Reviewed earlier this month by Computer Shopper, the HP B209a is a very
budget conscious printer for home/home office users and photo enthusiasts.
This 3-in-1 device (print, scan, copy) offers users the ability to print
at speeds of up to 30 pages per minute for monochrome jobs, and 28 pages
per minute for color jobs. It is a very reasonable size for an AIO device,
measuring 8.1" x 17.8" x 16.0" and it weighs under 16 lbs. Combine the size,
weight, and wireless connectivity, it should be very easy to place in your
home. In addition to the Wi-Fi capabilities, the B209a can be connected
to your PC or Mac via an Ethernet cable or a USB cable.
The input and output paper trays are located on the front of the machine.
The output tray is flat for paper to rest on, but also houses a recessed
compartment where photo paper is stored and can be removed from the machine
if necessary. The B209a also features a 2.4" color LCD touch screen that
is easy to read, though the reviewer noted a larger screen would be more
helpful. You can print photos directly from a variety of memory cards (Memory
Stick flash-card, Memory Stick Duo, SD and xD-PictureCard) as well as a
USB/PictBridge port.
Photo printing quality and speed were both very high, which are some of
this device's best features (especially given the price). The B209a offers
users a variety of printing categories for text documents: Paper-Saving,
Fast/Economical, General Everyday, and Two-Sided and each has subcategories
that can offer the normal HP quality options of Fast Draft, Normal, or Best.
Unfortunately, it does not come with a built-in autoduplexer, so the two-sided
printing is manual. In terms of ink, the B209a uses a four-cartridge bay,
with one cartridge for black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, all of which are
HP 564s. Each cartridge also has a high-yield option. Overall, this is a
very good printer that will leave its purchasers very happy.
