The affordable all-in-one inkjet printer, the HP DeskJet 4255e/4252e, is a replacement for the HP DeskJet 4155e. Like its predecessor, it is an HP+ model with three months of free ink via HP Instant Ink, HP’s ink replenishment service. It uses HP 67 ink cartridges and is compatible with the high-yield 67XL versions as well. It has an ADF-equipped scanner that does not support faxing, and it can only be used for manual duplex printing.
For domestic use
For family use, the HP DeskJet 4255e is not a good choiuce. Its low page yield adds to the high cost per print. Additionally, regular printing will require the purchase and replacement of cartridges, which will add to your running expenses. Print quality is a mixed bag for colour and black and white documents; text is sharp enough but photos and other visual elements, such as graphs, appear fuzzy. Furthermore, images don’t look good because of a limited colour gamut and low colour accuracy, which make them appear unduly cool. Although the image processing eliminates little details, the scan quality is likewise poor. However, the ADF allows for the easy scanning of longer documents. Positively, the whole family can easily use this printer thanks to the many wired and wireless networking choices.
For office use
For use in an office setting, the HP DeskJet 4255e is not recommended. Although there is an ADF built into this printer to scan multipage documents, the scan quality is poor and the speed is slow. Printing at only eight black and five colour pages per minute, print rates are very sluggish. Colour documents print with a respectable quality, however black and white documents look bad because any charts or graphs appear fuzzy.
Furthermore, since the paper tray only holds 60 sheets and ink cartridges have low page yields, regular printing will require you to add paper to it or change the ink cartridges frequently. Moreover, the low page yield causes running costs to mount up quickly. One advantage is that there are options for both wired and wireless connectivity, which makes printing convenient.
For students
The HP 4255e is a mediocre option for students. Although there are modest startup costs, the cost per print is considerable, so if you print a lot for class, you should plan on buying new ink cartridges on a regular basis. Print quality is mediocre at best, with charts and graphs not being as apparent when printing in black and white. Printing rates are poor, at just eight black pages and five colour pages per minute, so it’s best to avoid waiting until the last minute to print term papers or crucial lab reports. However, printing from mobile devices is supported via Mopria Print and Apple AirPrint services, and printing via Wi-Fi or a cable connection is possible.
Black and white printing
The HP DeskJet 4255e prints in black and white poorly. Due to the low page yield of black ink cartridges, the cost-per-print is expensive. If you need to print a lot, you should plan on changing the ink cartridges frequently. Documents in black and white are average; other visuals or charts lack detail and appear fuzzy, while the text is readable and clear. Additionally, the first page takes a while to print due to the slow printing speeds. You will have to manually turn the pages if you wish to print in duplex.
Photo printing
The HP 4255e is unsatisfactory as a photo printer. The limited colour range and poor colour accuracy of this printer result in unnatural skin tones and colours that are distinctly off from the originals, making the images look unprofessional overall. You can print images in a variety of sizes, but keep in mind that they have greater borders. Lastly, this printer has an extremely high cost each print.