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HP’s Top Smart Printers for Your Home

Harry Stewart
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Reading time: 7 minutes
HP Smart Printers offer numerous intelligent features to take the hassle out of printing at home. From voice activation to remote printing and wireless connectivity, these cutting-edge devices have a plethora of clever tricks up their sleeves.
Thanks to technological innovations, smart printers are now within the financial reach of a typical British home user. You don’t have to spend a fortune to obtain a futuristic printing solution full of impressive high-tech features.
Keen to add another asset to your state-of-the-art smart home system? Then check out the HP ENVY or HP Smart Tank.
This post will outline the benefits of an HP Smart Printer for home use and discuss the difference between the ENVY and Smart Tank series. We’ll then highlight some of the leading products on the HP UK Store.

Wireless connectivity

Nowadays, every smart printer worth its salt has wireless connectivity. Rather than fussing about finding and plugging in a cable, the tech lets you print from any internet-enabled device on the same WiFi network - no need to boot up your desktop.
In addition to convenience, wireless aids aesthetics by minimizing cord clutter. All you’ll need is a single power cable to connect your printer to the mains. Plus, you can position your printer anywhere in the house, provided there’s a nearby power socket.

Self-healing WiFi

Self-healing WiFi is a common trait among the best HP Smart Printers. Incorporating automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, these resilient connections prevent severe network failures from halting traffic entirely. Self-healing WiFi will automatically optimize the connection and intervene when it detects a degree of network degradation.
The result? A more stable connection for hassle-free printing during those annoying network issues.

The HP Smart app

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Does printing from a tablet sound a tad daunting? It needn’t. The HP Smart App is specially designed to simplify the WiFi printing process, making it a breeze for users with limited expertise. You don’t have to be an IT guru; simply pair your device and start printing.
According to a whitepaper by Keypoint Intelligence analysts, the HP Smart app is “an intuitive choice for workflows like printing and scanning.” Moreover, the app has a “strong feature set and even better usability.”
HP Smart isn’t just a user-friendly printing mechanism; it also helps you scan, share, fax, and edit. When users scan a document with their camera, for example, the app will automatically optimize it before storing it in the cloud.

Remote printing

The HP Smart app lets you print from further away than the living room couch. Thanks to Dropbox and Google Drive cloud storage integration, you can print documents from anywhere.
Remote printing provides a bounty of benefits for businesses, such as enhanced productivity, better collaboration, and lower printing costs. It’s also handy for home users, who find the process convenient and secure.

Voice-activated printing

HP was the first tech vendor to incorporate smart printer voice-activation support with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. This integration facilitates various verbal commands, such as “print,” “fax,” “share,” and “scan.”
The AI behind these virtual assistants uses machine learning. As a result, the assistant will notice your habits and needs, including preferences and common document types.

Ink level monitoring

Don’t bother examining your ink tank to determine how much liquid remains. An HP Smart Printer incorporates an automated ink level monitoring service and sends an alert before you run dry.

Instant Ink

With a subscription to HP Instant Ink, you’ll slash your annual printing costs as well.
Instant Ink is an innovative subscription-based service that tops up your ink supply before you run dry. The technology monitors your printing habits and automatically orders a fresh new cartridge (or ink bottle) when required.
Instant Ink delivers directly to your door, so you don’t have to visit a brick-and-mortar store. The subscription is more cost-effective than purchasing individual replacement cartridges.

User-friendly controls

Not thrilled about using an app or voice activation-based interface? While these powerful tools make printing fast and convenient, they’re not obligatory. All HP Smart Printers also feature a simple physical interface so you can adjust the necessary settings by hand.
Some incorporate a sophisticated touchscreen menu, while others adopt large, easy-to-use buttons. Whichever HP printer you opt for, the physical interface will be intuitive and easy to use.

Smart security

HP Smart Printers offer enhanced security features to safeguard your documents from prying eyes. Some integrate with HP Wolf Essential, an always-on, end-point security solution for home users. Cloud-based security with HP+ adds another potent layer of protection.

Automatic updates

While standard printers force you to manually find the latest drivers, an HP Smart Printer does the legwork. So long as it remains connected to the internet, your printer will periodically search for and apply new updates as they become available.

HP ENVY & HP Smart Tank printers

Ready to invest in an HP Smart Printer? The next step is choosing between the two leading series, the HP ENVY and the HP Smart Tank.

