# Found HP scanner printer in trash no ink---is it good? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817 "2012-09-15T21:13:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/1 "2012-09-15T21:13:00Z")
Is there a way to to check a printer/scanner that looks perfectly fine but has no ink cartridges to see if buying cartridges is worth a gamble? I am guilty of plucking cartridges from disposed of printers but I do not have the HP 60XL in stock. ☹ Thank you in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/2 "2012-09-15T21:20:29Z")
Look at what a cartridge costs, look at what the entire comparable printer (including cartridges) costs. Very likely they’re very close in price, as home consumer inkjet printers are disposable loss leaders marketed to sell proprietary ink. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/3 "2012-09-15T21:22:59Z")
[This seems appropriate.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyHaxjFg8aI) (Youtube video on Canon printer errors.) ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/4 "2012-09-15T21:24:13Z")
> [@cynyc](#): > > Is there a way to to check a printer/scanner that looks perfectly fine but has no ink cartridges to see if buying cartridges is worth a gamble? > > I am guilty of plucking cartridges from disposed of printers but I do not have the HP 60XL in stock. ☹ > > Thank you in advance. Depending on the model year, it may still be good as a scanner. I know some of the newer ones lock out the scanner function if the ink runs dry… ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/5 "2012-09-15T22:12:36Z")
> [@antonio107](#): > > I know some of the newer ones lock out the scanner function if the ink runs dry… that true. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/6 "2012-09-15T22:17:58Z")
Having mucked with far more than my share of used PC hardware I would never pick an inkjet out of the trash for a few reasons. 1: You can likely buy a brand new one for not much more than the price of a new set of cartridges 2: To check them out you usually have to buy cartridges 3: You can’t really fix them is something is wrong. Consumer type inkjets are not built to be easily serviced or repaired 99% of the the time trying to rescue a trashed inkjet for the printer function will never be worth it, however if you have already have compatible cartriges all you have to risk is time so go for it. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/7 "2012-09-15T23:09:50Z")
We were about to check the scanner then got distracted big time. 🙂 I figured we could do that much. It’s an HP C4680. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/8 "2012-09-16T03:38:49Z")
I think all HP ink comes with disposable printheads, so at least you don’t need you worry about spoilt printheads. But, being HP, they’re very picky on ink, so you’ll probably have to buy original ink. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/9 "2012-09-17T15:54:16Z")
We have a HP V40 scanner/printer/fax that we just use for a fax but it’s very picky about it’s color cartridge, even when we only want to use it for fax. YMMV, but I would think you’ll spend a lot of money on ink making it happy. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/10 "2012-09-17T16:22:14Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > Look at what a cartridge costs, look at what the entire comparable printer (including cartridges) costs. Very likely they’re very close in price, as home consumer inkjet printers are disposable loss leaders marketed to sell proprietary ink. > [@astro](#): > > 1: You can likely buy a brand new one for not much more than the price of a new set of cartridges At least with some manufacturers, new printers may come with a starter cartridge, which has less ink. So your savings may dwindle. And you’re going to be visited by an angry Captain Planet for tossing so many printers. If the internet is to be believed, Epson and Lexmark are among those who **don’t** do this, and HP (surprise) may do so. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/11 "2012-09-17T22:46:40Z")
Well the scanner works. Maybe I can barter all these empty cartridges for new or refills or something. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-hp-scanner-printer-in-trash-no-ink-is-it-good/634817/12 "2012-09-18T21:08:17Z")
Sure, you can get a new version of the printer for the price of a cartridge, but they usually come with smaller cartridges. And you can always buy refurbished cartridges. (It’s probably too late for a refill. Once the residue of the ink dries, a refill becomes much less likely to work. Always refill before you completely run out of ink.)