HP 610 Digital Color Copier

We bought a 610 about 2 years ago and can quite decidely say it's the worse and most expensive piece of #@$%& that we have ever had the misfortune to deal with. For starters, the size of the cartridges was a bit of a shock, as it has to be the smallest cartridge that HP put together, their old 190, 170, and 310 cartridges are at least 2 or 3 times the size of this one. That in itself wouldn't be so bad but you have to use genuine HP cartridges that cost around 60-70 dollars a set, HP puts a small chip on their cartridge that makes it extremely hard to use third party ink supplies. They oughta be sued for that nasty little trick. And to add insult to injury the cartridges have a very short expiration date, even if you use them lightly, the machine pops up with "Replace cartridges" error message, after just a couple months! And don't forget the printheads, they have their own built in expiration date, you have the same story there, for about $120 per set.

So after the initial dismay we got over it and after about 2 months it wouldn't do a thing, just sat there and said "replace printheads". We shelled out and replaced and had the same story. So we called up the merry-go-round that passes for HP tech support and guess what, they stink even worse than the machine they support. I knew India has a bad rep when it comes to quality, but the techs can't even speak proper english, and their communication is absolutely awful, it sounds like they're speaking from inside a pail or barrel. But we DID get it replaced finally and the new one did the same thing, after a month or two, PLUS we have to reset it every time it gets tired of working. Also, the bottom is soaked with ink for some reason, probably a leak or something, making a terrible mess. We have since got a different machine and this one isn't used much now, anymore it basically sits there ticking me off every time I look at it. In conclusion, we've spent close to $300 after the purchase price and I think it's the worse (and the most expensive) disappointment HP ever made, not at all the legendary HP quality we're used to, especially not for $500. I know in the future I will avoid HP all-in-ones like the plague.

This part of my review was written in 2003 ...

I selected this model after a long search and comparison of high-end home/small office copiers. This one is loaded with features. If you want a copier in this price range that COLLATES, then this HP 610 is your ONLY choice. I almost went with another brand that claimed to collate, but only by scouring customer reviews did I learn what their advertising conveniently omitted: collation only works in black and white. If you are buying a color copier, what ... good is that?

Some other competitive models WILL collate color, but ONLY if the copier is connected to a computer. But I bought this one for my wife to use for materials for her Kindergarten class, and this machine will be a stand-alone copier for the near future. I already have a multifunction printer and a photo printer connected to my computer. The copier will be in another room by itself.

Setting up was easy. I did run into two small glitches: On step 7(4b), the instructions say "Push the printhead handles down". If you've seated the printheads properly, then they are ALREADY pushed down. This is unclear, and you could unnecessarily break one. When they didn't seem to budge, AND everything seemed to fit ok, I assumed they were already pushed down, and it turned out I was right.

The other glitch: Step 9, "Align the printheads". As the very last step you press the "Enter" button to align the printhead. A message appeared on the display, something like "Starting Process" (I don't recall exactly). Then the machine just sat there, apparently doing nothing.

While I was waiting, I searched through the manual trying to see if they mention how long this would take. Not a word. Finally I gave up, and tried to shut off the machine, but the power won't go off when it's in the middle of something. Finally, I took a chance and disconnected the power cable. When I powered it back up, it announced it was aligning and immediately went into action; only then did I know for sure that I did the right thing.

The few tests I ran on the machine went without a problem. I'm giving it 5 stars because of its great capability and so far it looks wonderful. I did not appreciate that this machine, out of the box, does double sided copying. Thats right, it automatically can copy BOTH sides of an original (if it starts in the ADF) and print BOTH sides of the copy. And, you can choose to do 1>1, 1>2, 2>1, or 2>2 copying. All, hands off.

The machine is slow and clunky. It has the most far ranging and bizarre assortment of wierd noises, clicks and clunks, you are sure the machine disintegrating inside, or some parts came loose and are systematically destroying the machine. You'd be better off being deaf; then you'd just notice that the machine is SLOW.

Its particularly slow when you are just making one copy or so. It is more at home when you have to make 8 copies of a 10-page color document, and collate them. That is a start-and-forget operation. So, this machine is less than ideal for a busy office, but for home use, the slowness and oddball noise is no big deal. ... For home use, this IS a very expensive machine ...but for a busy office not on a tight budget, you may actually want to step up in class.

I had a Canon PC-20 copier for 18 years before I bought this one and put the old Canon out on the curb. That Canon ... was R-U-G-G-E-D, and still working when I said goodbye. The HP is far lighter, and presumably flimsier. They just don't mak'em like they use-ta. I do worry about the durability of this machine, and there is some indication that it will prove to be sensitive to the paper that goes in through its feeders. So be careful. Make sure your blank paper is clean and perfect; if your originals are not in pristine shape, use the fixed platen rather than the document feeder.

Lastly, HP's reputation for quality and customer support has slipped in recent years. That is why I looked so hard to find an alternative model. ... I always decline extended warranties, but you might want to take a closer look at one if its offered where you buy this machine.

I'm giving this machine 5 stars, but remember, I've only done about 25 copies total on this machine. ....

Enjoy.

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Followup, May 2, 2006
Its still going. Its use has been relatively light, but continuous over the three years of ownership. Cartridges are expensive, so my K-teacher wife tries to do most of her copying at school; but when she needs the home copier it has been reliable.