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Cartridges That Keep Going

Many ink jets run through expensive ink cartridges so quickly that before long, you've spent more on ink than you did on the printer. But the 2000C's four jumbo-size cartridges can be replaced individually when they run dry (reducing maintenance costs) and hold a generous supply of ink--enough, HP says, for 1750 color pages or 1400 black-and-white pages (using an optional high-capacity black cartridge). The company estimates that the cost for each printed page works out to a thrifty 2.5 cents for a black-and-white text page and anywhere from a nickel to 8 cents for a typical color page. (With some other ink jets, you'll pay 4 cents or so for a monochrome page, and 14 cents for a color one.)

As pleasing as the 2000C is in most respects, it possesses a couple of flaws. I wish the printer were quieter: It clanks away in a distracting fashion as it spits out pages. More importantly, unlike laser printouts, the 2000C's output isn't completely water-resistant. I occasionally smudged pages slightly when I grabbed them the moment they emerged from the printer. My advice: Keep beverages away from printed pages until you're sure the pages have dried. Even then, pages that get really soaked may smear.

Overall, the HP 2000C is a fast color printer that doesn't cost a ton of cash or gobble up pricey supplies. It fills a gap in today's printer market. And it even buys you some new, smart features that are unusual at any price. For example, it automatically senses when you insert transparencies and adjusts accordingly for the best print quality.

Editor's note: After we went to press, Hewlett-Packard announced an unforeseen delay in shipping the 2000C. The company now says it will ship the printer in September.

SUMMARY

Hewlett-Packard 2000C PRO: Very fast, good print quality, no-hassle maintenance. CON: Ink can smear, noisy. VALUE: Bridges the gap between color ink jets and lasers; a printer that is worth the money. $799 Hewlett-Packard 800/752-0900 www.hp.com