My God, it's here, renting a printer, thank you (not) HP

Hate owning and maintaining a printer? One of the companies often blamed for the madness, HP, is responding by offering a subscription program that’ll let consumers rent one.

On Wednesday, the company announced the HP All-In Plan, which it developed after hearing feedback from customers that owning a printer can be a “never-ending struggle.”

“Well, we hear you, and we have a solution. Say goodbye to your tech troubles and hello to hassle-free printing without ever having to buy a printer or cartridge again,” the company says.

The HP All-In Plan is designed to give subscribers a new printer and all the ink they need. In addition, customers will get access to HP’s “24/7 Pro Live support” with the promise to replace a faulty printer the next business day for free if the company can't fix the issue.

To start, customers can choose one of three models: the HP Envy 6020e, HP Envy Inspire 7258e, or the HP OfficeJet Pro 9010e, which range from $129 to over $220.

The goal is to offer an “all-inclusive, flexible and convenient service” that gives customers, including small business owners, the option to upgrade to a new printer after two years. But it seems like the devil may be in the details. The program starts at $6.99 per month($83.38 per year), but you'll only be able to print 20 pages each month.

(HP)

To print additional pages, you'll need to pay more, from $8.99 to as high as $60.99 per month, depending on which printer you sign up for and how many pages you need. Still, HP says the goal is to accommodate a range of printing needs, from occasional users to professionals.

The announcement also notes that “if your printing exceeds your monthly page plan, HP will automatically apply any available rollover pages and may provide additional page sets at an additional cost.”

HP adds that “early cancellation fees will apply if you cancel after the first 30 days and during the first and second year of your Plan based on the printer you select. After the 24-month term, you may cancel anytime without a cancellation fee provided you return the printer to HP.” In other words, subscribers need to be locked into HP All-In Plan for two years. A more detailed FAQ is available over the vendor's website.

The company announced the program months after it ran an ad campaign in Europe called “Made to be less hated,” which subtly conceded its printers can be infuriating to use. At the same time, HP is facing class-action lawsuits for allegedly blocking customers from installing more affordable third-party ink cartridges in its printers.