There’s a universally shared moment of modern frustration: the sudden, urgent need to print something. It could be a concert ticket for a show that starts in an hour, a critical government form with a looming deadline, or your child’s forgotten homework assignment due tomorrow morning. You turn to your trusty old home printer, only to be met with blinking error lights, a cryptic “offline” message despite being plugged in, or the soul-crushing notification: “Ink cartridges empty.” The ensuing scramble to find a print shop or buy exorbitantly priced ink is a hassle no one wants. This is the problem the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer promises to solve—an affordable, wireless, all-in-one solution designed to be there when you need it. But does this budget-friendly machine deliver on that promise, or does it create a new set of frustrations? We got our hands on one to find out.
- BEST FOR BASIC PRINTING – Print basic color documents like recipes, forms and travel documents
- KEY FEATURES – Print, copy and scan in color, plus mobile and wireless printing
What to Consider Before Buying a Budget Inkjet Printer
An Inkjet Printer is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for bridging the digital and physical worlds in a home environment. For many, it’s the essential tool for printing everything from cherished family photos to important work documents, scanning old pictures, and making quick copies of receipts. The primary benefit of an all-in-one inkjet like this one is its versatility. It combines three separate devices into one compact, cost-effective package, saving both space and money. For casual users, it eliminates the need for trips to the local library or print shop, offering convenience at your fingertips.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing infrequent but necessary printing tasks—a college student printing the occasional essay, a family needing to print school projects or travel documents, or an individual in a small apartment where space is at a premium. It’s for the user whose top priority is a low upfront cost. However, it might not be suitable for those who run a home business, print high volumes of documents, or require professional-grade photo quality. These users would be better served by a laser printer for high-volume monochrome text or a more robust, tank-based inkjet printer (like an Epson EcoTank) for lower long-term color printing costs.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: While the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer is commendably compact at roughly 16.7 x 12 x 6.1 inches, you must account for operational space. You’ll need vertical clearance to open the scanner lid and enough room in front and back for the paper input and output trays. Always measure your intended shelf or desk space to ensure a comfortable fit.
- Capacity/Performance: Performance in a budget printer is a game of trade-offs. The 60-sheet input tray capacity is small, requiring frequent refilling for any job larger than a few pages. Likewise, print speeds of 7.5 pages per minute (ppm) for black and 5.5 ppm for color are slow by modern standards. This is acceptable for a single-page print but can feel agonizingly slow for a 10-page report.
- Materials & Durability: The construction of the HP DeskJet 2755e is primarily lightweight plastic. While this makes it easy to move, it doesn’t inspire confidence in its long-term durability. The paper trays and access doors feel flimsy. This machine is built for a careful home environment, not a bustling office, and should be handled accordingly.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: Modern printers live and die by their software and connectivity. Setup is almost exclusively done through a smartphone app, which can be a point of friction for some. The biggest maintenance concern, however, is ink. Cartridge-based printers like this one have a high total cost of ownership, as the ink often costs more than the printer itself over time. Be prepared for frequent cartridge replacements, which is the primary form of maintenance you’ll perform.
Understanding these factors is key to determining if a budget inkjet is the right tool for your specific needs or if your printing habits justify a larger initial investment for better long-term value.
While the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer is an interesting choice at its price point, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- Print, Copy, Scan: The PIXMA TS3720 is a true colour printer scanner copier all in one that is compact, versatile and easy-to-use with a 60 sheet rear tray that reduces the need to refill paper as...
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― No more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; each ink bottle set is equivalent to about 80 individual cartridges (2)
- FROM CANADA'S MOST TRUSTED PRINTER BRAND – The DeskJet 2855e is perfect for homes printing to-do lists, letters, financial documents and recipes. Print speeds up to 5.5 ppm colour, 7.5 ppm black.
First Impressions: Unboxing the HP DeskJet 2755e
Upon opening the box, the first thing we noticed about the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer is its clean, minimalist aesthetic. The light gray and white plastic chassis is compact and surprisingly lightweight at just over 7.5 pounds, making it easy to place on a desk or shelf without dominating the space. Inside the box, the contents are spartan: the printer itself, a power cord, setup guides, and two starter HP 67 ink cartridges (one black, one tri-color). There is no USB cable included, which immediately signals HP’s intention for this to be a wireless-first device.
The build quality is, to be blunt, what you’d expect for the price. The plastics feel thin, and the fold-out paper tray and output catcher feel a bit delicate. This isn’t a machine designed to withstand rough handling. The top-mounted flatbed scanner is straightforward, and the control panel consists of a small, non-touch LCD screen and a few physical buttons. It’s a far cry from the large touchscreens on more expensive models, but it gets the job done for basic commands. Our overall first impression is that of a modern-looking but fundamentally basic appliance built to hit a very specific, low price point.
