HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer Review: The Ultra-Compact Choice for Modern Homes

I remember the days of the monolithic home office printer. It was a beige beast that hummed, whirred, and occupied a significant corner of my desk, a space I desperately needed for, well, actual work. Every time I needed to print a simple concert ticket or a return label, I’d sigh at the sheer overkill of the machine. It felt like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The modern home, especially in apartments and smaller living spaces, demands efficiency. We need technology that integrates seamlessly into our lives without dominating our environment. The challenge is finding a device that offers the full functionality of printing, scanning, and copying without the colossal footprint. Forgoing a printer altogether means last-minute dashes to the local library or copy shop, an inconvenience that feels archaic in our connected world. The real problem is the compromise between functionality and form factor, a gap that desperately needs a solution.

What to Consider Before Buying an Inkjet Printer

An inkjet printer is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for bridging the digital and physical worlds in your home. Whether it’s for printing school assignments, work documents, vibrant photos, or essential paperwork, a reliable all-in-one device centralises tasks that would otherwise be a hassle. The main benefit lies in convenience and control. Having the ability to print wirelessly from a phone, scan a child’s artwork to send to family, or quickly copy an important receipt provides a level of self-sufficiency that is invaluable in a busy household. It eliminates dependencies on external services and puts creative and administrative power right at your fingertips.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing space constraints who requires multifaceted functionality for occasional use. This includes students in dorms, families in apartments, or professionals working from a small home office. They value aesthetics and smart, wireless connectivity over raw print speed or massive paper capacity. Conversely, this might not be suitable for those who run a business from home with high-volume printing needs or professional photographers requiring gallery-quality prints with perfect colour accuracy. For them, a laser printer for monochrome documents or a dedicated high-end photo printer would be more appropriate.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: Measure your intended space carefully. Modern printers come in all shapes and sizes, but ultra-compact models like this one are designed specifically for shelves, windowsills, or tight desk corners. Consider not just the printer’s footprint, but also the clearance needed for paper trays and accessing ink cartridges.
• Capacity/Performance: Look at pages per minute (PPM), but understand that manufacturer specs are often for draft mode. Real-world performance for high-quality documents will be slower. Also, check the paper tray capacity; a 60-sheet tray is fine for home use but would be frustrating in a busy office environment.
• Materials & Durability: Most consumer-grade printers are made of plastic. While this keeps them lightweight and affordable, feel the construction if possible. Pay attention to the paper trays and access doors, as these are the most frequently used parts. Some plastics can feel brittle, a point raised by users of this model, suggesting it’s best for careful, occasional use rather than a high-traffic environment.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: A modern printer should be simple to set up, preferably through a smartphone app. Wireless connectivity is a must. Also, consider the cost and availability of ink. Subscription services like HP’s Instant Ink can simplify maintenance and potentially lower long-term costs, but you should evaluate if your printing habits align with the plan tiers.

Keeping these factors in mind, the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer stands out in several areas, particularly its approach to space and connectivity. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer is an excellent choice for its category, 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 Splash of Colour in a Tiny Package

Unboxing the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer was a genuinely surprising experience. My first thought was that the box must be missing something; it’s astonishingly small and lightweight, weighing just over 2.3 kilograms. Lifting it out, the vibrant turquoise colour immediately makes a statement. It’s a refreshing departure from the monotonous black and grey boxes that typically define office electronics. This printer is designed to be seen, not hidden away. Its rounded corners and minimalist design give it a friendly, modern aesthetic that fits perfectly into a contemporary living space. Setting it up on a bookshelf, it blended in more like a stylish gadget than a piece of office equipment. Inside the box, we found the printer itself, a power cable, and a starter set of one black and one tri-colour ink cartridge. Notably absent is a USB cable, a clear signal that HP intends for this to be a wireless-first device. While the overall plastic construction feels light, the paper trays do feel a bit delicate, confirming feedback from some users who advised handling them with care.

A Deep Dive into the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer’s Performance

A printer’s true worth is revealed not on the shelf, but in daily use. Over several weeks, we put the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer through its paces, testing everything from its initial setup to complex photo printing and scanning tasks. We wanted to see if its performance could live up to its stylish, space-saving promise.

