HP DeskJet 2955 Review (2026): Cheap to Buy, Costly to Feed

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Low entry cost, but the ink is where it gets expensive

The DeskJet 2955 is a small, basic wireless all-in-one with a flatbed scanner and dual-band Wi-Fi. The trouble is what happens after setup. Its cartridges are small, a Tom's Guide test of the sibling 2755e found ink costs above the competitor average unless you subscribe to Instant Ink, and HP's cartridge security can reject non-HP chips. The software and online setup also frustrate some owners. For anyone who prints more than a few pages a month, a laser or refillable-tank printer is the safer pick.

Check current price on Amazon → Prices and availability change often, so we don't list them here.

Buy it again if you…

print only a handful of pages a month, such as the odd form or label
need a compact printer-scanner-copier for a small space
are happy to use HP's app, an account and genuine HP ink

Skip it if you…

print weekly or more and care about cost per page
want to use refilled or third-party cartridges
want a printer that works offline with no account or app
need automatic two-sided printing or a document feeder

The HP DeskJet 2955 is an entry-level inkjet all-in-one that prints, copies and scans. It has a flatbed scanner, manual two-sided printing only, no document feeder and no Ethernet port. Compared with the older 2855e, one write-up lists dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz) and a newer cartridge family (HP 68) as the main changes.

It is popular because it is small and easy to find. It is also widely criticised, mostly about running costs, cartridge rules and setup. We looked at the evidence on both sides.

What owners say, at a glance

~160 / 120listed pages per standard black / tri-color cartridgeFerax comparison write-up

2.4 + 5 GHzWi-Fi bands (the 2855e is 2.4 GHz only)Ferax comparison write-up

60 sheetsinput tray capacity, no document feederFerax comparison write-up

Compact size and basic copying

Mostly positive

Print quality for the class

Generally positive

Ink cost and yield

Common complaint

Cartridge restrictions

Documented concern

Setup and software

Mixed to negative

Bars show our editorial summary of how consistently owners praise or complain about each area across all sources — not a lab measurement.

The key specs

Type	Color inkjet all-in-one: print, copy, scan
Wi-Fi	Dual-band, 2.4 and 5 GHz
Cartridges	HP 68 family (a standard black and tri-color; a larger black is listed)
Paper handling	60-sheet input, manual two-sided printing, no document feeder, no borderless photos
Scanner	Flatbed
Ink subscription	Supports HP Instant Ink

Spec details come from a third-party comparison write-up, not from HP, so check the listing before you buy.

What it does well

Small and simple.Buyer-feedback summaries for the sibling 2755e point to a compact design that suits small spaces, and to wireless printing as a convenience.

Decent output for a basic printer.Tom's Guide found the 2755e produced natural-looking colors and attractive text, with reds and yellows slightly emphasised. Copies were faithful to the original.

Easier on modern routers.The 2955 adds 5 GHz Wi-Fi, which one write-up calls a convenience for current dual-band routers.

What owners and testers complain about

Ink gets costly.Tom's Guide (sibling 2755e) rated standard-cartridge costs slightly above the competitor average and said high ink costs without a subscription were a con. A buyer-feedback summary found about 13% of reviews mentioning heavy ink use and short ink life.

Small cartridges.The 2955's standard cartridges are listed at roughly 160 black and 120 color pages, so frequent printers will be swapping them often.

Cartridge restrictions.A technical write-up on the 2855e explains that HP's dynamic security can reject cartridges with non-HP chips, and that a firmware update can stop a non-HP cartridge that used to work. We did not find a test of this on the 2955 itself.

Subscription nudges.Tom's Guide said HP Smart suggested an Instant Ink plan after a few days of printing. The same review said HP+ locks you into HP's chipped cartridges. Whether HP+ applies to your 2955 depends on how it was sold and set up, so check before you activate it.

