It is hard not to like a simple, single machine that can do it all , especially when it frees up desk space. Hewlett Packard is one of the most popular makers of multifunction devices, and the 5610 provides you with a dependable multifunction printer . HP printing devices are often inexpensive so that you will buy them and then buy their expensive OEM ink . But if you instead purchase recycled HP ink cartrdiges, you will save a lot of money over the course of a year.
Like most HP printers, the the HP 5610 excels in print quality, producing top-notch quality in both text and graphics . Less impressive is the speed of the 5610, which is decent for grayscale and black text printing (nearly 8 pages per minute), but crawls to a snail’s pace when it comes to full color pictures (about 0.25 pages per minute). The biggest drawback with the 5610, however, is its color scan quality : color scans are grainy, with noticeable scanning bands and less-than vivid colors. Grayscale scans are a big improvement and display sufficient detail with a good range of gray shading. The scanner is able to scan up to 1200 x 2400 dp.
The HP 5610 includs a 100-sheet input tray in the front. An automatic document feeder (ADF) handles up to 25 sheets at a time . Standard connection to the PC is via USB. The large buttons make it easy to make either black-and-white or color copies with a single button. Other menu items give a range of other less common features like enlarging, color correction and manual lightening and darkening. The lid does not come off, so if you make copies of larger items that you need to lay flat on the scanner bed, you may want to choose another multifunction device .
Hewlett Packard packages the OfficeJet 5610 with a standard-size black inkjet cartridge and a tri-color ink cartridge. The $25 photo ink doesn’t come with the printer, but you can easliy order compatible HP 58 ink cartridges for under $19. The standard-size black inkjet cartridge costs $18, and HP says that it will last 220 pages. That makes printing cost a steep 8.2 cents per page. After the original ink is gone, you can purchase a high-capacity black cartridge, good for an estimated 450 pages. The OEM version costs $20, or a more palatable 4.4 cents per page. You can cut that cost way down by ordering compatible HP Officejet 5610 ink to reduce your per page printing cost to less than 2 cents per page.
Overall, the HP Officejet 5610 offers a nice balance of productivity, simplicity, and functionality at an affordable price. The 5610 is able to support a small office with moderate printing needs, and it’s easy to install.