Setup and Wireless Connectivity: App-Driven Simplicity

HP has heavily invested in its HP Smart app ecosystem, and with the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer, this focus pays off brilliantly. We intentionally bypassed a PC-based setup initially and went straight for a smartphone, which many users reported as the easiest method. The experience was seamless. After downloading the HP Smart app (available for iOS and Android), we simply followed the on-screen instructions. The app quickly located the printer, guided us through connecting it to our Wi-Fi network using WPS (a simple button press on the printer and our router), and walked us through installing the two ink cartridges. From unboxing to printing our first test page from a phone, the entire process took less than 10 minutes. This aligns perfectly with the experience of many satisfied users who praised its quick, uncomplicated mobile setup.

However, it’s important to address the mixed feedback regarding setup. While our mobile-first experience was flawless, some users reported significant frustration when trying to configure the printer from a Windows PC or laptop without the app. The traditional driver installation process can be more complex, and we did find that it required downloading the full software suite from HP’s support website. Our recommendation is unequivocal: start with the HP Smart app. It’s the pathway HP designed for this device, and it provides the most streamlined experience. Once connected to your network, any device—be it a PC, laptop, or tablet—can then easily print to it. The wireless functionality is robust, allowing us to print from anywhere in the house without a single dropped connection.

Design and Footprint: The Space-Saving Champion

The single most compelling feature of the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer is its revolutionary size. With dimensions of just 40.3 x 17.7 x 14.1 cm when closed, it’s roughly half the size of a traditional all-in-one printer. This isn’t just an incremental improvement; it’s a complete reimagining of what a home printer can be. We tested its versatility by placing it in various non-traditional locations. It fit comfortably on a deep windowsill, sat unobtrusively on a living room bookshelf, and took up minimal real estate on a small student desk, leaving plenty of room for a laptop and books. This is a game-changer for those in apartments, dorms, or any home where dedicated office space is a luxury. One user aptly noted they placed it on their windowsill, and we can confirm it’s a perfect fit.

This compact form is achieved through clever design choices, most notably the scanning mechanism. Instead of a bulky, flatbed scanner with a large lid, the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer uses a scroll-feed system. You feed a single sheet into a slot at the top, and it’s pulled through the device. This is the key to its slim profile. The trade-off, of course, is that you cannot scan thick items like books or passports. The paper trays also contribute to the small footprint. They fold away neatly when not in use, but as we and other users have noted, they are made of a lightweight plastic that feels a bit fragile. They function perfectly well, but they require a gentle touch. This printer is a masterclass in compromise: it sacrifices some robustness and scanning versatility for a size that is simply unmatched in the all-in-one market. For the target user who prints and scans occasionally, this is a trade-off well worth making.

Print and Scan Quality: Punching Above Its Weight

Given its diminutive size and budget-friendly price point, we were prepared for mediocre print quality. We were wrong. The HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer delivered results that were consistently impressive. Text documents were sharp and clear, with crisp black lettering that showed no signs of bleeding or fuzziness, making it perfectly suitable for essays, reports, and administrative paperwork. The real surprise came with colour printing. We printed several high-resolution A4 photos on standard paper and were struck by the vibrancy and accuracy of the colours. With a maximum print resolution of 4800 x 1200 optimised dpi, it produces images with good detail and smooth gradients. While it won’t replace a dedicated photo printer for professional work, the quality is more than sufficient for family photos, creative projects, and presentations.

