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HP ENVY 5055 All-in-One Printer Review
Dwight Pavlovic
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January 16, 2020
The demands we put on the typical home or office printer increase with every new generation of device. Fortunately, there is an entire range of devices with new functionality and greater efficiency that also balance cost and performance.
Based on price and performance, the HP ENVY 5055 Wireless All-in-One photo printer is a standout multifunction home and office printer. While some users may still associate All-in-One (AiO) printers with visions of bulky machines, these days there are more and more compact options to consider.
With a relatively small physical profile and an accessible price point, the HP ENVY 5055 can help expand your routine or cut out hassle with affordable prints and increased versatility without crushing your budget.
But it’s more than just a “budget” option. You can also expect support for easy mobile use and photo printing. Plus, you get the versatile suite of AiO features to support a range of other tasks in addition to smart design. While single-function printers are often the most affordable in any class, there are plenty of potential advantages and savings associated with AiO printers.
In our comprehensive HP ENVY 5055 printer review, we’ll break down the details on functionality and the key technical specifications you can count on with this device.
Print, scan, and copy with support for photography
The bedrock of the HP ENVY 5055 InkJet printer is its multifunctionality. You can print, scan, and copy all from the same device, while you enjoy support for color and photo printing. These functions can be spread out across several devices, and you may even rely on third parties for support if your current office printer can’t handle more specialized tasks. The HP ENVY 5055 brings it all together.
Scanning and copying
While basic print functionality is a given, expectations for scanning and copying vary. Specialists may believe they need a dedicated device for larger formats or different materials, but it’s now unnecessary to rely on a separate scanner. That also applies to the hassle of using an outside service for scanning.
Why waste space or divert to a third party for small jobs you can handle on your own? The HP ENVY 5055 can help you handle both routine and complex scanner and copier tasks, from standard clerical jobs to bigger research or homework assignments. You can scan and distribute materials or make hard copies for a group project in no time.
Print photos
This AiO device can also produce lab-quality photos, offering another advantage over relying on print shops and photo services. Not all multifunction printers can offer high-quality prints, but the HP ENVY 5055 is a great resource for photographers and hobbyists alike.
Even if photography isn’t your thing, this feature is still useful for special occasions or creating gifts. It’s also a potentially great tool for any aspiring photographers in your family.
Quick output speeds across the board
How does the HP ENVY 5055 stack up for print speeds and turnaround on most tasks? When it comes to basic print output, you can expect up to 10 pages per minute (ppm) for black and white or up to 7 ppm in color. That’s more than fast enough for typical print jobs, and it does this without making any sacrifices when it comes to overall print quality.
Copy speeds
Do you need to make copies too? You can expect similarly quick turnaround times here as well. You can make up to 8 copies per minute in black and 4 copies per minute in color. That means you won’t be bogged down too long preparing multi-page handouts or reports in bulk.
Scan speeds
Scanning speeds are also in this range, offering up to 7 ppm in black and white and 3 ppm in color. You can easily prepare dozens of individual scans in a reasonable amount of time, so you can get back to work cataloging or sharing your projects with others.
Paper handling
When it comes to paper handling, the HP ENVY 5055 is set up with a 100-page input paper tray and a 25-page output. You’ll also enjoy the added convenience of automatic duplex printing, a feature designed to help streamline double-sided printing while you reduce paper consumption.
Go mobile with easy wireless printing
Wireless printing and support for mobile printing are newer features that are becoming the standard for printers. The HP ENVY 5055 leads the way here, and it’s compatible with a variety of apps like the HP Smart App, HP ePrint, and Apple AirPrint. This allows you to maintain active print management through your smartphone or tablet.
With easy-to-use mobile features, the HP ENVY 5055 essentially lets you work as you prefer. For most users, mobile offers a chance for greater flexibility. You can also execute print tasks from your mobile devices in as few steps as possible. Let’s say you find something interesting that you want to print from your phone or you only have access to a file via tablet. Now neither scenario is a stumbling block.
Not at your desk? Not a problem. Depending on your office layout, mobile printing provides an opportunity to explore alternative storage and use scenarios. For instance, you don’t have to rely on the typical setup of the printer sitting close to your home or office workspace. Instead, you can store it somewhere out of the way or more convenient, making it into a mini-hub of printing-related activity.
Good baseline for energy efficiency
Maintaining a small ecological footprint has become a higher priority for most homes and offices. It’s generally an effort that benefits the environment and users in both the short and long term. By keeping our output and consumption sustainable, we also make functionality gains like reduced noise and lower electrical burden.
ENERGY STAR approved
After all, a more efficient device doesn’t just reduce the impact on the environment. Lower energy consumption means potential savings on your regular power expenses. The HP ENVY 5055 offers a firm foundation for energy efficiency, with the reassurance of certification from the experts at ENERGY STAR®. It boasts low power consumption both in and out of use, as well as dramatically reduced consumption when you use its sleep mode.
