HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless Review: The Perfect Home Companion or a Subscription Trap?

We’ve all been there. It’s ten minutes before you need to leave for the airport, and you realise you never printed the boarding passes. Or it’s Sunday night, and your child’s major school project, due tomorrow, is still just a file on the laptop. You hit ‘Print’, and nothing happens. The old, dusty printer in the corner is either stubbornly disconnected from the Wi-Fi, out of an obscurely coloured ink cartridge you don’t have, or simply refusing to cooperate. It’s a moment of pure, modern frustration. In a world where so much is digital, the need for a physical document can strike unexpectedly, turning a simple task into a frantic scramble. This is the precise problem that compact, wireless, all-in-one devices promise to solve. The idea of a reliable, ever-ready machine that can print from any device, scan a crucial document, or copy a form without a second thought is the home office dream. The question is, does the reality live up to the promise?

What to Consider Before Buying an All-In-One Printer

An All-In-One Printer is more than just an item to tick off a home office checklist; it’s a key solution for consolidating tasks and saving space. It addresses the need for printing documents, scanning photos or receipts for digital archiving, and making quick copies without needing three separate, bulky machines. The main benefit is convenience and efficiency. For families, it means printing homework and photos. For remote workers or small business owners, it’s about handling contracts, invoices, and reports seamlessly. It bridges the gap between our digital and physical worlds, providing a tangible output at the touch of a button, all from a single, compact footprint.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the classic home-use scenario: occasional but essential printing needs. This includes students, families, and professionals who work from home part-time. They value simplicity, wireless connectivity from phones and laptops, and a machine that doesn’t dominate their workspace. However, an entry-level inkjet all-in-one might not be suitable for those who run a business with high-volume daily printing, require lightning-fast output, or need specialised features like A3 printing or automatic duplexing. For them, a more robust office-grade laser printer or a higher-end inkjet model would be a more appropriate, albeit more expensive, alternative.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Measure your intended space carefully. All-in-one printers, while compact, still need adequate clearance for paper trays, scanner lids, and ventilation. Consider the “in-use” footprint, not just the static dimensions, as paper output trays often extend forward. The HP DeskJet 2820e’s small size is one of its main selling points for those with limited desk real estate.
• Capacity/Performance: Look beyond the initial purchase price to the true performance metrics. Key specs include print speed (measured in pages per minute or ppm), the capacity of the paper input and output trays, and the print resolution (measured in dots per inch or dpi). A low ppm like this model’s 7.5 for black and 5.5 for colour is fine for a few pages here and there but would be frustrating for a 50-page report.
• Materials & Durability: Most consumer-grade printers are made primarily of plastic. Look for sturdy construction and positive design choices. The HP DeskJet 2820e, for instance, is made with at least 60% recycled plastic, which is a commendable nod to sustainability. However, understand that a lightweight plastic build is designed for home use, not the rigours of a busy office environment.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: In today’s connected world, setup should be painless. App-based setups, like HP’s Smart App, are the new standard and are generally user-friendly. However, the most significant maintenance aspect is ink replacement. Consider the cost and availability of cartridges, and investigate any subscription services offered, as these can dramatically alter the long-term cost of ownership.

Keeping these factors in mind, the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless stands out in several areas, particularly for users prioritising a compact design and simple, app-driven functionality. You can explore its detailed specifications and features here.

While the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless is an excellent choice for its intended audience, 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: Unboxing the “Cement” Compact

Pulling the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless from its box, the first thing we noticed was its surprisingly light weight and compact form factor. At just over 3.4 kg, it’s incredibly easy to handle and place. The “Cement” colour is a modern, light grey that blends in much more pleasantly with home decor than the traditional office beige or stark black. It feels purpose-built for a small desk, a bookshelf, or a corner of the kitchen counter. HP’s commitment to sustainability is immediately apparent, with the unit being constructed from over 60% recycled plastic, giving it a matte finish that resists fingerprints well. The packaging was straightforward, with the printer, two setup ink cartridges (one black, one tri-colour), a power cord, and setup guides all securely packed. There are several pieces of blue transport tape to remove from the exterior and interior, a standard procedure to keep moving parts safe during shipping. The overall initial impression is one of simplicity and efficiency, a device designed to be unboxed and put to work with minimal fuss.

