Hewlett Packard PhotoSmart D7260 Printer Review

As avid amateur photographers, my husband and I take hundreds of photos in any given month -- more when we're on the road. We've always had two printers: one for "regular" stuff and the other just for photos. We very much liked our Hewlett Packard Photosmart 1115, but after four or so years of being a workhorse, it started to go through ink like it was water. When it started to leave smudges on the prints, we decided it was time to get a new model.

We looked at several stores and even more brands, finally ending up at Staples and seeing the HP Photosmart D7260. I complained to the sales clerk about having to replace so many different cartridges; he pointed out, wisely, that the cost of replacing all of them was comparable to what we'd been paying and we'd need only to replace one at a time -- at $9.99 each -- since colors aren't used in equal amounts with photo printing.

Sold! And at just under $100, we were happy with the price -- and more important, we'ree happy with the results. The color is wonderful -- the most important test -- and the printer readily accepts various papers we have on hand (we reserve the really good stuff for contests and gifts; for other photos, the less-expensive glossy store brands from Staples, Office Depot and such serves our purpose quite well).

The printer requires six separate ink cartridges -- five colors and one black -- and replacements can be purchased individually or in a package (the latter at $35.99, which is the least expensive way to go). And although printing photos using only the colors needed for each one certainly makes sense cost-wise, the smaller cartridges do run out more quickly than do the larger tri-color cartridges on older printers. Still, the per-photo cost is comparable, if not a little less.

The only "complaint" I've had so far is that I got no advance warning when one of the ink cartridges went dry; apparently, it's up to the user to check ink levels periodically. I'm used to getting an onscreen warning when the level drops low, giving me time to get to the store but continue printing the current job. Not so here; the printer simply stopped dead, telling me (too late) that I needed to replace the yellow cartridge and refusing to print my photo. That was quite frustrating, to say the least.

Still, this is a printer I'd recommend for quality. It does take a bit more time to "instruct" the printer on the printing requirements for each job, but that's offset by far by the number of options. It also accepts standard camera media cards directly, thus bypassing the computer (editing functions can be done on the printer) using the popup LCD screen). The printer also has networking capability.