HP DeskJet 4255e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer Pros, Cons & Review

The HP DeskJet 4255e is an affordable wireless all-in-one color inkjet printer aimed at home and home office use. With print speeds up to 5.5 pages per minute (ppm) in color and 8.5 ppm in black, this compact printer can handle basic printing, scanning, and copying needs. I recently tested out the DeskJet 4255e to see how it performs for typical household tasks. Here is my detailed review on HP DeskJet 4255e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer with its Pros and Cons.

Overview of Features

The DeskJet 4255e includes the following key features:

• Printing: Up to 5.5 ppm color/8.5 ppm black; Up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi color print resolution
• Scanning: Flatbed scanner with copy function (up to 6 ppm black/white)
• Connectivity: WiFi, WiFi Direct, USB 2.0
• Paper handling: 60-sheet input tray, 25-sheet output tray
• Mobile printing: Print from smartphones/tablets via HP Smart app
• Ink: Dual cartridge system (1 black cartridge, 1 tri-color cartridge)
• Duty cycle: Up to 1000 pages per month

It has a simple icon LCD display with buttons to initiate copying, scanning, and printing. The printer is compact at 13 x 17 x 8 inches, with a sleek modern white color scheme.

Notable features lacking in this entry-level model include an ADF (automatic document feeder), fax capability, Ethernet port, and automatic two-sided printing.

Print Quality

Print quality from the DeskJet 4255e is quite good for the price. Color prints look vibrant on photo paper or presentation matte sheets. Text prints are crisp and legible in draft mode for everyday use. Fine details do start to degrade at the highest print quality settings, but overall the output is suitable for schoolwork, recipes, photos, invitations, and basic graphic needs.

The integrated flatbed CIS scanner captures sharp and color-accurate scans. It has an optical resolution of 1200 dpi, which is ample for scanning documents for archival use or converting paper records to digital files. The copy function is also handy for making quick duplicates of important paperwork up to legal size.

Setup and Connectivity

I found the initial setup very quick and straightforward following the instructions in the user guide. The printer connects over 2.4 GHz WiFi 802.11b/g/n or through a USB 2.0 port. Connecting it to my home WiFi took under 5 minutes.

HP includes their HP Smart app for iOS and Android mobile devices. I was impressed with the easy mobile printing and scanning features in the app. It immediately found the DeskJet 4255e on my network and let me print from my phone wirelessly.

Ink System

The printer uses HP’s dual cartridge system with 1 black ink cartridge and 1 tri-color cartridge. Standard yield cartridges are rated for 120 pages black/100 pages color. High-yield cartridges provide more page yields at a lower cost per page.

Notable ink features:

• HP Instant Ink: Optional ink subscription service with ink auto-delivery based on page usage
• HP+: 6 months free Instant Ink included with HP account registration

With Instant Ink, unused pages roll over month-to-month and ink is automatically shipped before you run out, ensuring you always have ink when you need it. Just be aware subscription fees apply after the initial 6 month HP+ trial period.

Speed and Performance

Print speeds are at the slower side with this model, but acceptable for light home use. I clocked speeds around 4.5-5 ppm for color prints and 7-8 ppm for black text pages. First page out averages 19 seconds from ready mode. Duty cycle is rated for up to 1000 pages per month, making this suitable for households with low-medium print volumes.

The DeskJet 4255e prints reliably once warmed up. I did not experience any paper jams or feed issues during testing of various paper types and weights. One downside is the lack of auto two-sided printing, requiring you to feed pages manually for duplexing.

Design and Build Quality

HP designed this printer to fit compact spaces in a modern home or apartment. It has an attractive smooth white exterior made from 60% recycled plastic. The build quality feels solid with no loose panels or parts. Buttons provide nice tactile feedback without being loud or clunky feeling.

There are some thoughtful touches like the integrated cord storage on the underside to prevent cable clutter. Overall construction seems durable enough for regular home use. Just note the DeskJet line is geared more towards reliability over fast print speeds.

Value and Cost Per Page

The HP DeskJet 4255e delivers reliable performance for household needs at an affordable price point. It is priced around $80 currently, though deals and discounts can reduce it closer to $60 at times.

Operating costs are reasonable but not the lowest compared to higher-volume ink tank models. Using HP Instant Ink, cost per page works out to around $0.10 (black) and $0.50 (color). So it’s still over 4-5 times more expensive than printing black text via ink tank printers. But color printing is fairly average cost versus other small inkjets.

Factoring in the device price, print quality, feature set, and operating costs – I think the DeskJet 4255e provides solid overall value for basic home printing and scanning needs. It’s a great fit for families or home office use where print volumes stay under 500-1000 pages per month.

Pros and Cons of the HP DeskJet 4255e

Pros:

• Affordable purchase price
• Compact size fits small spaces
• Reliable performance for home use
• Good print quality from inkjet
• Fast wireless and mobile connectivity
• Easy to set up and use
• Low maintenance requirements

Cons:

• Slower print speeds
• No auto two-sided printing option
• Higher operating costs than ink tank models
• Lacks ADF and fax functionality
• Smaller paper input capacity

Conclusion

The HP DeskJet 4255e wireless all-in-one delivers solid features and print quality for household use considering its low purchase price. It earns top marks for its compact footprint, mobile connectivity, easy setup, and reliable operation for basic printing and scanning tasks. Just expect slower speeds and higher operating costs versus high-volume ink tank printers. But if you want a capable wireless inkjet for schoolwork, photos, home office use, or to share among family members – the 4255e hits a sweet spot on value.