My Hewlett Packard Rant.

[stevet47]

I got an HP all-in-one printer for Xmas. When I went to install it, the printer would not recognize the in cartridges. I messed with it for a while and could not figure it out so reluctanlty I called the help desk. They walked me through a couple things then said that the printer is bad and they will send me a replacement.... oh, but we wont replace it with a new one, it will be replaced with a remanufatored unit. WTF?! This printer is BRAND NEW HP ADMITS IT'S BAD, AND THEY STILL WILL ONLY GIVE ME A REMAN.
Anyway, I decide to return it to the store to exchange it, the only problem is that 1) it was an Xmas present, so I have to get the receipt from my parents and make them feel bad for giving me a bad printer. And 2) I come to find out that this was a "Xmas only" printer that only Target sells. Target no longer carries it because it was a Xmas deal, and NO OTHER STORES CARRY IT. Crap. My parents got it $30 off, it was a $60 printer, that they got for $30. So now because the printer isn't something they carry, and I can't exchange it, I am not struck with getting a crappy $30 printer instead of a slightly nicer $60 printer. Damn.

Ok... the saga continues.
My Dad was nice enough to return the printer, and tell me to just buy whichever one I want and he'll pay me for it.
I decide on a nicer HP all-in-one that costs $100. I had a $30 visa giftcard lying around, so I used it, and just let my dad pay the difference instead of all $100.
I get this new nice HP unit home, install it, and guess what...
"PRINT CARTRIDGE(S) MISSING OR NOT RECOGNIZED" !!!! DAMIT!! WTF!!!
I mess with this one, can't figure it out, so again I call HP help desk. Again they walk me through a bunch of crap and then tell me that it is an internal problem with the printer and that they will replace it. At least this time they would replace it with a new unit.

I hang up because I would rather just return it to the store again, but then start thinking about how there is no way 2 HP printers could be bad right out of the box. Then I think... hmmm... maybe it is the ink cartridge, not the printer, so today I go buy a new ink cartridge put it in, and presto, it works!
I noticed that the cartridge that came with the printer weighed about 1/2 of what the cartridge I bought in the store weighs, so obviously they send CRAPPY POS ink cartridges with their printers!

Is it just me, or should the HP help desk techs, know to suggest trying a new ink cartidge before telling someone they are **** out of luck and they need a new printer. WTF HP, how well does it reflect on you that every time someone buys one of your printers it is broken until they buy a new ink cartridge for it?

HP makes nice printers, so its not like I am going to stop using them, but damn, I just lost a lot of respect for HP.

Ok.. rant over.

[Inyourface1650]

Thank god I dont use inkjets anymore, laser only for me.

And just so you know, my HP 4M+, built in 1994, is still my only printer.

[CT_Nismo]

I too purchased an HP inkjet printer. But I had problems loading the software. Tech service is in India, Phillipines and Costa Rica. I made six phone calls. Five techs hung up on me when they could not solve the problem. The fifth was a level 3 tech (smarter) gave up after an hour. She never called me back.

The printer sits there with no connection to the PC. Go figure.

[stevet47]

Originally Posted by Inyourface1650

Thank god I dont use inkjets anymore, laser only for me.

And just so you know, my HP 4M+, built in 1994, is still my only printer.

I love laserjets, but I needed a copy/scanner.

[GroovyDude]

I've had my Lexmark all-in-one for almost 4yrs and never had a problem (knock on wood) my last printer was an HP and it gave me headaches

[Inyourface1650]

I think, as usual, it comes down too, they don't build em like they used too...and the included software (dell is really bad with this) is all junk.

[durrell]

Our HP Deskjet has been bulletproof for a solid 6 years or so.

[Dr Phat]

Damn, sucks man. You should call them and tell em theres somthing up with there in cartridges.

+1 for knowing what HP stands for