A Deep Dive into the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless’s Performance

An affordable price tag and a compact design are appealing, but they mean nothing if the printer fails at its core tasks. We put the HP DeskJet 2820e through its paces, simulating the typical demands of a modern household—from printing text-heavy school reports and vibrant colour photos to scanning important documents and making quick copies. Our goal was to move beyond the spec sheet and understand the real-world user experience.

The Setup Experience: Simplicity Hinges on the HP Smart App

HP has staked a lot on its HP Smart app, billing it as the “best and easiest-to-use print app,” and for the most part, our experience aligned with this claim. This is where the printer truly lives or dies for the average user, and thankfully, it largely succeeds. The process is designed to be phone-first. After removing the packaging tape and plugging the printer in, we installed the included HP 305 setup cartridges. They click into place with a satisfying, firm connection. The next step is to download the HP Smart app on a smartphone or computer. The app immediately began searching for the printer. Once found, it guided us step-by-step through connecting the printer to our Wi-Fi network. This process was seamless and took, as one user accurately noted, about “10 mins” to be “all up and running.”

However, the process is heavily dependent on a stable internet connection. We noted one user’s feedback about struggling to set it up without internet, discovering an undocumented feature: “you can just let the printer turn on for 2 hours to have access on wifi direct feature.” While we didn’t need this workaround, it’s a valuable tip for anyone in a new home or with spotty internet. The setup process also heavily pushes the activation of HP+ and the Instant Ink trial. This is a critical decision point for the user, and we’ll delve into that more deeply later. But for the basic task of getting the printer online and ready to print, the app-led approach is a resounding success and a world away from the driver-hunting and IP-address-wrangling of printers from a decade ago.

Print, Scan, and Copy Quality: Solid Performance for Everyday Needs

Once connected, we tested the core functions. For a budget-friendly home printer, the quality is surprisingly robust. Text documents printed in black were crisp and clear, with sharp fonts and no noticeable bleeding, even on standard copy paper. This aligns with feedback from users who found it produced “sharp lines” and “well-aligned” text. When it comes to colour printing, the maximum resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi allows for decent photo prints on glossy photo paper. While it won’t challenge a dedicated photo printer, the colours are vibrant, and the detail is more than adequate for family albums or school projects.

The trade-off for this quality at this price point is speed. With maximum speeds of 7.5 ppm for black and white and 5.5 ppm for colour, the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless is certainly not a speed demon. Printing a 10-page document feels noticeably slow if you’re used to an office laser printer. For its target audience—someone printing a few pages a week—this is perfectly acceptable. As one user aptly put it, it’s “quick enough for my use.” The flatbed scanner works well, capturing documents and photos with good fidelity for digital archiving or emailing. The copy function is straightforward, operated either from the simple LCD panel or the app, and produces results consistent with the print quality.

The HP+ and Instant Ink Ecosystem: Convenience at a Cost

This is arguably the most critical and controversial aspect of the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless. During setup, you are strongly encouraged to activate HP+, which comes with benefits like an extended warranty and the free ink trial. However, activating HP+ permanently marries your printer to genuine HP ink cartridges. You can never use third-party or refilled cartridges. This is a deal-breaker for some, with one user calling it the “biggest scam” and feeling entrapped. It is vital that potential buyers understand this commitment before clicking “activate.”

Tied to this is the Instant Ink subscription. The service is a convenience powerhouse: the printer monitors your ink levels and automatically orders new cartridges before you run out. They arrive by mail, and you’re billed a monthly fee based on the number of pages you print, not the amount of ink you use. For someone with inconsistent but occasionally heavy printing needs (e.g., printing 100 colour photos one month and nothing the next), this can be incredibly cost-effective, saving “up to 70% on ink.” Many users find the service “very useful.” However, if you are a very low-volume user, you might pay for pages you don’t use (though some roll over). The primary concern voiced by critics is the loss of freedom and the subscription model itself. If you cancel the subscription after activating HP+, your printer will not function even with genuine HP cartridges bought off the shelf until you re-subscribe. You are locked into the service model. This business model is a major departure from the traditional way of owning a printer, and your satisfaction with the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless will heavily depend on your comfort level with this ecosystem.

