HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer Review: The Small Office Workhorse Put to the Test

There’s a specific kind of frustration that only a bad printer can induce. It’s that sinking feeling when you’re on a tight deadline, the final report is ready, and you hit “Print.” Instead of the satisfying whir of machinery, you’re met with a grinding noise, a paper jam error, or worse, complete silence. For years, my home office relied on a consumer-grade all-in-one that was fine for the occasional boarding pass but buckled under pressure. Printing a 50-page document felt like an eternity, the ink cartridges were a constant drain on my wallet, and double-sided printing was a manual, error-prone nightmare of flipping and re-feeding pages. This bottleneck wasn’t just an annoyance; it was actively costing me time and professionalism. The search for a solution led me to a class of printers designed not just for casual use, but for genuine productivity: a dedicated office workhorse that prioritises speed, efficiency, and reliability. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer promises to be exactly that.

What to Consider Before Buying an Office Inkjet Printer

An office inkjet printer is more than just a device for putting ink on paper; it’s a key solution for boosting workflow efficiency in a small business or demanding home office environment. Unlike basic consumer models, these printers are engineered for higher volume, faster output, and more robust connectivity, solving the critical problems of printing bottlenecks and high running costs. Their main benefits lie in providing laser-like speeds for text documents at a lower initial hardware cost, coupled with the versatility of high-quality colour printing for reports, charts, and marketing materials.

The ideal customer for this type of product is a small business owner, a remote worker, or a household with heavy printing needs for school or work. They are facing the limitations of slower, less reliable printers and need a machine that can handle multi-page documents, connect seamlessly to a network with multiple users, and offer cost-effective printing solutions like ink subscription services. Conversely, this category of printer might not be suitable for those who print very infrequently, as the ink can dry out, or for professional photographers who require gallery-quality photo output, as office inkjets are typically optimised for document clarity over photographic nuance. For very low-volume users, a simpler, more compact all-in-one might suffice, while photographers should look at dedicated photo printers.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Office printers are typically larger and heavier than their consumer counterparts to accommodate larger paper trays and more robust mechanics. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer, for instance, measures 16.5D x 19.5W x 8H centimetres and weighs over 8.6 kg. Before buying, measure your intended space to ensure a proper fit, leaving room for ventilation and access to paper trays and ink cartridges.
• Capacity/Performance: This is where office printers shine. Look at the Print Speed, measured in pages per minute (ppm)—the 8210 boasts up to 34 ppm. Also, consider the paper handling capabilities: a large input tray (250 sheets for the 8210) means less frequent refilling, and an automatic duplexer (for two-sided printing) is a massive time-saver.
• Connectivity & Integration: In a modern office, flexibility is key. A good office printer must offer multiple connection options. The inclusion of Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB, as found in the 8210, ensures it can be set up as a shared network resource for multiple computers or connected directly to a single workstation. Mobile printing via an app is also a critical feature for printing from smartphones and tablets.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: A printer should simplify your work, not complicate it. Look for features like a clear display for status updates and easy-to-replace ink cartridges. Most importantly, investigate the long-term running costs. Consider the price of individual cartridges versus the value proposition of an ink subscription service like HP Instant Ink, which can significantly reduce costs for high-volume users.

Keeping these factors in mind, the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer stands out in several areas, particularly in speed and connectivity. You can explore its detailed specifications and features here.

While the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer is an excellent choice for its specific purpose, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

First Impressions: A No-Nonsense Business Tool

Unboxing the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer, the first thing we noticed was its purposeful design. This isn’t a sleek, minimalist device meant to blend into a living room; it’s a substantial, business-like machine. Weighing in at over 8.6 kg, it feels solid and well-constructed, with a matte black finish that resists fingerprints. The setup process was a mixed bag. The box contents were straightforward, though we noted, as one user also found, that the promised installation CD was absent. This is hardly a dealbreaker in 2023, as downloading the latest drivers from the HP website is always the recommended practice anyway.

Connecting it to our Wi-Fi network was simple using the small built-in display and on-screen prompts. Once online, our computers immediately detected it, and the HP Smart app installation was seamless. The single 250-sheet paper tray slides in with a satisfying heft, reinforcing the printer’s workhorse persona. It feels designed for volume from the ground up, a significant step-up from the flimsy 100-sheet trays common on cheaper models. Initialisation and print head alignment took a few minutes, after which it was ready for its first task. Our initial impression is of a robust, focused tool built for one primary mission: printing documents quickly and efficiently.

Deep Dive: Performance Under Pressure

A printer’s true value is revealed not on its spec sheet, but in day-to-day use under real-world pressures. We put the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer through a rigorous testing process, focusing on the core attributes that matter most in a busy office environment: raw speed, network flexibility, print quality across different media, and overall reliability. Our findings paint a picture of a highly specialized machine—one that excels brilliantly in some areas but falls surprisingly short in others.

