HP Color DeskJet 9800

6 out of 10 - Good
Not bad overall but nothing to get excited about
If you're looking for an all around office printer that prints large format this HP is a bargin. I'...
If you're looking for an all around office printer that prints large format this HP is a bargin. I'd recomend it. I need better quality in my business so I returned it.

I purchased it at OfficeMax when I walked in and saw it for $250. If you need wide formatt this is a pretty good printer. You'll find the print quality about as good as the $150 printers that HP puts out. Better in print quality than my old deskjet 995 by about 25%.

But I returned it after I printed out a few files. I realized I realy wanted the better rated Canon i9900. Walked over to Staples and bought the Canon. Ran some tests. Print quality of the Canon was about 20% to 30% better than the HP. Twice the speed. (These are just gut feelings -- not actual tests. But I did run the same files on both.) I have worked in graphic design for 25 years. If you do too and can remember paying $500 for a chromlin press proof you'll love the the HP for that reason alone. But if you want to impress a client with "wow" output quality look elseware. Read more
by idno0000-review (see profile) - August 6, 2005

5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.

2 out of 10 - Terrible
Don't consider this for business or as a primary printer
This unit was purchased to prepare B sized (ledger, tabloid) size engineering drawings for use by professional engineers, contractors, and ...
This unit was purchased to prepare B sized (ledger, tabloid) size engineering drawings for use by professional engineers, contractors, and customers.

Generally, my experience with HP products has been excellent, however this product line needs to be terminated quickly.

A known issue with the printer is the black ink cartridges smear a page with excess ink. The printouts that result are useful only as file copies and cannot be used to present to customers or in any presentation.

The color cartridges continually clog. At first, I thought HP provided below quality cartridges with the printer. I found the problem to continue upon the purchase and installation of more than one set of new cartridges. This clogging of the cartridges can happen in the middle of a print job, if the printer sits unused for 60 minutes, and will always happen on the first use of the day. It is imperative to cycle through the "Clean Print Cartridges" prior to any print job. While the clogging always appears when using the color cartridge, if occassionally happens on the black cartridge as well.

A number of other issues exist, but they are covered in other reviews.

In summary, the printer will be disposed of and replaced in my office very shortly. DON'T buy this printer. It's low price is indicative of its low quality. Read more
by smccaffrey (see profile) - April 12, 2006

3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 comment posted to this opinion

3 out of 10 - Poor
Not up to the Task--Miserable Tech Support
We had this printer less than 6 months before the cartridge slider began to jam. We would get an error ...
We had this printer less than 6 months before the cartridge slider began to jam. We would get an error message, and then would have to reset the printer and reboot the computer to get it to work for a short while. We finally ended up sending back the printer on their exchange program, after I had to ask to speak to a supervisor. (The tech support wanted us to install a free ink cartridge when I had already installed several before contacting them) We have had the replacement printer less than two months and are already experiencing problems again. The ink cartridge is pooling ink under the cartridge rest area in a very heavy amount, and the cartridge slider again has begun to jam. Tech support has had us clean the plastic tape that pulls the cartridge carrier back and forth, and for now the unit is working. We still haven't addressed the excessive ink leak which probably has something to do with the jamming problem. I hope HP reviews comments on this website occasionally. I would like them to know I have believed in their printers and used them successfully for years, but my latest experience has caused me to reexamine that position. Also, HP tech support is very difficult to deal with at best. I talked to several overseas tech support reps that spoke almost unintelligible English. I am one consumer willing to pay a little more for a product that is well supported. HP are you listening? Read more
by rcharnoc (see profile) - March 23, 2007

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

2 out of 10 - Terrible
Good printer poor software
after working with HP techs for a month, the HP toolbox gould not access the printer to determine the ink ...
after working with HP techs for a month, the HP toolbox gould not access the printer to determine the ink levels or to run diagnostics. Also, the on-line tools would not work either for the same reason. Could not communitcate with the printer. did not depend upon the computer, USB or parrallel port. Same results. Win XP Pro Service Pack 2 are incompatible with the support tools.
wich means no update of drivers or other things available. Read more
by ahummel (see profile) - July 31, 2006