HP ENVY

The HP ENVY printer series is a traditional cartridge-based inkjet printer sporting a slew of fancy “smart” features. Cartridge inkjet printers are, on the whole, better value for money for users with modest or infrequent printing requirements.
These printers are more affordable to purchase than tank or laser printers. However, the cartridges may work out more expensive for high-volume users.

HP Smart Tank

The HP Smart Tank series uses an ink tank system in its printers. Instead of relying on a replaceable cartridge, this printer series lets you refill the tank with a special spill-resistant ink bottle.
As no cartridge is involved, the ink tank is more eco-friendly and economical for high-volume users. On the downside, the printer is more expensive to purchase upfront, and its heads may dry out when unused for an extended period.

The best HP Smart Printers in the UK

Now you understand the fundamental differences between these two popular printer series, let’s examine the top options in the HP UK Store.

HP ENVY 6022e All-in-One Wireless Colour Printer

Perfect for infrequent printers, the HP ENVY 6022e All-in-One Wireless Color Printer is a cost-effective inkjet designed for home users with low printing needs. The device is popular among families with school-aged children who need to print assignments and high-quality illustrations.
But don’t let the low price deceive you; it boasts several smart features. For example, you can use the HP Smart app to print from your phone anywhere.
  • Function: Copy, scan, print
  • Color: Full color
  • Print speed: Up to 10 pages per minute (ppm) (black) and 7 ppm (color)
  • Monthly page volume: 100 to 400
  • Two-sided printing: Yes
  • ADF: No
  • Wireless: Yes
  • HP Smart-enabled: HP Smart & HP+

HP ENVY Inspire 7920e All-in-One Wireless Colour Printer

Investing a bit more gets you the HP ENVY Inspire 7920e All-in-One Wireless Colour Printer, which comes with a three-month subscription to Instant Ink. Faster printing speeds, higher recommended monthly page volumes, and a 35-page ADF make it appeal to frequent printers.
This model is made from 45% recycled plastics to help preserve our precious planet. Like other HP Smart Printers, getting started is easy - simply pair your mobile device and hit print.
  • Functions: Copy, scan, print
  • Color: Full color
  • Print speed: Up to 15 ppm (black) and 10 ppm (color)
  • Monthly page volume: 300 to 400 pages
  • Two-sided printing: Yes
  • ADF: 35-page ADF
  • Wireless: Yes
  • HP Smart-enabled: Yes

HP Smart Tank Plus 555 Wireless All-in-One Colour Printer

Home users with high printing requirements should spend more on a tank printer like the HP Smart Tank Plus 555 Wireless All-in-One Colour Printer. Although it’ll cost you more upfront, you’ll save money in the long run through cheaper ongoing printing costs.
Up to three years of bottled ink come included in the package, so you won’t have to worry about refills anytime soon.
  • Functions: Print, scan, copy
  • Color: Full color
  • Print speed: Up to 11 ppm (black) and 5 ppm (color)
  • Monthly page volume: up to 800 pages/month
  • Two-sided printing: No
  • ADF: No
  • Wireless: Yes
  • HP Smart-enabled: Yes

HP Smart Tank 7605 Wireless All-in-One Colour Printer

Work-from-home professionals and large families with multiple school-aged children may prefer a premium printer to placate their high-volume needs. Enter the HP Smart Tank 7605 Wireless All-in-One Colour Printer. Capable of printing up to 1,200 pages per month, this enterprise-level device is ideal for high-volume users.
A zippy 15 ppm black print speed slashes wait times, while the spacious 35-page ADF makes big print jobs a breeze.
  • Functions: Print, copy, scan, fax
  • Color: Full color
  • Print speed: Up to 15 ppm (black) and 9 ppm (color)
  • Monthly page volume: 400 to 1200
  • Two-sided printing: Yes
  • ADF: 35-sheet ADF
  • Wireless: Yes
  • HP Smart-enabled: Yes

Summary

Chock full of high-tech features, an HP Smart Printer takes the hassle out of putting ink on a page. From simplified setups to automated ink monitoring, these cutting-edge devices make home printing more convenient.
Infrequent printers typically find cartridge-based inkjets like the HP ENVY more appealing. Home users with high requirements, however, will save money in the long term with a Smart Tank Printer.
We’ve got the perfect printer for you, whichever camp you’re in. Choose the ideal option from today’s recommendations or see what else is available in the HP
Store.

About the Author

Harry Stewart is a Tech Takes contributor covering everything from how-to guides to laptop reviews.

Disclosure: Our site may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.