Blazing Speeds for Text Documents: A Productivity Powerhouse

The headline feature of the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer is its speed, and in this regard, it absolutely delivers on its promise. HP claims up to 34 pages per minute, and while that’s likely under ideal “draft mode” conditions, our real-world tests were still incredibly impressive. We tasked it with printing a 40-page, text-heavy business report in standard quality. From the moment we clicked “print” to the final page landing in the output tray, the entire job took just over a minute and a half. The first page was out in under 10 seconds, and subsequent pages followed in a rapid, continuous stream.

This performance is transformative for anyone used to consumer-grade printers. Large jobs that would have previously required a coffee break are now completed in moments. This aligns perfectly with feedback from users who lauded it as “extrêmement rapide à l’impression de texte” (extremely fast for text printing). For an office that primarily produces invoices, reports, letters, and other monochrome or simple colour documents, this speed is a game-changer. The automatic duplexing feature is equally swift and reliable. It flawlessly printed a 20-page double-sided document without a single jam, smoothly pulling each sheet back in to print the other side. This efficiency not only saves time but also significantly cuts down on paper consumption, making it an economically and environmentally sound choice for high-volume document production.

Connectivity and Network Integration: Seamless for Any Office

A printer is only as good as its ability to connect to your devices, and the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer offers a trifecta of modern connectivity that makes it incredibly versatile. We tested all three primary methods: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and direct USB. For a shared office environment, the Ethernet port is the gold standard. We plugged it directly into our router, and following the advice of a savvy user, assigned it a static IP address to ensure stable, long-term connectivity for all machines on the network. The setup was painless, and every computer in our office, both PC and Mac, found and installed the printer without issue.

The Wi-Fi performance was equally robust. We placed the printer in a location away from the router and it maintained a strong, stable connection, spooling and printing large jobs without any dropouts. The real star, however, is the mobile integration through the HP Smart app. From an Android smartphone, we were able to print documents directly from cloud storage, scan documents using the phone’s camera and send them to the printer, and check ink levels remotely. This level of mobile control is invaluable for a modern, flexible workflow, allowing you to print an urgent document from your phone as you walk into the office. The inclusion of Wi-Fi Direct also means guests can print directly to the device without needing access to your main network, a thoughtful feature for client-facing businesses.

The Double-Edged Sword: Print Quality and Ink Costs

Here is where our review becomes more nuanced. For standard text-based documents, the quality is excellent. Text is razor-sharp and crisp, even at smaller font sizes, with a clarity that rivals entry-level laser printers. Black text is deep and solid, and simple colour graphics within reports, like charts and logos, are rendered accurately and vibrantly. In this capacity, the printer is a perfect workhorse.

However, when we shifted our focus to more demanding colour printing, significant issues emerged, confirming the concerns raised in several user reviews. We attempted to print a full-page A4 photograph on plain paper to test its graphical capabilities. The result was disappointing. We observed distinct horizontal lines and banding across the image, a flaw one user described perfectly as a “STREIFENMUSTER” (striped pattern). Despite running multiple print head cleaning and alignment cycles through the software, the issue persisted. This suggests that while the printer can produce colour, it is not optimised for high-quality, full-page image output. For documents, it’s superb; for photos or detailed graphics, it falls short.

This performance is tied directly to the conversation about ink cost. The standard HP 953 ink cartridges can be costly, a point a user highlighted by calling the price “clairement abusé” (clearly outrageous) relative to their lifespan. For users printing high volumes of text documents, this is where the HP Instant Ink subscription becomes almost essential. By paying a monthly fee based on pages printed, not cartridges used, the cost per page can be dramatically reduced, and new ink is shipped automatically before you run out. While this model isn’t for everyone, it turns the high running cost into a predictable, manageable operational expense, making the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer a far more economical choice for its target user.

Build Quality and Reliability Concerns: A Tale of Two Experiences

Physically, the printer feels like a durable piece of equipment. The plastic casing is thick, the paper tray is robust, and it operates with a reassuringly solid sound. Our test unit performed flawlessly from a mechanical standpoint, handling hundreds of pages without a single paper jam or misfeed. However, it is impossible to ignore the significant number of user reports detailing major quality control and reliability issues. We encountered numerous accounts of customers receiving units that were dead on arrival, with one user describing a power button that simply wouldn’t depress. Another received a unit that was stuck in a permanent initialization loop (“ständig am Initialisieren”), rendering it useless.