Easy cartridge handling
It’s also easy to recycle the cartridges you use with this printer. Each device ships with complete instructions for free and easy recycling options, and you can always refer to the guides for your printer at HP Planet Partners.
This printer only uses 1 tri-color ink cartridge and 1 black ink cartridge, which means you’ll only have two individual cartridges to worry about replacing and recycling. It’s easy to stock up and save when you shop for Original HP ink through our supply store, but that’s just the beginning of how the HP ENVY 5055 can help you cut costs.
Compatible with XL cartridges and HP Instant Ink
In addition to helping you keep your power consumption manageable, you can maximize sustainability in other ways with HP ENVY 5055 printer ink. Sometimes how we handle refills, replacements, and recycling can be a lot of extra work, so it can be advantageous to consider devices with a streamlined supply routine.
HP Instant Ink
To make life a bit easier, this printer supports both XL ink cartridges and is eligible for our convenient HP Instant Ink program. Designed to help streamline supply routines, HP Instant Ink offers a straightforward subscription cartridge service that can lead to lower recurring print costs and a reduced environmental impact.
But how does HP Instant Ink work? It’s a comprehensive solution that automatically detects low ink levels and sends replacement cartridges with a recycling kit for empty units. That means you won’t have to compromise on print quality to save ink, and there’s no more fear of an empty cartridge alert when you have urgent print jobs.
Just use your printer as usual and HP Instant Ink will dispatch a replacement before you run too low for routine use.
Even better, your subscription pricing is based on your monthly page output and not the amount of ink you use. So you can print in black and white or color for the same cost, a great advantage for photographers and creatives. Simply pick the subscription price and output level that syncs up best with your needs.
For low-volume print users, we offer a Free Printing Plan to start. You’ll also find a variety of other levels tailored to both moderate and high print loads. Plus, there are options to roll over unused pages and even add more pages to keep up with particularly busy times of the year.
Ink cartridge options
For a standard routine, you should consider the HP 65 Black Original Ink cartridge and HP 65 Tri-Color Original Ink cartridge. You can count on roughly 100 pages from the tri-color cartridge and 120 pages from the black. That’s a good starting point for most small offices and households.
But if you prefer to put as much time between replacements as possible, then you’ll want to pair your printer with the HP 65XL Black Original Ink cartridge and HP 65XL Tri-Color Original Ink cartridge.
With XL cartridges, you can more than double the amount of time between each new unit. Both of these options offer up to 300 pages per cartridge, which is more than twice the standard in black and triple the standard color output.
You’ll also find that low ink alerts come standard with HP 65 ink cartridges. That means you can start managing your ink consumption more accurately and easily without second-guessing yourself. You can simply keep tabs on the levels from your compatible printer app, and order more ink when necessary.
Boost your warranty protection with HP Care Packs
Basic warranty protection is a given with all HP products, and the HP ENVY 5055 is no exception because it comes with our 1-year standard warranty. That means you’re covered for the cost of repairs or replacement if any defects crop up in the first 12 months of ownership.
You also have some choices to make if you want to extend the duration of your printer’s warranty by purchasing optional HP Care Packs, which you can do in a few different ways:
- You can immediately extend your warranty coverage by selecting the 2-year or 3-year option before adding the printer to your shopping cart
- If you already have an HP ENVY 5055 and want more protection, simply visit HP Care Pack to find out more about your post-warranty coverage options
Performance upgrades to consider
If you think you may need a little extra performance or speed, you’ll be glad to know there are more powerful options available from the HP ENVY AiO family.
HP ENVY Photo 6255 AiO printer
The HP ENVY Photo 6255 printer starts you off with some boosted features and only a small price increase at checkout. You can expect print speeds of up to 13 ppm in black and white and 8 ppm in color, backed up by the same range of efficiency and wireless connectivity features that you’d find on the HP ENVY 5055 printer.
HP ENVY Photo 7155 AiO printer
At the top of the line, the HP ENVY Photo 7155 printer offers an even bigger speed boost and the benefit of a bigger touch screen display interface. For print speeds, it delivers 14 ppm in black and white and 9 ppm in color. Plus, it comes with some extra wireless features and connectivity tech to make printing even more seamless.
Is the HP ENVY 5055 right for you?
With a fantastic price point and a full slate of multifunction features, the HP ENVY 5055 is a competitive option in a booming printer market. Plus, when you consider the printer line as a whole, it’s clear that the HP ENVY AiO series stands out for versatility and affordability.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean your search is complete. Whatever your situation or usage, the HP printer store is a great place to search for a new device and accessories. You’ll find even more affordable options for budget shoppers and lighter print routines, and higher-capacity HP LaserJet models to help support the busiest workflows.
About the Author: Dwight Pavlovic is a contributing writer for HP® Tech Takes. Dwight is a music and technology writer based out of West Virginia.
