HP Photosmart C4480

...simple - this printer takes HP 350 black ink cartridges, and HP 351 tri-colour ink cartridges. These are also available in 'XL' sizes, which provide a lot more ink for your money - really good value. Special HP 348 photo cartridges are also available, for those wanting to print high-quality images. The front flap folds in completely flush with the rest of the printer, which is great for saving space when it's out of use.

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...really need.

HP is a really reliable brand, who offers good customer support should you experience any problems. In all, this is a brilliant, compact printer, which does everything you might want it to. And, for the price, you could not get much better. Mine has coped well with quite heavy use, proving it is reliable. Print quality is great, and it is so quick and easy to use. I recommend this printer for anyone wanting to print high-quality ... more

I purchased this printer about 9 months ago, for starting my second year at university (my previous printer packed up). At the time, I got it for around £40, as it was on offer in Tesco; the price varies but you can definitely still pick it up for under £50, though it is worth keeping an eye out for special offers in stores.

This printer/photocopier/scanner all-in-one unit is a fantastic bargain, offering so many features for the price. As a student, it is in regular use, printing out lecture slides, coursework and other documents. Word documents print quickly, even on the higher quality settings, and the text is always clear (except on the ultra-fast draft setting where the alignment of text goes a bit off). Although I do not often print photos, this printer has produced great results on the occassions when I have. Colours are bright, and images are clear.

The buttons on the machine are easy to use, and all instructions are shown on the LCD screen on the top of the printer, making any task very simple. The LCD screen displays really bright colours, although I do not use it for the purpose of viewing photos; similarly, there is a built-in card reader slot, which is great for those wanting to print photos directly, however this is not a feature I use. Personally, I upload all my photos straight to my laptop and print from there, rather than using the printer's card reader, however it is definitely a useful feature for anyone who wants to print photos quickly and without fussing around on the computer.

Photocopying documents is quick and easy, and produces great results. Scanning is also very quick and easy, however the software for accessing your scanned images is not so good; it is rather complicated, but is ok once you've figured it out and got the hang of it.

Changing the cartridges is really simple - this printer takes HP 350 black ink cartridges, and HP 351 tri-colour ink cartridges. These are also available in 'XL' sizes, which provide a lot more ink for your money - really good value. Special HP 348 photo cartridges are also available, for those wanting to print high-quality images. The front flap folds in completely flush with the rest of the printer, which is great for saving space when it's out of use.

Whilst the printer offers fantastic value for money and all the features you could possibly want, the software is probably the main thing that lets it down. The software is slightly fiddly to use and not overly logical, however you soon get used to it, and personally I do not often need to use it. The other downside for some is that this printer does not offer wireless, however this is not something I personally really need.

HP is a really reliable brand, who offers good customer support should you experience any problems. In all, this is a brilliant, compact printer, which does everything you might want it to. And, for the price, you could not get much better. Mine has coped well with quite heavy use, proving it is reliable. Print quality is great, and it is so quick and easy to use. I recommend this printer for anyone wanting to print high-quality photos, or for anyone who just wants a reliable, quick and easy-to-use printer which has all the features you could possibly want. A great all-round printer, for an even better price!

Basic Features - Summary:

- 1.5" LCD colour display
- Built-in memory cart slots
- Print/copy at up to 30ppm black/23ppm colour
- A4 photos can be printed as fast as 25 seconds
- 100 sheet paper tray capacity
- Automatic paper type sensor
- HP Photosmart Essential software included
- Energy Star qualified 

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