What We Like
- Extremely low upfront purchase price
- Compact, lightweight design fits well in small spaces
- All-in-one functionality (print, copy, scan) offers good versatility
- Simple wireless setup process through the HP Smart app (when it works)
Drawbacks
- Extremely high ink consumption leading to a high long-term cost
- Prone to persistent and frustrating Wi-Fi connectivity issues
- Very slow print speeds, especially for color documents and photos
- HP+ ecosystem can feel restrictive and locks users into HP ink
Performance Under the Microscope: A Tale of Two Printers
During our extensive testing, the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer revealed a dual personality. On one hand, it’s a simple machine capable of handling basic tasks. On the other, it’s a device plagued by the very complexities it claims to solve. Its performance is best understood by breaking it down into the core aspects of user experience: setup, print quality, and the all-important economics of ink.
The Setup Experience: Smooth Sailing or Choppy Waters?
HP funnels all users towards the HP Smart app for setup, available on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. For us, the initial process was relatively smooth. We downloaded the app on a smartphone, created an HP account, and followed the on-screen prompts. The app quickly found the printer on our Wi-Fi network, guided us through installing the starter ink cartridges and loading paper, and performed an alignment page print and scan. From unboxing to our first print, the process took about 15 minutes.
However, our straightforward experience appears to be the exception rather than the rule. A deep dive into user feedback reveals a significant number of people encountering serious roadblocks. As one user lamented, “Never have had this much issues connecting to a WiFi printer before, i have set up around 10 wifi printers in the past 2 years…had to reset up 5 times the past month.” This sentiment is echoed across countless reviews, with the most common complaint being the printer’s inability to stay connected to the network. Users report the printer constantly showing as “offline” in the app and on their computers, even when all indicators suggest it’s connected. This recurring connectivity issue is the single biggest point of failure for this device, turning a simple print job into a frustrating troubleshooting session of restarting the printer, router, and computer.
Print Quality vs. Print Speed: A Masterclass in Managing Expectations
When it comes to print quality, the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer is perfectly adequate for its intended purpose: basic documents. We printed several pages of black-and-white text, and the results were crisp, sharp, and highly legible. For printing a school essay, a recipe, or a form, the quality is more than sufficient. The scanner also performs its duties well, creating clear digital copies and physical reproductions of documents. Where the printer falters is with speed and color output. The official specs of 7.5 ppm for black and 5.5 ppm for color are already slow, but in real-world use, especially when printing from a mobile device, the time from hitting “print” to holding the finished page feels even longer.
Our tests with color printing were deeply disappointing, confirming the feedback from many users. We attempted to print a few 4×6 photos on glossy photo paper. The results were mediocre at best. Colors appeared washed out and lacked vibrancy, and upon close inspection, we could see noticeable banding (faint lines across the image). One user’s complaint that “the greens of grass turned blue” is not an exaggeration; we saw similar color inaccuracies in our testing. This is not a photo printer by any stretch of the imagination. It can print a chart in a school report with passable color, but it should not be purchased with the intention of preserving precious memories on paper. It is, first and foremost, a document printer that happens to have a color cartridge.
The Elephant in the Room: Ink Consumption and the HP+ Ecosystem
This is the most critical part of our review. The low purchase price of the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer is a classic “razor and blades” business model. The printer is the razor; the ink is the blades you’ll be buying forever. The included “starter” cartridges are notorious for their low yield. In our testing, after the initial setup, alignment, and printing about 12 pages of mixed text and small color graphics, the HP Smart app was already warning of low ink levels. This aligns perfectly with a user who reported, “I printed approximately 14 pages… My next print job… after about 2 full pages… the colour became extremely streaky.” Another stated, “I bought this printer and used it just for a month but i already emptied 2 cartridge. I haven’t even printed beyond 70 pages.” This level of ink consumption is astronomical and makes the per-page printing cost incredibly high if you buy standard cartridges.
HP’s “solution” to this is the HP+ system and its companion Instant Ink subscription. Activating HP+ during setup gets you a trial period of free ink (3 months in this case) and an extra year of warranty. It sounds great, but the caveats are significant. You must provide a credit card, and it automatically enrolls you in a paid monthly subscription based on pages printed, not cartridges used. More importantly, the printer requires a constant internet connection to function with HP+, as it communicates your page count and ink levels directly to HP. Perhaps most controversially, HP printers, including this one, use firmware that can actively block the use of third-party or refilled ink cartridges. This locks you into HP’s ecosystem, removing consumer choice. One of the most damning user reviews highlighted that when they cancelled their subscription, HP allegedly blocked their printer from printing altogether. This transforms the product you purchased into a service you’re tethered to, a detail many buyers only discover after it’s too late.
