’ve made for my computer. My last printer, also an HP, died after 5 years. Being as I had no issues with that printer, I ventured to buy another HP. Based on the reviews on this page, I decided that the downsides were acceptable. My other printer had a lot of the same complaints, of which I had no issue.

   When the unit arrived, I immediately noticed the quality difference. Cheap, thin plastic, poor construction, poor design. I wasn’t, however, that concerned with those things- what mattered was how it performed.

   And that’s the rub. It doesn’t. It has jammed countless times in three months. It consistently tells me it is out of paper. It doesn’t like photo paper at all (ruined 12 sheets to get one shabby-looking photo printed). The print quality, at its finest setting, is nothing short of awful. The scanner, which I use heavily, is both loud and slow. After five scans or so, it just stops working. Though I assume it does this to cool down, which would be another detriment to this awful piece of equipment, the management software doesn’t give any sort of information on its status. In fact, the management software is just as annoying as the lack of production. Don’t even think about trying to multitask while using this device- everything it does takes precedence. When it experiences a jam or thinks its out of paper, multiple windows pop open. You can’t scan to file to manage later. It insists on telling you that its starting, showing you progress, and opening the photo manager when it’s finished. In this high-speed, hi-tech world, I couldn’t imagine a more frustrating process.

   I would pay twice as much to have less headaches than this useless POS has given me. I wrote to HP, expecting something- anything, really. Even if they wanted to give me a discount on a much more expensive machine. They couldn’t care less. You bought it- deal with it. Oh, and thank you for being a loyal customer. Wood for the trees, I suppose.

   DO NOT BUY. YOU WILL BE SORRY.

5. J. Harley Says:
   November 18th, 2009 at 2:40 pm

   Surprisingly nice little printer
   Rating:5 out of 5 stars
   I bought this for my son to use for his school work. I was looking for something relatively inexpensive yet reliable. His previous printer only cost $30 but malfunctioned after less than a year of ownership. So I wanted to spend a little more and get a little better quality. When this printer arrived, the first thing I noticed was the good build quality. Setup was easy. Not only did HP include the usual illustrated setup poster, the printer also provided guided setup on the LCD. Speaking of the LCD, although it’s a tad small, it is vivid and sharp. The LCD has soft touch buttons which almost give it a touch screen effect. Printing performance was great; on par with more expensive HP printers. Text is sharp and clear. No smudges, jaggies, or ink splatter. Photo printing was excellent also, especially on HP photo paper. Copying was speedy and scanning performance was fine. This is a no frills printer without a lot of bells and whistles but I think that makes it even nicer. You can get right to the task at hand without stumbling through numerous menus first. The printer uses two HP 60 cartridges (color and Black & white). I need a few months of ownership to determine ink usage. The only problem I have with the new HP printers is that although the ink costs half the price of previous HP printers, it also only lasts half as long. I have already changed the ink in my HP C6380 three times since purchasing it in March of this year. I hope this printer gives me a little more ink longevity. Otherwise, a very good printer for the money. Just make sure you grab a USB cable while ordering because there isn’t one included.

6. S. Sawyer Says:
   November 19th, 2009 at 11:32 pm

   The HP Photosmart C4680 All-in-one Printer is just what I needed!
   Rating:5 out of 5 stars
   I really like this printer. It is perfect for what I wanted. Scanning and printing pictures is a breeze!

7. E. Price Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 2:26 pm

   HP Photosmart C4680
   Rating:5 out of 5 stars
   This printer is very easy to install and use. I have not had any problems. I have not used all of the features but have printed copies and also printed photo. The photos look the same as if I had them professionally printed.

8. Erich A. Seehafer Says:
   November 24th, 2009 at 9:28 am

   A good simple to use printter
   Rating:5 out of 5 stars
   This is a reasonably priced, easy to use all in one machine. Scanning, printing, copying are a breeze. Setup was quick and it has worked flawlessly, no hiccups whatsoever.
   
   I chose it because of HP’s reputation for good, reliable products, this purchase confirmed my trust once again.

9. Fred Says:
   November 25th, 2009 at 4:44 pm

   Well, I do like this printer very much
   Rating:5 out of 5 stars
   After searching I decide buy this printer. I needed scanner, printer, photo printer, copier.Replacement after Epson.I didn’t like cleaning style,and heads got finally cloged.So, I looked for HP.
   
   All funkcion work very well.I do recommend this one for home or small ofice.Quality is excellent in all funkcion. In few days I printed over 200 pages, include photos.Is louder with scaning.

10. Carol Englishmen Says:
    November 26th, 2009 at 10:49 am

    HP Photosmart All in one Printer
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    This printer is easy to set up, easy to use, and the print quality is excellent. If you are looking for a reasonably priced excellent quality printer, this one is for you!

11. Barbara A. Duesler Says:
    November 26th, 2009 at 10:04 pm

    Good value for the money
    Rating:4 out of 5 stars
    good printer for the money. Fast, easy set up and so far the printer has worked flawlessly. I have tested all the functions and they work great!

