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09 May 2016

HP Envy 5540 Printer and Instant Ink Review

As a parent that works from home you can often find me running between the laptop and printer - my different roles mean I'm usually helping with homework, sorting documents to send to clients, searching for family recipes or just discovering fun activities to complete on rainy days. Purchasing new cartridges always seems to cost a small fortune, especially as they seem to need replacing quite regularly, so I was therefore really keen to put the new HP ENVY 5540 to the test and discover just how much money we could save with their Instant Ink replacement service.




The printer itself is very easy to set up, to the extent that you probably won't really even require the manual supplied as it is that straight forward. It's literally just a case of removing all of the packaging, plugging it in, adding the ink cartridges into the internal slots and connecting it up to your network. My laptop doesn't have a disc drive so I downloaded the software to install it from the HP website, did the test prints and I was soon ready to go. 

There is a control panel on the printer which is really simple to navigate and from that you can connect the laptop to your WiFi for wireless printing, check your ink levels, scan, and set up Printables. The latter was not something I had ever heard of before but the idea is a great one as you can arrange for your printer to automatically print puzzles, crosswords, Disney colouring sheets etc throughout the week. This is perfect for after school entertainment or for those early mornings at the weekend when you just want to hide away under the duvet for a few extra minutes as the children can keep themselves busy! Something other mums and dads can appreciate I'm sure.




In terms of print quality I was very impressed. There are three different modes you can try; draft, normal and best, for the various pieces you are printing. Draft is ideal for the things that you need but won't keep like notes, check-lists and maps. Normal is suitable for general work and best is perfect for photos. Printing seemed to be really fast regardless of the mode yet everything I printed, which included recipes and a tape measure for my new watch, came out very clear. It was lovely being able to print my holiday photos off immediately and pop them onto the fridge too.

I completed a few additional tests on my photos and there didn't appear to be any smudging or running of ink which I was really pleased with. I also deliberately spilt water on one (as the Mini Mes are more than likely to do this at some point) and this didn't seem to make any difference either, the picture remained exactly the same and the HP glossy paper we were provided with was superb.


For a comparison head over to the post here and here to see the original photos.


I really like the design of the printer. It is black and sleek in appearance and fits in well with my other office equipment. It's great for family use as well as for small businesses and being wireless you can place it wherever you like without needing it right next to your computer and there won't be lots of messy cables in sight. You can also print directly from your mobile phone or tablet which is fast and really convenient. There have been a few occasions when I've received emails with attachments, like tickets, I've needed to print and instead of taking time to log in on my laptop I can just send the documents straight to the printer from my handset! 




The thing I was most impressed by is the HP Instant Ink. Amazing technology within the printer means that it knows when it is running low, it will alert HP and replacements can be ordered before you run out. No longer will you need to make a mad dash to the shops mid print for new cartridges or shake them around to get the last drop out. We've all been there, right? 

What's more is that the plans are incredibly good value for money and if you're a frequent printer you could save as much as £516 a year. Personally, I print around 50 pages a month, possibly a little more, so for just £1.99-£3.49 (which includes delivery) I can have my printer topped up continuously. There are different price plans available to suit every budget and there is no contract so you're free to cancel whenever you wish. The plans are based on the pages you print rather than the cartridges you us and you can increase or decrease your choice as required. It's incredibly flexible and hassle free.

As the ink arrives in the post with a free post envelope you can also return your old cartridges for recycling and do your bit for the environment in the process.





Never again will I need to worry about running out of ink!

I will continue to use this printer and the Instant Ink service as I feel it is far more cost effective for my family than the methods I was using previously. HP currently have £20 off this specific printer so it's currently just £59.99 on their website and I would highly recommend purchasing one.



Buy yours today:



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*I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity. I have received a voucher in return for writing this post*
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35 comments

  1. An interesting idea and seems very useful. I always run out of ink at an inconvenient time and do spend a lot on cartridges.

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  2. Maria Rogers09/05/2016, 11:04

    Printers are the bane of my life, always breaking down, they never work for me, dont know what I do wrong? may give this one a go! fingerscrossed eh!

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  3. Great post, there's so many different printers out there. It's always great to see a full trustworthy review.
    I have a printer at the moment but haven't had replacement ink for months because it's so expensive to keep refilling. :)

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  4. I love HP Printers. I've tried others but always found the ink more expensive.

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  5. Great review handy as we are in the process of looking for a new printer X

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  6. They are also very easy to use. The instant ink idea is something I am definitely going to look into.

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  7. I think it's a fantastic idea that when your ink arrives you can also return your used up printer cartridges for recycling with a free post envelope. You don't get that often, gone is the day when they give you a free post envelope & like you said, everybody can do their bit for the environment which is so important. :)

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  8. We are trialling Instant ink at the moment and really love it.

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  9. this looks great; and seems to be easy to set up and use

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  10. Looks really great, thanks for the review

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  11. I am out of one of our colour inks at the moment, such a nuisance, I love the sound of this.

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  12. We have the HP Envy and love it. Instant Ink is such a great concept

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  13. I am really impressed with how your pictures came out on the glossy paper, some printers really seem to struggle with that x

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  14. this sounds great, i really need a new one

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  15. wow this is a brilliant idea - my current printer is currently gathering dust in the corner because I keep forgetting to check which cartridges I need to replace the ink which ran out about 6 months ago! An automatic service like this is brilliant! Will look into this a little more... thanks!

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  16. I haven't had a printer at home for ages, mainly because I kept running out of ink and the printer becoming outdated. This could really assist with printing out photos and the kids homework

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  17. It's fab isn't it? I've been using Instant Ink for a couple of years now and I love it. Mich x

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  18. i could do with a new printer x

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  19. Great review, I'm always running out of ink myself and buying cartridges as you said is so expensive.

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  20. I have already signed up to the instant ink on our ENVY printer ... Its invaluable !! especially when the children need something printing on a SUnday night when all the shops are shut and the printer is out of ink .. never again !!

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  21. Great review, I'm looking for a new printer and this one looks great.

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  22. great review.I can't believe how cheap they actually are.I thought they would be cost a lot more

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  23. Now that is impressively cheap, I remember when you almost needed to take out a mortgage to buy a new ink cartridge!

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  24. I always buy HP when i get a printer, the print quality is usually pretty great! Love the sound of this one x

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  25. I was surprised at the prices, I expected them to be much higher. It looks like a great printer :)

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  26. I have just purchased an more basic HP Printer, so far so good, thanks for the review x

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  27. I was very happy with our Envy it's a great little printer

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  28. great family home printer

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  29. Thanks for the printer information. As I don't presently have a printer, but I am considering getting one in the future.

    Rachel Craig

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  30. Theses are great but find the ink alot of money

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  31. very interesting blog post :)

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  32. Great idea. the photos look excellent

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  33. Ooh I like this idea! Will have to weigh up the ink costs with our current printer for comparison.

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  34. I love this idea! I have a wireless printer myself, but it's an Epsom, and I don't think they offer the same sort of thing! When I need to upgrade my printer I will defo look into HP as it offers this service!

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