What Other Users Are Saying
Looking at the wider pool of user feedback, a clear and deeply divided picture of the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer emerges. On one side, there are users for whom the printer works exactly as intended. One satisfied customer noted, “This is a great all in one printer. Easy to set up, easy to pair with your phone. Works great isn’t too loud.” Another echoes this, saying it’s “Excellent for home use… I’m happy it’s so easy to install with wifi and so easy to print from anywhere.” These reviews typically come from individuals with very light and infrequent printing needs who value the low initial cost above all else.
However, the volume of negative feedback is substantial and points to consistent, serious flaws. The most prevalent complaint revolves around connectivity. One user summed up the frustration perfectly: “It’s impossible for it to connect to a network. The printer is aways ‘offline’ when it shouldn’t be.” The other major issue is the ink cost and consumption. A user stated bluntly, “If you plan on printing more than 10 pages with your printer… this product is an absolute waste of money.” These core issues—unreliable connectivity and a financially punishing ink model—are not isolated incidents but recurring themes that prospective buyers must seriously consider.
How Does the HP DeskJet 2755e Compare to the Alternatives?
No product exists in a vacuum. To truly understand the value proposition of the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer, it’s essential to compare it against key competitors that address its weaknesses or cater to different user needs.
1. HP OfficeJet 200 Mobile Printer
- Main functions of this HP color portable printer: easy portable printing wherever you need it, wireless print from your laptop or mobile devices, 2" display and more
- Mobile printing: print from anywhere using your smartphone or tablet with the free HP reprint app, print even without a network using Wireless Direct printing
If your primary need is portability rather than a stationary home hub, the HP OfficeJet 200 is a compelling alternative. This printer is designed for the road warrior—professionals, students, or anyone who needs to print documents away from home or the office. It’s incredibly compact and features a built-in rechargeable battery, allowing you to print from your laptop or phone in a car, at a client site, or in a hotel room. While it lacks the scanning and copying functions of the DeskJet 2755e and comes at a significantly higher price, it serves a completely different purpose. If you value portability and professional mobility over all-in-one features, the OfficeJet 200 is the superior choice.
2. Epson EcoTank ET-2850 All-in-One Printer Cartridge-Free
- Innovative cartridge-free printing high-capacity ink tanks mean no more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; epsons exclusive ecofit ink bottles make filling easy and worry-free
- Dramatic savings on replacement ink save up to 90% with replacement ink bottles vs ink cartridges (1) thats enough to print up to 7,500 pages black/6,000 color (2), equivalent to about 90 individual...
The Epson EcoTank ET-2850 represents the opposite philosophy to the HP DeskJet 2755e’s business model. While its initial purchase price is substantially higher, its long-term running costs are a tiny fraction of the HP’s. Instead of expensive cartridges, the EcoTank uses large, refillable ink tanks that you fill from low-cost bottles. A single set of included ink bottles can last for up to two years for the average user, printing thousands of pages. It also includes features the HP lacks, like automatic two-sided printing. For any family, student, or home office that prints more than just a few pages a month, the EcoTank ET-2850 is a far smarter financial investment that quickly pays for itself in ink savings.
3. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless All-in-One Printer
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― No more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; each ink bottle set is equivalent to about 80 individual cartridges (2)
- Dramatic Savings on Replacement Ink ― Save up to 90% with replacement ink bottles vs. ink cartridges (1) – that’s enough to print up to 4,500 pages black/7,500 colour (3)
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 is the entry-level gateway to cartridge-free printing. It offers the same core benefit as the ET-2850—massive ink savings via its refillable Supertank system—but in a slightly more basic package. It forgoes the automatic duplex (two-sided) printing of its more expensive sibling but retains the print, scan, and copy functions. It directly challenges the HP DeskJet 2755e by offering a vastly lower total cost of ownership. If your printing volume is moderate and you’re tired of the constant cycle of buying expensive cartridges, the ET-2800 is arguably the best long-term budget alternative on the market.
Our Final Verdict: Is the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer a Smart Buy?
After rigorous testing and careful consideration of user feedback, our conclusion is that the HP DeskJet 2755e All-in-One Printer is a deeply compromised product. Its appeal is based almost entirely on its rock-bottom initial price tag, a lure that hides a much higher long-term cost and a host of potential frustrations. The shockingly fast ink depletion, combined with a business model that locks you into expensive proprietary cartridges or a mandatory subscription service, makes it a poor financial choice for all but the most infrequent of users.
We can only recommend this printer to someone who prints fewer than 20 pages per *year*, needs a device that can also scan and copy, and for whom the upfront cost is the only deciding factor. For everyone else—students, families, and anyone who prints even one document a month—the persistent connectivity issues and exorbitant running costs make it an unwise purchase. The initial savings are quickly erased by the price of ink, and the potential for technical headaches is high. If your budget allows, investing a little more upfront in an Epson EcoTank model will save you a significant amount of money and frustration in the long run. If you still feel this printer’s specific feature set and price match your extremely limited needs, you can check the latest price and availability online.
Last update on 2025-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API