12. Solewheezer Says:
    November 28th, 2009 at 4:12 pm

    HP Photosmart All-in-One
    Rating:4 out of 5 stars
    Well almost “all-in-one”. I didn’t pay close enough attention when ordering and thought this was a 4 function all-in-one—printer, copier, scanner, fax. IT IS NOT A FAX. Disappointing, but for the price, I’m still pleased. The quality is great, though I’m still not familiar enough with it to know how to do certain things that I want to do. It does go through the ink quicker than it’s supposed to. I printed a 20 page b&w document, two 8×10 colors pics, and one 5×7 color pic and my ink is 3/4 gone! It was delivered quickly, great price, and looks sleek.

13. J. Storchan Says:
    November 28th, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    I needed a new Printer
    Rating:3 out of 5 stars
    My Photosmart was about six years old. HP does not make printers like they used to. The 500, 600, 800 series lasted forever. I even have a 500 series still working at a shop in Detroit. Maybe HP was making them in the United States then, I don’t know. But what failed on my Photosmart printer was the PC mount right angle USB connector on the printed circuit board in the printer. I tried looking for a manual to repair it, so I tried to take it apart. I have no idea what kind of special screw driver was necessary. So I scrapped it and was very disappointed in HP quality.

    I researched printers for days and come upon this one. What I like about this one is that it only had one color cartridge. I rarely use color. Plus the cartridges were inexpensive. I could have cared less about the scanner, many reviews said the scanner was worthless. I have my own scanner so like I said, I could have cared less. The setup was a breeze, and the printer worked flawlessly. The plastic is a little thinner this time around with this machine. But HP is saving money, plus they are probably making this in some sweat shop in China.

    I like the LED feature and the flash card features work. Most of the stores I went to had a price of $99.00, the lowest price I found was $78.00 not including tax. So Amazon was an amazing deal.

    Hey, all I care about is that it prints and I am so happy to have a printer again. Plus the quality of the print is good. The color is wonderful.

    I am in the computer business and when I say I researched a printer, I mean I researched every site and spent hours and hours reading reviews. In the end this HP model was the best for my home based business.

    I realize that if you really want a printer you go with an expensive Laser Jet. But I am just a small one man band, and this is what I needed. I recommend it to all who fits my profile.

14. Herbert Premit Says:
    November 29th, 2009 at 1:08 pm

    love my new printer
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    This is a replacement for a similar model HP printer. Easy to use and setup. When it eventually needs a replacement, I will get another one.

15. PAUL J Says:
    November 29th, 2009 at 3:08 pm

    Scanner Problems
    Rating:2 out of 5 stars
    I have a older model HP computer (approx. 5 years old) using XP . The software is not compatible and you will not be able to use the scanner, Continuous errors. I have spent 10 hrs on the phone with HP tech support trying to resolves this issue with no luck (yes even HP can’t figure it out). They keep saying its a software issue with older computers. Beware if you are interested in this all in one printer. Older computers may not read the software. HP should put a disclaimer on the package stating this problem (They admit it on the phone). Very disappointed….Buyer Beware!!!!

16. C. robinson Says:
    November 30th, 2009 at 4:40 am

    HP Photosmart C4680 all-in-one
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    I like the features on this printer. All-in-on explains it. Plus the software that helps run smoothly is wonderful adn is advanced. Did not have any problem getting this printer set up. Makes good prints.

17. D. Waitzman Says:
    November 30th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    Ink cost!
    Rating:2 out of 5 stars
    Look at the cost of ink for this printer.
    
    One set of BW and color XL cartridges will cost as much as the entire printer!

18. J. Minker Says:
    December 2nd, 2009 at 8:57 pm

    Works with Ubuntu after driver upgrade
    Rating:4 out of 5 stars
    After reading numerous reviews, this unit looked too good to pass up. The price was a definite factor, but I’ve also had good success with HP products. I was hoping to find a review from a Linux user, but since I’ve found very little that Ubuntu Linux can’t handle I bought it. Well, after a very quick ship (thanks!) and a no-hassle installation (like I said, Ubuntu just finds it even without the installation software), I thought I was all set … until I tried to scan something to the computer. I couldn’t even find the scanner through Xsane (the scanner app). A quick search revealed that this HP unit needed the latest HPLIP driver. A few minutes later everything was connected.

    Here’s that info for anyone running Linux:
    
    Download newest driver from http://hplipopensource.com/hplip-web/install_wizard/index.html (a .run file) and then go to that directory in terminal (commands are based on downloading to the Desktop and using latest driver at the time)

    In the terminal enter the following:

    cd Desktop

    sh hplip-3.9.8.run

    Jim

19. J. Dear Says:
    December 4th, 2009 at 1:09 am

    Great printer for the price
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    Bought this printer for my daughter who is a Junior in college. Installed and works great. Own 2 other HP Printers so what else is there to say? It’s an HP.
    

