HP Envy 6555e Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer, Port
✅ PROS
- Easy and convenient to use
- Versatile and adjustable for different needs
- Cordless convenience with reliable power
❌ CONS
- May vary based on individual needs and preferences
- Check Amazon for current pricing and availability
The Verdict
The $99 Printer That’s Actually Good — If You Can Survive the Setup
Most sub-$100 all-in-one printers are disposable gadgets you buy in a panic, curse at for six months, and replace. The HP Envy 6555e sits awkwardly in that category — it’s genuinely capable hardware trapped inside a business model that wants to sell you ink subscriptions forever. Here’s what you need to know before you hit “Add to Cart.”
What You Actually Get
The box contains the printer itself, two starter ink cartridges (black and tri-color), a power cord, and a setup poster. No USB cable — it’s WiFi-only out of the box, so make sure your router has a 2.4GHz band enabled. The 6555e is a print/copy/scan unit with a 2.5-inch touchscreen display that’s responsive enough for basic navigation. No fax, no ADF, no duplex scanning — you get a flatbed scanner and auto-duplex printing only.
Performance & Build Quality: The Good, The Bad, The Frustrating
Print quality is where this printer punches above its weight. Text documents come out crisp and dark with no smudging, and photo prints on glossy paper rival what you’d get from a dedicated photo printer a few years ago. Color accuracy is solid for a consumer inkjet — skin tones don’t drift orange, and gradient-heavy graphics print smoothly without banding. Speed is acceptable: about 10 pages per minute for black-and-white, slower for color. Not a speed demon, but fine for home or light home-office use.
The build quality is where corners get cut. The plastic housing feels thin, and the scan lid is the weak point — it’s lightweight, doesn’t stay propped open, and the hinge mechanism feels like it’ll crack if you’re not gentle. One Amazon reviewer put it bluntly: “The scanner lid is a joke. It flops closed while you’re trying to scan a book page and you end up holding it with one hand.” That tracks with the 3.7-star average — this is a printer that works well but feels fragile.
What Buyers Consistently Praise
The wireless reliability earns genuine praise. Multiple reviewers note the HP Smart app connects quickly and prints from phones without the usual WiFi nightmare. One verified buyer wrote: “Setup took under 10 minutes and I’ve had zero connection drops in three months. My old Canon would drop off the network weekly.” Another praised the print quality directly: “Photos look like they came from a photo lab, not a $99 all-in-one.”
Where It Falls Short
The elephant in the room is HP Instant Ink. During setup, the printer aggressively pushes you to enroll in HP’s subscription ink service. You can decline, but the printer will nag you repeatedly. Independent cartridges are also a gamble — HP’s firmware updates have historically flagged third-party ink as “damaged.” If you buy this printer, budget for HP-branded cartridges or accept the subscription. That’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a cost you should know about upfront.
The lack of an ADF is the other real limitation. If you’re scanning a 10-page contract, you’re feeding pages one at a time. This printer is fine for occasional scanning, not for document-heavy workflows.
Who Should Buy This
- Students and casual home users who need reliable printing for assignments, recipes, and the occasional photo — this is a great fit.
- Budget-conscious households that want quality output without spending $300+ on a laser or photo printer.
- NOT for small offices or heavy users — the lack of ADF, fragile scan hinge, and per-page ink costs will frustrate you within a month.
FAQ
Q: Does the HP Envy 6555e work with third-party ink cartridges? A: Sometimes, but HP’s firmware updates can block them. You’ll get a “non-HP cartridge” warning, and print quality may degrade. Most users report better reliability with HP-branded or Instant Ink cartridges. Budget for genuine HP ink.
Q: Can I print without the HP Smart app? A: Yes. The printer supports AirPrint (iOS/Mac) and Mopria (Android) directly, so you can skip the app entirely for basic printing. The app is only required for initial setup and scanning to email/cloud.
Q: How fast is the 6555e for double-sided printing? A: Duplex printing is slow — expect roughly 3-4 pages per minute when printing double-sided. The auto-duplex mechanism has to flip each page, and it’s not quick about it. Fine for short documents, painful for 20-page reports.
The Verdict
Buy it if you’re a home user who wants quality prints, reliable wireless, and doesn’t mind HP’s ink subscription push. This is one of the better sub-$100 all-in-ones on the market.
Skip it if you need an ADF, do heavy volume printing, or refuse to deal with HP’s ink ecosystem — the short-term savings won’t justify the long-term frustration.
Rating: 3.7/5 — Good hardware, questionable business practices, and a fragile scanner lid keep this from being a slam dunk. But for the price, it’s a solid value for the right buyer.
Where to Buy
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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.
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