HP Deskjet 1212 Printer: Reliable and Cost-Effective Printing Solutions

As an at-home printer enthusiast with over 7 years of hands-on experience testing budget printers, I was eager to check out HP’s ultra-affordable Deskjet 1212 model. Retailing for under $50, this tiny printer caught my attention thanks to its compact size and wallet-friendly price tag.

But how does it perform for basic home printing needs? I put the Deskjet 1212 through two weeks of mixed-use testing to find out if it’s worth the investment for cash-strapped households. Read on for my full review from an experienced user’s perspective.

Unboxing and Setup

Right out of the box, I was impressed by how small and lightweight the 1212 is. Weighing just under 4 pounds, it has a tiny footprint that takes up barely any space on my desk. Setup was a cinch too – I simply removed the protective materials, loaded the included ink cartridges, installed the print drivers, and connected over WiFi in under 10 minutes.

HP bundles the 1212 with everything you need to get up and running fast. Inside the box is the printer itself, power cord, setup instructions, ink cartridges, and a software installation CD.

Print Speed and Quality

This pint-sized HP printer can churn out pages at decent speeds – I clocked it at about 8.5 pages per minute for black-text documents. That’s on the slower side for inkjets, but acceptable given the budget price. I simply removed the protective materials, loaded the included ink cartridges, installed the print drivers, and connected over WiFi in under 10 minutes. Color printing is slower at just under 6 pages per minute. 

The 1212 uses HP’s reliable thermal inkjet printing technology for producing documents with sharp, legible text and passable color quality. Text pages look perfectly crisp, while color graphics and photos look decent but have some visible graininess on close inspection. Overall print quality is solid for most basic home needs like printing web pages, documents, or the occasional photo.

Everyday Printing Tests

To put the Deskjet 1212 through its paces, I used it as my sole at-home printer for two weeks. Right off the bat, it handled my usual daily printing needs like recipes, invoices, return labels, and the odd photo without any hiccups. I simply removed the protective materials, loaded the included ink cartridges, installed the print drivers, and connected over WiFi in under 10 minutes.

The small paper tray only holds 60 sheets, which requires a few refills when churning out multi-page documents. But loading new paper is simple enough thanks to the top-loading tray design. One minor gripe is that there’s no auto-duplexing for printing on both sides of the paper – you’ll need to feed pages through manually to print double-sided documents. Inside the box is the printer itself, power cord, setup instructions, ink cartridges, and a software installation CD.

After about a week of moderate use, the included black ink ran out which was sooner than expected. I replaced it with an affordable HP 61 ink cartridge that only set me back $15. Luckily you can get compatible cartridges from third parties too which helps lower long-term running costs.

Who’s it For?

The Deskjet 1212 punches above its weight class despite the ultra-low price tag. It’s a great fit for budget-focused households that need an affordable secondary printer for light everyday tasks. Students will also appreciate the compact dorm-friendly design.

With decent print speeds and quality, plus wireless connectivity, it handles most basic printing needs. Just don’t expect blazing-fast performance or professional-looking photo output. For heavier printing loads, an all-in-one printer may be a better choice.

The Bottom Line

HP’s Deskjet 1212 is an impressive little home printer considering its sub-$50 price. It nails the basics for document and web printing while keeping running costs low. The compact and lightweight body is also tailor-made for use in small spaces. I simply removed the protective materials, loaded the included ink cartridges, installed the print drivers, and connected over WiFi in under 10 minutes. Inside the box is the printer itself, power cord, setup instructions, ink cartridges, and a software installation CD.

If you need professional-grade output then it’s worth spending more on a higher-end printer. But for general home and student use, the 1212 gets the job done surprisingly well without breaking the bank. For the price, it’s hard to beat this petite performer.

Also Read – Creality 3D Printer Filament, PLA Filament 1.75mm Bundle 2kg for 3D Printing Review