20. William W. Lopez-ortiz Says:
    December 4th, 2009 at 11:04 pm

    A nice friendly use printer
    Rating:4 out of 5 stars
    It’s worth the price, easy ti use and what i really like, it prints pictures so fast that I couldn’t believe it.

21. Joseph P. Klein Says:
    December 5th, 2009 at 8:56 am

    Don’t Buy This
    Rating:1 out of 5 stars
    Decent printer, though a bit thirsty in the ink. Okay scans to.pdf’s. Prints your pictures well- not as good as a photo kiosk at a drug store, but certainly good enough to share with friends and family. But scanning photos doesn’t work at all. Drives it crazy and shuts down the program. It said to reinstall the software, which I did, to no effect. The solution suggested at the HP site didn’t work either.

22. D. Delucia Says:
    December 7th, 2009 at 4:56 am

    Buyer Beware
    Rating:1 out of 5 stars
    I bought this printer based on reviews. It worked for 1 day. The second day when I turned on the printer it would feed a paper into the printer half way, I had to pull the paper out in order to print. After it printed it would take the next paper in half way. Also it said I had a paper jam even with no paper in the printer. I called HP support and after 1 hour on the phone they said the printer had to be replaced. They said they would replace it but it would take 5 – 7 days to receive another one.I told them I do not want another one and I would be taking it back to the store where I bought it. It’s going back today.

23. Jon Bower Says:
    December 9th, 2009 at 6:08 am

    c4680 al in one
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    So far, it’s a great product. It’s done everything I’ve asked. I’ll give it high marks for ease, clarity and reliability. It doesn’t take up an acre of desk space and gets the rather limited duties I assign it done quite well. Being naturally suspicious of any form of technology, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop – but, so far, it’s all good.

24. youneedabiscuit Says:
    December 10th, 2009 at 10:13 am

    HP more please!
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    Installation on this printer was a breeze. I have a Macbook and needed to go to HP’s Web site to download an installer, but that wasn’t an issue, more like a minor hiccup.

    This is my second HP printer- my first was a Deskjet 932C- that one’s ink cartridges are a little more expensive than this model- but it continues to print really well. I had to buy a new printer because I misplaced the printer CD for the old one and also needed a scanner function for my current needs as a grad student.

    It didn’t come with a USB, but I bought one from [...] for MUCH less than the prices at Staples. And with the Amazon credit card deal it was still a lot cheaper than the “big box” office supply store companies- sorry Staples!

    I haven’t used it for scanning or printing yet- but wanted to say that installation was a snap and the price is hard to beat! Being an EnergyStar product was important in my buying decision as well.

25. Loving Father Says:
    December 11th, 2009 at 2:00 am

    Decent Printer
    Rating:4 out of 5 stars
    Bought this printer to replace an almost brand new HP PSC1315 that died after only 6 months of use. Getting HP service out here is like pulling teeth but since we don’t have too many choices with suppliers of ink I had to go back to HP. Set up was much easier than the previous one and the software seems to work a little better. Hoping this one lasts longer than 6 months or I will resort to another brand and worry about getting the ink afterwards.

26. Michael Monreale Says:
    December 12th, 2009 at 9:30 am

    Good value
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    This printer was for my wife who needed a small space,good quality and easy to use printer, scanner, copier. this printer filled the bill and has been very good.

27. A. Benzie Says:
    December 13th, 2009 at 2:51 pm

    Nothing But Problems
    Rating:1 out of 5 stars
    Nothing but problems so far with this machine — the drivers are to blame I suspect. After every few prints I have to shut down and restart the printer or my computer. Even after clearing the jobs that won’t print in the print que. Quite frustrating, I would stay away from HP — this is my second try with an HP printer — never again.

28. Xochilt Jimenez Says:
    December 18th, 2009 at 1:31 am

    Awesome Printer
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    The printer arrived on time. It was easy to install and works wonderfully. I love this printer!

29. Debra G. Shelly Says:
    December 18th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    so Far no issues great printer
    Rating:4 out of 5 stars
    I bought this printer and it was easy to get it going, it prints fine, scans fine and no issues at all. I have no issues with an old printer trying to print. I do not have a mac, I have a HP PC. I did go and remove my old printer so it didn’t show up in the printer options, however, when I print it always knows the C4680 is the printer to use. I know in every electronic products you can get a bad apple, but other then the bad apples the rest are good. My older model HP all in one printer worked great for all 5 years I had it and it now is with one of my children. I have the new printer to go with my new computer and all works fine. I have no issues at all. I also know if I have a question I can email HP and get a response back. I have yet to try to call tech support since I have no issues to call for.

30. Jay Johnson Says:
    December 20th, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    Photosmart c4680
    Rating:5 out of 5 stars
    BEST PRINTER I HAVE EVER HAD. WORKS GREAT ZERO PROBLEMS THUS FAR. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

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