Unreliable low-ink warnings.The Tom's Guide tester said neither the printer display nor the apps reliably warned about low ink, and one page printed only yellow.

Online-centric setup.There is no setup disc. The tester's Windows PC did not detect the printer over USB at first, and they finally connected it via an iPhone over Bluetooth. A feedback summary found about 9% of reviews calling setup a hassle, though about 17% said it was easy.

Slow and basic.The same review found it slower than average on text, photos and copies, and the paper feed pulled several sheets at once twice during copying.

How it holds up over time

We found no long-term durability test of the 2955. The bigger long-term issue is the ink system: inkjet nozzles can dry out if the printer sits unused, and the cartridge rules mean you depend on HP's supply. We could not confirm failure rates, so this is a judgement from the ink and software evidence, not a reliability statistic.

Why we say skip

The evidence points the same way across sources: a low entry cost followed by small cartridges, higher-than-average ink costs without a subscription, and rules that favor genuine HP ink. Two alternatives solve those problems directly. A compact laser such as the Brother HL-L2405W suits people who print mostly black-and-white text, and a refillable-tank printer such as the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 suits people who print in color. If you truly print a few pages a month, the 2955 can still work, which is why the verdict is aimed at typical buyers rather than everyone.

Tips if you buy it

Decide on ink rules first. Read the HP+ and Instant Ink terms before agreeing to them during setup.
Use the larger black cartridge if you print text regularly.
Keep firmware updates in mind if you plan to try non-HP cartridges.
Print something every week or two to help keep nozzles clear.

Pros and cons

What owners love

Compact footprint
Dual-band Wi-Fi
Decent color and text for a basic model (sibling test)
Handles copying and scanning for light use

What owners complain about

Small cartridges and ink costs above average without a subscription
Cartridge security can block non-HP ink
Pushes Instant Ink and HP+ account rules
Online-centric setup that frustrates some owners
Slower than average, no feeder, no borderless photos

Other options owners compare

These are printers commonly weighed against basic inkjets like the DeskJet 2955.

Model	Style	Consider it if…
HP DeskJet 2955 (this review)	Cartridge inkjet all-in-one	You print rarely and want a small color printer-scanner	See on Amazon
Brother HL-L2405W	Mono laser, wireless	You mostly print black-and-white documents	See on Amazon
Epson EcoTank ET-2800	Refillable-tank inkjet all-in-one	You print in color and want low ink running costs	See on Amazon

Still thinking about the DeskJet 2955?

Check the current details, bundles and ink options on Amazon before you decide.

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Frequently asked questions

Does the DeskJet 2955 require an HP+ subscription?

We could not confirm that from the sources we found. A comparison write-up says the 2955 supports Instant Ink and that HP+ terms may apply to some HP bundles. Read the terms shown at setup.

Can I use third-party ink?

It is not guaranteed. A technical write-up on a sibling model says HP's dynamic security can reject non-HP chips, and firmware updates can change what works.

Is it a good printer for occasional use?

It can be, if you print a few pages a month and accept HP's ink rules. Heavier users are better served by a laser or refillable-tank model.

What is new versus the 2855e?

One comparison lists dual-band Wi-Fi and the HP 68 cartridge family. Speeds and paper handling are listed as the same.

Sources we analyzed

Tom's Guide: HP DeskJet 2755e review — sibling-model test: ink costs, speed, quality, setup, low-ink warnings, HP+
Ferax: HP DeskJet 2855e vs 2955 — 2955 specs, cartridge yields, Wi-Fi, Instant Ink
Ferax: DeskJet 2855e third-party ink and dynamic security — cartridge security, firmware and HP+ terms
ShopSavvy: HP DeskJet 2755e review summary — buyer-feedback themes on ink, setup, speed, app
RTINGS: HP DeskJet 2955 listing — product positioning only; review body was not readable to us

Figures reflect each source as of October 18, 2026 and may change. We summarize owner feedback in our own words and do not reproduce retailer reviews.