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

7 out of 10 - Very good
Good stuff
I was thrilled to find this not-so-little beast on sale for $225 at Office Depot. I just printed two 11x17 ...
I was thrilled to find this not-so-little beast on sale for $225 at Office Depot. I just printed two 11x17 posters and 100 tri-fold brochures with it--no problems. The only trouble is this thing goes through ink like my ex-girlfriend goes through men. Those puny little HP97 ink cartridges don't hold squat and they cost $35/each. Read more
by scking73 (see profile) - February 25, 2006

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

3 out of 10 - Poor
More HP Junk
Well I got bit by HP again. When will I learn that the HP of today is not the same ...
Well I got bit by HP again. When will I learn that the HP of today is not the same company of yesterday. Bought the 9800 as a replacement for my 1120C since the 1220C I bought never did work and HP would never fix it. Sent the 1220C to HP and they just sent it back, not working. Now we have the 9800. Worked OK for a few months. One thing you never want to do is try and print business cards off this thing. Expecially the pre-perferated cards. The paper is so agressively pulled into the printer that it tears the paper. This leads to a paper jam that is near impossible to clean due the how the paper is fed. You also run the risk of the printer not working after a jam. That is my situation now. It may be a inexpensive printer as far as printers go but who wants to throw 300 dollars into the garbage? Hope CNET isn't in bed with HP since they have the option of dumping my review. Read more
by PLS6699 (see profile) - January 22, 2006

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

9 out of 10 - Spectacular
Great printer for the weekend photographer
I looked long and hard for a large format printer to print my vacation pictures. I lloked at Epson, but ...
I looked long and hard for a large format printer to print my vacation pictures. I lloked at Epson, but they are very expensive for somone not printing a lot of big pictures.
Found the 9800 and decided to pop for the 300 and give it a try. Slipped in the photo cartridge and printed my first 13X19 print and was dazzled. It would be very difficult to tell the difference between this printers output and a photolab. The HP Satin paper and PhotoRetIV is truly impressive. Friends at work were so impressed, I was paid (made a few bucks) to print some of my vacation pictures.
Only con was the 12 large prints for a single photo cartridge.
Well worth the money! Read more
by drderks (see profile) - June 27, 2005

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

6 out of 10 - Good
.............
Stinkyink now offer ink cartridges for the http://www.stinkyinkshop.co.uk/acatalog/Deskjet_9800.html HP Deskjet 9800 ink. Oh ...
Stinkyink now offer ink cartridges for the http://www.stinkyinkshop.co.uk/acatalog/Deskjet_9800.html HP Deskjet 9800 ink. Oh and it's free delivery too! Read more
by lucyrssll (see profile) - August 12, 2008

2 out of 10 - Terrible
Don't waste your money.
This printer will not do all that it is advertised to do. I needed a printer that could print on ...
This printer will not do all that it is advertised to do. I needed a printer that could print on card stock and though this one was advertised that it could it doesnt. Every other page will jam or the printer fails to recognize that there is paper in the tray at all. Also, printing lables is a nightmare as well. Each page of lables must be fed into the machine one at a time. This is very time consuming. Lastly, the paper doesnt always feed correctly resulting in crooked pages or too may pages feeding at once. I rated this printer a 2 because that is how many times out of 10 that it actually performs as it should. Read more
by trainermagfed (see profile) - February 19, 2008

8 out of 10 - Excellent
HP 9800 rates an 8 with this user
This machine performs well for my needs, but it is not a set-and-forget machine with a stack of paper loaded. ...
This machine performs well for my needs, but it is not a set-and-forget machine with a stack of paper loaded. If it were, I'd give it a 10.

It's hard to find a quality printer for 11x17 sheets - we do tabloid Newsletters, and the printer performs quality for our needs, as long as we are patient to watch the loaded paper, and limit the jobs to smaller runs. Thankfully, we have not experienced ink cart problems.

We hope HP improves the architecture of this machine with a reliable, easily loadable straight-thru paper feed from the back for heavier stock. Read more
by KealyPaul (see profile) - June 14, 2007