HP launches Instant Ink printing subscription

The subscription model has found its way to everything from television, music and reading to online shopping and groceries but rarely does this shift represent the opportunity for significant environmental change. With HP’s Instant Ink, the subscription model for printing cartridges aims to solve two issues: the sheer inconvenience of replacing ink cartridges and the landfill amassed by used ink cartridges. It also appears to be a good system for your wallet, as HP claims users can save up to 50% on ink or toner cartridges by moving to Instant Ink.

So what is Instant Ink exactly? HP markets it as Netflix for ink cartridges. It’s a paid monthly subscription service starting at $1.99 per month where ink cartridges are delivered directly to your door when you’re running low on ink so you’re never caught out when your printer runs dry. By connecting the HP Smart App to your printer (and subscription), HP can monitor when your ink levels are running low and time your next cartridge shipment so they arrive before you completely run out of ink.

Payment plans are based on the number of pages you print per month. Here are your options:

• $1.99 for 15 pages per month
• $5.99 for 50 pages per month
• $9.99 for 100 pages per month
• $19.99 for 300 pages per month
• $39.99 for 700 pages per month

Just like a mobile phone plan, there are add-ons available if you exceed your monthly usage. An additional $1.99 will net you an additional 10-15 pages to get you through the rest of the month. If you don’t make it through your monthly quota, you can rollover leftover pages up to three times the number of pages in your plan. For example, if you don’t use all 15 pages on the base plan, you can bank up to 45 pages for a rainy day.

The most significant part of this whole system is the role it could play in minimising the impact of ink cartridge waste. Energy Central estimates that 1 million ink cartridges are thrown out every single day and that a huge portion of those ends up in a landfill. It takes 1,000 years for an ink cartridge to decompose. However, HP’s Instant Ink system also comes with satchels for empty cartridges that are collected upon delivery and later repurposed by HP.

You can sign up for Instant Ink now. All you need is a compatible HP printer and the HP Smart App to get started. Head over to HP’s website to see if you’re eligible.