New HP Printer: I needed a color printer for a small project and bought a cheap HP Envy 5012. This has been a nightmare to set up. I downloaded the software and installed it, it...

LoisCroft Loc: Jonesborough, Tennessee

I needed a color printer for a small project and bought a cheap HP Envy 5012. This has been a nightmare to set up. I downloaded the software and installed it, it printed out the test sheet just fine, then the software told me I had to scan the printout. Ok, that done it wouldn't print color anymore. I checked on line and even HP didn't seem to have an answer.

Now I'm trying to get it to scan, but it requires more software, yet when I try to get what I need, it just offers the same software I downloaded the first time.

Maybe it would be happier if I was using a PC instead of a Mac. So far, I've spent 2 1/2 hours trying to get this thing set up. I'm ready to take it back. I have had a lot of printers, Epson, Canon etc. and never experienced anything like this. I haven't had an HP since 1995. Is this typical of all modern printers or just HP?

ottopj Loc: Annapolis, MD USA

I have an HP and a PC and no problems. My wife has the same printer and a MAC. No problems.

HP Model: OfficeJet Pro 8720.

JoAnneK01 Loc: Lahaina, Hawaii

Currently using a Canon and an Epson printers. I used to have an HP (I don't remember what model). I have never had any such problems with any of my printers. Hope you find out and are able to correct the problem.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

LoisCroft wrote:

I needed a color printer for a small project and b... (show quote)

HP's have been junk since the mid-1990. Buy Canon or Epson. For printing Mac or PC make little difference. Yes, take the HP &%#* back ASAP.

LoisCroft Loc: Jonesborough, Tennessee

Thanks for the advice. I hate taking things back to a store, but I think in this case I should.

Iron Sight Loc: Utah

If you bought the printer new call HP for help.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

LoisCroft wrote:

...bought a cheap HP Envy 5012.

Notice the name. It makes you envy those who have working printers.

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

Go with a Canon printer. I have had many different printers and have had the best service with Canon. And they seem to be stingier with the ink than all the others.

Will

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Some 30 years ago HP had a reputation of producing superior things electronic: computers, printers, scanners, calculators. They were creative and their stuff lasted. Owing to any other posts elsewhere and some here, I sense the company has changed. It would be interesting to learn wh.

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

John_F wrote:

Some 30 years ago HP had a reputation of producing superior things electronic: computers, printers, scanners, calculators. They were creative and their stuff lasted. Owing to any other posts elsewhere and some here, I sense the company has changed. It would be interesting to learn wh.

Every HP product I have had pretty much sucked as far as durability. I had an HP laptop that died not long after the one year warranty expired.
The computer shop said it was a bad mother board.

LoisCroft Loc: Jonesborough, Tennessee

Thanks for all the good advice and comments. I certainly won't be buying another and this one is going back!

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Before you take it back, have you tried uninstalling everything and starting from scratch, USB rather than wireless connected?

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Can't vouch for cheap HP printers but the dozens of laser printers I have owned or sold never had a problem. I still have several colour lasers functioning after 10 years. I have also sold hundreds of HP laptops and only had relatively minor problems with a few of them.
When looking at reliability of HP anyway you need to watch out for two types of users because they will bitch the most. These two are -
1. Those who treat their possessions as if they were bricks when they are really delicate electronic instruments as are all laptops. They will always be surprised when something breaks on them.
2. Everything breaks eventually. The laws of chance dictate that some users will have several items from the same supplier that will break. These also happen to be the only ones who complain. Many thousands of users, also dictated by the same laws of chance, will have few if any problems but you almost never hear from them.
So take opinions with a grain of salt - actually a whole sea of salt.

Jack47 Loc: Ontario

LoisCroft wrote:

I needed a color printer for a small project and b... (show quote)

Your mistake was buying HP. 😢

tuatara Loc: Orig. NZ - currently SF area

John_F wrote:

Some 30 years ago HP had a reputation of producing superior things electronic: computers, printers, scanners, calculators. They were creative and their stuff lasted. Owing to any other posts elsewhere and some here, I sense the company has changed. It would be interesting to learn wh.

Two words.....Carly Fiorina.

I classify HP in two eras BC and AC, before Carly and After Carly, BC I didn't think twice about HP. my go to for printers, calculators and computers.

AC I don't think twice about avoiding HP. I have an AC computer and printer, the computer is a lemon, nothing specific just unreasonably slow and slowly dying, HP didn't care and because it wasn't anything specific blamed to operator. printer wireless connection is intermittent at best.

Just got a new Dell, be here in a couple of weeks