What Other Users Are Saying

Sifting through feedback from other owners provides a clear, if divided, picture of the HP DeskJet 2820e. The positive sentiment strongly centres on its core value proposition. Many users echo the sentiment that it’s a “fantastic little all-in-one printer!” and praise its ease of setup, with comments like “Simply switch on, download the app and follow the prompts” being common. For its intended purpose—light home use—many find it to be a “good product” that is “valuable for price” and “serves the purpose” perfectly.

However, the negative feedback is just as passionate and tends to focus on two key areas: reliability and the HP+ ink system. We saw several reports of technical failures, from a user whose “power cord doesn’t fit into the unit properly” to others who had units that simply stopped working or wouldn’t feed paper after a short time. The most vehement criticism, though, is reserved for the HP+ ink lock-in. One user warns, “HP entrap you into signing up for HP+… What they don’t make clear is HP+ bans you FOREVER from ever using ink that isn’t purchased directly from HP.” This sentiment is a significant warning for anyone who prefers flexibility in their ink purchasing decisions.

How Does the HP DeskJet 2820e Compare to the Alternatives?

No product exists in a vacuum. To truly understand the value of the HP DeskJet 2820e, it’s essential to see how it measures up against other options in the market, from its close siblings to more powerful competitors designed for different needs.

1. HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One

This alternative is essentially the same product, often appearing under a slightly different listing or bundle. The core hardware, functionality, and reliance on the HP+ and Instant Ink ecosystem are identical. When choosing between these listings, the decision will likely come down to current pricing, availability, or slight variations in the included Instant Ink trial period. If you have decided that the DeskJet 2820e’s feature set, compact size, and subscription model are the right fit for you, comparing these similar listings is a smart final step to ensure you’re getting the best immediate deal on the same capable hardware.

2. Brother MFC-L8390CDW All-in-one Printer

The Brother MFC-L8390CDW represents a significant leap into the professional-grade category. This is a colour LED (similar to laser) printer built for a small office or a demanding home user. Its advantages are immense speed, much lower cost-per-page thanks to high-yield toner cartridges, and robust features like an automatic document feeder and fax capability. However, it’s also significantly larger, heavier, and has a much higher initial purchase price. A user should choose the Brother over the HP if they print hundreds of pages a month, prioritise speed above all else, and have the space and budget for a true office workhorse.

3. Epson WorkForce WF-7840DTW A3+ 4-in-1 Printer

The Epson WorkForce is the perfect middle-ground option for the “prosumer” or creative user. It remains an inkjet printer but elevates every feature. Its standout capability is printing on A3+ paper, a must for designers, architects, or anyone needing large-format prints. It also offers automatic two-sided (duplex) printing, much faster print speeds (25 ppm black), and multiple paper trays for flexibility. This printer is for someone who found the HP DeskJet’s capabilities too basic. If your printing needs go beyond simple A4 documents and you require more speed and paper-handling features without moving to a laser printer, the Epson is a far more capable choice.

The Final Verdict: Who Should Buy the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless?

After extensive testing and analysis, our verdict on the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless is clear but conditional. This is an excellent printer for a very specific type of user: the person who prints infrequently but needs a reliable, compact, and easy-to-use device for those occasional moments. For students, small apartments, and families who need to print a concert ticket, a school report, or a return label a few times a month, it’s a perfect fit. Its setup is brilliantly simple via the app, its print quality is more than sufficient for daily tasks, and its small footprint is a huge asset.

However, this recommendation comes with a significant caveat: you must be comfortable with the HP+ and Instant Ink ecosystem. If you value the freedom to buy third-party ink or dislike subscription models on principle, this printer is not for you. The controversy is real, and the lock-in is permanent. But if you see the automatic ink delivery as a convenient, set-it-and-forget-it solution, then the HP DeskJet 2820e offers tremendous value and solves the home printing problem with modern efficiency.

If you’ve decided the HP DeskJet 2820e All-in-One Printer Wireless is the right fit for your home, you can check its current price and purchase it here.