More troubling are the reports of receiving products that appeared to be used or returned, with missing protective films, fingerprints on the controls, and ink cartridges that were not full. While our personal experience was positive, this pattern of feedback suggests a potential lack of consistency in quality control. It creates a scenario where purchasing the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer can feel like a gamble. You may receive a fantastic, reliable workhorse that serves you for years, or you could receive a defective unit that leads to a frustrating return process. This is perhaps the single biggest caveat we have in recommending this otherwise highly capable document printer.

What Other Users Are Saying

Synthesizing the broader user experience reveals a clear consensus that aligns with our findings. The sentiment is sharply divided based on use case and, unfortunately, luck of the draw with the hardware. On the positive side, many users praise the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer for its core function: speed. A Spanish user noted it is a “complemento perfecto” (perfect complement) in an office with an existing high-volume laser printer, used for quick colour jobs like invoices and graphs. This highlights its ideal role as a specialised, high-speed document printer.

However, the negative feedback is substantial and consistent. The most common complaint revolves around print quality for anything beyond simple text. A German user who had been happy with previous OfficeJet models stated that with the 8210, “HP die Druckqualität verschlechert” (HP has worsened the print quality), specifically citing the banding on A4 image prints. The most critical feedback, though, concerns reliability. Multiple users reported receiving defective units right out of the box. One user stated, “Ich habe nun schon zum zweiten Mal kurz hintereinander ein defektes Gerät erhalten” (I have now received a defective device for the second time in a row). Another user from Spain detailed a complete failure to print even a test page, and an impossible-to-navigate customer support system, concluding “No tiréis el dinero, no es un buen producto” (Don’t throw your money away, it’s not a good product). This feedback paints a picture of a printer that is brilliant when it works for its intended purpose, but is plagued by quality control issues.

How Does the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer Compare to the Alternatives?

The HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer occupies a specific niche. To understand if it’s right for you, it’s crucial to see how it stacks up against other popular models with different feature sets.

1. HP DeskJet 3760 All-in-One Colour Printer

The HP DeskJet 3760 is a different beast entirely. It’s an ultra-compact “all-in-one” designed for casual home users with limited space and modest printing needs. Its primary advantages are its small footprint and its inclusion of scanning and copying capabilities, which the OfficeJet Pro 8210 lacks. However, it is significantly slower, has a much smaller paper tray, and is not built for the high-volume workloads the 8210 is designed to handle. If you need a versatile device for occasional printing, scanning homework, or copying documents and space is at a premium, the DeskJet 3760 is a more logical and affordable choice. If speed and volume are your priorities, the 8210 is vastly superior.

2. Epson WorkForce WF-2860 All-in-One Wireless Printer

The Epson WorkForce WF-2860 is a more direct competitor to the OfficeJet Pro 8210, targeting a similar small office/home office market. The key difference is that the WF-2860 is a true all-in-one device, offering printing, scanning, copying, and even faxing capabilities. It provides a more complete office solution in a single box. While its print speeds are lower than the 8210’s, it offers greater functionality. Users who need a single machine to handle all office tasks, especially scanning and copying, would be better served by the Epson WorkForce WF-2860. The HP 8210 remains the specialist choice for those who need maximum printing speed above all else.

3. Epson Expression Photo XP-970 A3 Inkjet Printer

The Epson Expression Photo XP-970 sits at the opposite end of the inkjet spectrum from the OfficeJet Pro 8210. Its purpose is not document speed but high-quality photo and graphics printing. Using a six-colour Claria Photo HD ink system, it produces stunning, lab-quality photos. Its standout feature is the ability to print on media up to A3 size, making it a favourite among photographers and graphic designers. If your primary need is printing high-fidelity images, marketing materials, or anything where colour accuracy and detail are paramount, the XP-970 is the clear winner. The HP 8210, with its documented issues with image banding, cannot compete in this arena.

Our Final Verdict: A Flawed but Potent Specialist

After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer is a conditional recommendation. This is not a printer for everyone. It is a highly specialized tool designed for a very specific task: printing large volumes of text-based documents at blistering speeds. For a small business that churns out reports, invoices, and correspondence, and is willing to commit to the HP Instant Ink program to manage running costs, this printer is a productivity powerhouse. Its network connectivity is robust, and its raw speed can genuinely streamline office workflow.

However, this recommendation comes with two significant warnings. Firstly, its performance on full-page colour graphics and photos is subpar, making it unsuitable for anyone with even moderate creative printing needs. Secondly, the alarming volume of user reports concerning dead-on-arrival units and quality control failures cannot be overlooked. It’s a powerful machine when you get a good one, but the risk of receiving a dud is higher than it should be. If your needs align perfectly with its strengths and you’re willing to take that risk, it’s a worthy contender. For everyone else, a more balanced all-in-one might be a safer bet.

If you’ve decided the HP OfficeJet Pro 8210 Printer is the right fit for your high-speed printing needs, you can check its current price and availability here.