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So, bought an HP Envy printer, not so much by choice but needed it that day, and didn't want to pay a fortune for it since it is in a second location where it isn't used much. It came with a free subscription to instant ink and in a moment of stupidity, I signed up for it. Mostly because I was thinking these cartridges will dry out before they are empty.
Fastforward 6 months and here is an email from HP (emphasis added):
Hi Michael,
Your free trial of HP Instant Ink for your HP ENVY 6458e All-in-One Printer will be ending on 24 February 2023. We want to make sure you have a seamless transition to your subscription plan.
Time is running out! Finish your subscription account today!
• Add a payment method today, so you can continue printing with the subscription ink cartridges after your trial ends.
• You can always change or cancel your plan anytime from your dashboard.
•IMPORTANT! If you do not provide a payment method, your subscription cartridges will no longer work after your trial ends.
I've printed 148 pages in 6 months, 40 of which were special and I could have waited to print them on my Canon at home. My options are to pay $12/yr to print 10 pages per month, or $48/yr to print 50. Or spend around $35 and buy new cartridges and throw out perfectly good ones.
The option I'm really considering is to buy a new Canon for around $140, take the HP outside, use my Sawzall and cut it into about 5 pieces and send it to the CEO of HP.
I know the cost effective option is to just pay the ransom, but it's really a matter of principle as I will never buy anything from HP again, and that includes a potential tens of thousands of dollars for work.
I have a week, so I'll stew on it for a while.
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We had bought a $99 HP for home-office use. I was trying to get it to print but the drivers could only be installed if you installed the HP Ink Subscription.
I boxed it back up, returned it to Target and ordered a Epson epson wf-2850 for $119.
4 separate ink cartridges can be replaced quite inexpensively
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Better still, get a laser and end up with a printer that you turn on, print, and turn off - instead of turn on, print, swear, flush, swear, flush, swear, change a cartridge, print, swear, ...
I'm pretty sure I got through more ink (and paper) trying to get acceptable print quality than I ever used on actual prints.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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truth 
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
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I recently replaced my Canon multi-function inkjet with a Brother multi-function laser. It was a lot more expensive, but I'm not wasting half the ink in head cleaning and whatnot every time I want to print. The darn thing just works, and the lack of hassle is worth a lot.
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I agree about the Brother Multi-Function Laser. I have an MFC-L3745CDW and it's everything I need, but non-genuine toner carts are a no-no. At least the one I tried. Everything was fine for about 10 sheets, then the machine claimed the toner cart was missing and no amount of reseating would convince it otherwise.
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Thanks for the head's up on the toner cartridges.
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I found in stressful situations such as this that a sledge hammer works exceptionally well.
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My dad got fed up with its GPS navigator, he clenched it in a vise, then he wasn't still happy so he put it on the ground and backed on it with the car.
GCS/GE d--(d) s-/+ a C+++ U+++ P-- L+@ E-- W+++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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It's not good to keep stress in.
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Can you disconnect the printer from the net and USB it to the PC? Might stop it from getting the cartridges turned off.
I agree that many things that HP does can drive you nuts but I do have to say that having printers at home and the office on Instant Ink is fantastic when they get regular use. Neither has ever run out of ink and the savings compared to any printer I've ever used (where you had to buy cartridges) are very substantial.
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I don't know, my guess is that is set into the printer from the sound of it.
I agree, it could be a good program in some use cases. But as you alluded to, the cost is really only comparable to buying cartridges for ink jets. I was further amazed that $35ish worth of cartridges only print 100 pages. I know it's a different world, but the office Xerox costs less than 1/2 that including lease, supplies, and service. Also can't compare to my personal Canon image class. Bought a floor model for twice what I was going to pay for my prior HP ink cartridges. Took two years to go through the starter cartridges, lol.
I supposed I just disliked the threat in the email more than anything else.
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Nope, you cannot. There is something in the printer firmware (deadman timer of some type?) that disables the printer if it can't phone home. The best part is that nothing in the HP software or the printer will tell you what the problem is. It just refuses to print.
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
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I've had a couple of HP printers and cameras, and come to the conclusion that installing HP software is an absolute no-no. If it won't work without, it goes back.
Also, I'm currently using an Epson printer. "Genuine" Epson cartridges would cost more than the printer (about £60 vs £50), so I get 3rd party, about £16 a set.
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MikeCO10 wrote: use my Sawzall and cut it into about 5 pieces
This is an acceptable solution to this problem for sure, but I really likes Mike's sledgehammer recommendation as it allows the rage to build within you, flow through you, and into the object you are destroying. Thus, reconnecting you with the ancient gods of war, if only for a brief moment in time.
something to consider for sure. 
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Yes! I suppose I could circle around it, sledgehammer in hand, staring at it and then...
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I think the sledgehammer could be the safer option if appropriate safety gear like a full face shield is utilized.
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Yep. I’ve used a 5lb maul on a tape player, and a 357 on various reports and a cheap tablet. Satisfying. 
Time is the differentiation of eternity devised by man to measure the passage of human events.
- Manly P. Hall
Mark
Just another cog in the wheel
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Just cancel the subscription and buy cartridges whenever they run out.
I know it's in vogue here at CP to trash HP printers... and I'm not here to defend HP in any way but I bought an HP Envy all-in-one ~5 years ago. I print as infrequently as you - maybe less. My cartridges easily last 18 months maybe longer.
Be a grown up and don't trash a perfectly functional printer based on your dislike of their silly subscription plan and your guess about cartridge longevity.
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Oh, I'm not really going to smash the printer, and I'm not trashing the printer; it does what it is supposed to do , short of an occasional Wifi disconnect.
What I was trashing was the wording of the email • IMPORTANT! If you do not provide a payment method, your subscription cartridges will no longer work after your trial ends, complete with the underline. Basically, we'll kill perfectly good cartridges if you don't pay the ransom. Not even a "Pay us $10-15 if you want them to remain active".
It is heartening to hear the cartridges will last around 18 months, my last inkjet didn't perform that well.
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yeah, you must have missed my own rant from a few months ago.
Happily printing on a brother duplex laser.
Charlie Gilley
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” BF, 1759
Has never been more appropriate.
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Years ago in the days of Windows XP, I made the mistake of buying a HP scanner. A little while later, Windows 7 came out and I tried to get a driver for 7. HP told me that they will not provide a driver for my scanner compatible with Windows 7. When I asked the HP help desk "What am I supposed to do?", they told me to buy a new scanner! I thought that was excellent advice, so I bought a Canon scanner and took a solemn oath never to buy any HP product again. 
Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!
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