HP's CEO spells it out: You're a 'bad investment' if you don't buy HP supplies
HP’s CEO has described printer buyers as “investments” that become “bad” if they don’t use HP-branded ink, prompting strong backlash over the company’s business model. Commenters highlight years of frustration with DRM-locked cartridges, Instant Ink subscriptions, and security scare tactics around third‑party supplies, often resolving never to buy HP again and recommending alternatives like Brother lasers or Epson EcoTank devices. The exchange reflects a broader resentment of hardware vendors turning everyday devices into recurring-revenue platforms and a demand for durable, refillable, subscription‑free printers.
Overall sentiment toward HP
- Majority of commenters are strongly negative about HP printers and the CEO’s “customers as investments” framing.
- Many say this statement confirms they should never buy HP products again.
- Several contrast current HP with older, durable HP LaserJets and calculators, describing a fall from engineering-focused quality to “flimsy” consumer gear and aggressive monetization.
Business model: hardware, ink, and subscriptions
- Widespread criticism of selling printers near/under cost and recouping via extremely high-margin ink and Instant Ink subscriptions.
- Some liken it to tipping culture or rent-seeking: charge once, then complain if customers don’t pay more continuously.
- A few argue consumers’ focus on low upfront price enables this; others blame dumping and weak antitrust enforcement instead.
- Instant Ink is viewed by many as a bad deal and brittle (cartridges stop working when subscription ends), though a minority say it’s cost-effective and convenient for heavy, regular color printing.
DRM, security, and third-party cartridges
- Strong backlash against firmware that rejects third‑party cartridges and chips in cartridges.
- CEO’s “virus via cartridges” justification is seen as self‑inflicted: chips exist mainly for lock‑in, and their presence creates the attack surface.
- Some note this effectively admits serious printer security flaws; others question whether HP fixed known issues.
Printer usage patterns and alternatives
- Thread splits between people who rarely print and use copy shops, and those who print enough (kids’ schoolwork, homeschooling, sheet music, D&D, crafts, forms, teaching) to need a home printer.
- Brother laser printers are repeatedly recommended as reliable, cheap-per-page, and relatively non‑hostile, though a few report firmware shenanigans, mechanical issues, or electrical quirks.
- Epson EcoTank and similar tank systems get praise for low ink costs, with caveats about head clogging if rarely used.
- Some positive but more cautious mentions of Canon and Oki; Samsung experiences are mixed.
Desired printer designs and open hardware
- Many say they’d gladly pay significantly more upfront for a durable, repairable, PS/PCL‑compatible printer that just works, with no apps, cloud, or subscriptions.
- Frustration that “one-time sale” hardware is being replaced by multi-stream monetization (cloud, refills, data, ads).
- Several express interest in open-hardware or motherboard-replacement printer projects, and wonder why there are no simple, cheap “no-DRM” laser printers from China; responses cite economics and higher-margin markets as likely reasons.