The scanner, while unique in its design, also performs admirably for its intended purpose. Scanning a single-page document to PDF via the HP Smart app was straightforward. You simply trigger the scan from your phone or computer, and the sheet is smoothly pulled through. The quality is clear and perfectly legible for archiving receipts or submitting documents digitally. The main limitation, as discussed, is its inability to handle anything other than single, flexible sheets. Some users found this process a little “fiddly,” as you have to ensure the page is aligned correctly, but after one or two tries, we found it became second nature. For copying, the process is similar; you feed the original document and press the black or colour copy button. It’s a simple, effective system that delivers on the all-in-one promise without the bulk. For anyone whose scanning needs are primarily document-based, this innovative approach works very well. If you’re looking for a compact printer that doesn’t compromise on core print quality, you can find more user reviews and check the price here.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across the board, user feedback for the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer paints a very consistent picture. The most frequently praised feature, by a wide margin, is its incredibly compact size. One user noted, “Impresora perfecta para tener en casa ya que es súper compacta y no ocupa casi nada” (Perfect printer to have at home as it’s super compact and takes up almost no space). Another echoed this, saying they were “blown away by the compact design.” The stylish turquoise color and ease of setup via the HP Smart app are also common points of positive feedback, with one reviewer stating the connection to their phone and Wi-Fi was “erledigt in 5 Minuten” (done in 5 minutes).

On the critical side, the most common complaint centres on the build quality, specifically the plastic paper trays, which multiple users described as “fragiles” (fragile). Another recurring theme is the print speed, which is widely acknowledged as being slow, though most, like one user, concede it’s “not a problem because I will use it occasionally.” The most divisive topic is the setup process. While many found it effortless with the app, a vocal minority found PC-based setup “bastante complicado y difícil” (quite complicated and difficult), with one user even spending a sleepless night on it. This highlights the importance of using the recommended mobile app for the smoothest installation.

How Does the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer Compare to the Alternatives?

The HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer excels in its niche of ultra-compact, stylish printing. However, different needs call for different solutions. Here’s how it stacks up against three popular competitors.

1. Canon PIXMA TS6350 Wireless Photo Printer

The Canon PIXMA TS6350 is aimed at users who prioritise photo quality over absolute compactness. Its key advantage is the 5-individual-ink system, which provides superior colour depth and accuracy for photo prints, and is more economical as you only replace the specific colour that runs out. It features a traditional flatbed scanner, making it more versatile for scanning books or thicker items. However, it is significantly larger and heavier than the HP. This printer is the better choice for hobbyist photographers or families who print a lot of photos and have a bit more desk space to spare.

2. Epson EcoTank ET-2750 All-in-One Printer

The Epson EcoTank ET-2750 represents a completely different value proposition. Its headline feature is the integrated, refillable ink tank system, which dramatically lowers the cost per page. While the initial purchase price is much higher than the HP, it comes with enough ink to last for thousands of pages, making it ideal for high-volume users. If you print dozens of pages every week for a home business or for school, the long-term savings of the EcoTank system will easily justify the upfront cost. For the occasional user, however, the HP’s lower initial price is far more appealing.

3. Epson Expression Premium XP-6105 Wi-Fi Printer

The Epson Expression Premium XP-6105 is a strong competitor in the compact, all-in-one space. Like the Canon, it uses a five-ink system (including a dedicated photo black) for excellent photo quality and also features a traditional flatbed scanner. It’s more compact than the Canon but still larger than the HP Deskjet 3762. The XP-6105 strikes a balance between the photo-centric features of the PIXMA and a reasonably small form factor. It’s an excellent choice for someone who wants better-than-basic photo printing and versatile scanning without committing to a full-sized office printer.

Our Final Verdict: Is the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer Right for You?

After extensive testing, we can confidently say that the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer is a remarkable piece of engineering for a very specific type of user. If you live in a small space, print infrequently, and value aesthetics and modern wireless convenience, this printer is almost perfect. Its ultra-compact design is its killer feature, allowing it to fit where no other all-in-one can. The print quality is surprisingly robust for its size, and the HP Smart app makes printing from a phone an absolute breeze.

However, it is not for everyone. Its slow print speed, somewhat flimsy construction, and unconventional sheet-fed scanner make it unsuitable for heavy-duty office work or high-volume printing. It is a master of compromise, brilliantly trading raw power and robustness for an unparalleled compact form. For students, city dwellers, and anyone needing a reliable, attractive printer for occasional tasks, it is an outstanding and highly recommended choice.

If you’ve decided the HP Deskjet 3762 All-In-One Printer is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.