An all-around solid printer
Pros:
Fast, quiet prints. Quality CD and iron transfer paper printing.
Cons:
Bundled ink cartridge dried up fast
The Bottom Line:
A ton of bang for your buck! This is a great printer that excels at everything, including uncommon tasks like CD and iron-transfer paper printing.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I bought my HP D5160 as a replacement for my Epson 220R. Overall, I am completely thrilled with this printer.
It has a card reader!!
I love the built-in card reader. The built-in card reader lets you take a memory card out of your camera (or any other device, it is not limited to photo-related uses) and plug it directly into the computer. No need for USB cables or lengthy transfers.
I'd use it more if my computer didn't have one built-in, but this is a boon for my sister, who purchased the same printer and uses this as her only card reader. It works just as well as one built into the computer itself does, so if you have this printer, you can save yourself the cost of putting one into your computer if you do not already have one.
Hi-Resolution Printing / Photos
The HP prints great high resolution images. The colors are not a perfect match to the screen, which I do not expect, but they are a lot closer than what many other printers have produced. Edges are crisp, details are sharp, blacks are actually black, and the paint doesn't pool in little "dots" like it did with my Epson. Prints are fast, and I have yet to experience a paper jam or ink cartridge problem (such as streaks, lines, blots, or other various malfunctions I've had with other printers).
Quiet Printing
This printer is very, very quiet. I often am not aware that the printer is printing.
Excellent Transfer Paper Prints
I've had the opportunity to print onto transfer paper with this printer. Transfer paper is a special paper that, when printed on with an inkjet printer, can be used to transfer a printed design to fabric. In my two tests using Office Max brand iron transfer paper, I ironed a small design onto a linen fabric and another small design onto a white t-shirt fabric. The transfer was crisp and beautiful.
CD Printing
Printing on CDs is important to me as an artist, as they are an essential part of a job search or sending out samples of my work. Looking professional is an absolute must, so I tested this right away. My test CD came out crisp and clean, so I am thrilled with the CD printing capabilities of this HP printer. A few years ago when I bought my Epson, HP did not offer CD printing and I'd always felt like I had settled on the Epson. When I finally saw an HP printer that offered it, I didn't hesitate to switch.
Problems
The only major problem I had with this printer so far was that the ink cartridge that was bundled with the printer dried up within a month. Since the cost of that cartridge was built into the cost of the printer, I was very disappointed and unhappy about this. I honestly would have rather had a USB cable instead of an old cartridge that dried up so fast!
Other minor complaints:
At a glance, you can not see how much paper is left. I often run out before I realize I am actually out of paper.
The paper tray cannot be folded up to make the printer more compact for travel. I liked this about my Epson.
