HP 507A (CE400A) Black Toner Review: Reliable, Pricey
“Generic toner cartridge was causing streaking issues on all printed documents. HP toner cartridge resolved the problem.” That one Staples review captures the core pattern around HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge (CE400A): people buy it to stop printing headaches—even if it hurts the budget. Verdict: dependable OEM performance with frequent price frustration — 8.3/10.
Quick Verdict
For offices running compatible HP LaserJet Enterprise/Pro 500-series machines, HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge is a conditional yes: it’s often purchased specifically to fix quality issues caused by third‑party cartridges, but many buyers also call it “expensive” even while admitting it lasts.
| Decision | Evidence from users | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Yes (best pick) | Staples buyer “Thomas” said: “HP toner cartridge resolved the problem.” | Admins fixing streaking/quality issues |
| Yes (if uptime matters) | Staples buyer “S. M.” noted: “we never have any issues w/ them.” | Multi-printer offices |
| Conditional (value depends on volume) | Staples buyer “Deb Roe” said: “pricey but last almost a year & we do a lot of printing . . .” | High-volume departments |
| No (if price-sensitive) | Staples buyer “Archbishop H.” wrote: “works fine but is to darn expensive.” | Budget‑tight small businesses |
| Watch-outs | Best Buy “jake97” said it’s “more expensive than it needs to be.” | Anyone comparing OEM vs third-party |
Claims vs Reality
Original listings position HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge as “high‑quality, reliable printing” that helps users “avoid common printing problems,” with an “approx.” yield of 5,500 pages (Amazon/HP listings). Digging deeper into buyer commentary, the “avoid problems” claim is the one that shows up most clearly in real-world stories—especially from people switching back from generics.
A recurring pattern emerged in Staples feedback: the cartridge isn’t celebrated for fancy features so much as for removing defects. Staples reviewer “Thomas” described a direct before/after: “Generic toner cartridge was causing streaking issues… HP toner cartridge resolved the problem.” For office managers, that kind of result isn’t about marginal quality; it’s about getting invoices, reports, and forms to print cleanly again without troubleshooting.
The “5,500 pages” claim is repeated across sources (Amazon specs, HP product pages, Provantage Q&A), but user feedback doesn’t neatly verify page count with hard numbers. Instead, people talk in time spans and replacement cadence. Staples buyer “Deb Roe” reported it “last almost a year,” while Best Buy “tsk 123” summarized it as “lasts a long time.” At the same time, some color‑cartridge comments on Staples mention faster depletion in other colors (e.g., “hp 507a cyan runs out… too quickly”), which doesn’t directly contradict the black cartridge rating—but does show that real-world “yield” expectations can vary by what’s printed and which cartridge is being discussed.
Finally, the marketing promise of smooth purchasing and productivity can collide with the buying experience itself. Staples’ most helpful positive review (no username shown in the snippet) highlighted logistics and pricing rather than print chemistry: “we received exactly what we ordered and it arrived in less than 36 hours! the cost was better than competitive and kept us within our budget.” Yet other commenters repeatedly return to one theme: even when it works perfectly, the OEM price stings.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
The most consistent praise for HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge is plain reliability—especially compared to knockoffs and recycled/remanufactured options. Digging deeper into user reports, several buyers frame OEM as the “safe” choice when a printer is part of day-to-day operations. Best Buy reviewer “avis comi” offered a blunt takeaway from a failed experiment: “my company tried to use recycled toner and it was junk, stick with hp.” For IT staff or office admins, that story isn’t about perfection; it’s about minimizing downtime and avoiding reprints.
A second recurring positive is print quality that stays steady. Staples reviewer “Fred F.” put it simply: “good quality… the quality is there.” Others emphasize “no issues” and consistency rather than describing specific sharpness metrics. Staples buyer “S. M.” wrote: “we us hp toner for several of our printers & we never have any issues w / them.” That kind of feedback tends to come from environments where cartridges are purchased repeatedly—schools, offices, and multi-device setups—where consistency matters more than novelty.
Ease and predictability also show up as a quiet advantage. Best Buy reviewer “mikeh” summarized the experience as: “it arrived quickly and it works like it should.” Staples buyer “Eugene C.” echoed the same with: “installed just fine.” For procurement teams, those comments read like a compliment: the cartridge behaves like a standard supply item—no surprises, no drama.
After those narratives, the praise can be summarized like this:
- Reliability vs third-party: Best Buy “avis comi”: “stick with hp.”
- Fixes print defects: Staples “Thomas”: “resolved the problem.”
- Smooth “just works” experience: Best Buy “mikeh”: “works like it should.”
Common Complaints
Price is the dominant complaint across platforms, and the tone is rarely subtle. Staples reviewer “Archbishop H.” said: “works fine but is to darn expensive.” Staples reviewer “Diane D.” complained: “very expensive for one ink cartridge i thought the price was too high !” Best Buy “jake97” agreed while still wanting genuine supplies: “it is probably more expensive than it needs to be.” For small businesses, schools, or nonprofits buying multiple colors, that frustration compounds—especially because a full CMYK set multiplies the cost.
Even reviewers who defend the purchase often do so with a resigned “yes, but” framing. Staples “Stan F.” wrote: “it 's expensive but it lasts a long time.” That’s essentially the standard justification: higher upfront cost in exchange for fewer emergencies and longer replacement intervals. Still, the repeated “expensive” refrain suggests many buyers feel forced into OEM because of prior bad experiences with generic toner.
A smaller but important operational complaint appears in ordering friction rather than printing performance. One Staples review (no username shown in the snippet) admitted: “had a bit of trouble ordering but finally completed the order.” For procurement workflows, that kind of friction can matter—especially if a department is trying to restock under time pressure.
Summarizing the complaints after the narratives:
- High price: Staples “Archbishop H.”: “to darn expensive.”
- Sticker shock even when satisfied: Staples “Stan F.”: “expensive but it lasts.”
- Occasional purchase friction: Staples review: “trouble ordering.”
Divisive Features
The value proposition is where opinions split. Some buyers look at HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge as a long-run cost saver because it reduces defects and lasts longer. Staples “Deb Roe” framed it as endurance: “pricey but last almost a year & we do a lot of printing.” Best Buy “tsk 123” leaned on the same logic: “lasts a long time and is much better than the knockoff toner!”
But other buyers don’t feel that trade-off strongly enough to justify the OEM premium. Best Buy “jake97” still wants “genuine toner cartridges” but plainly states the downside: “more expensive than it needs to be.” Staples “Fred F.” calls the “price… a little steep,” even while conceding quality. For budget-driven teams, “it works” isn’t always enough when multiple cartridges are required.
Trust & Reliability
Concerns around authenticity show up indirectly through repeated “genuine” language and warnings against recycled/knockoff products. Best Buy “jake97” emphasized wanting “genuine toner cartridges… so that it may run at its best,” and Best Buy “tsk 123” explicitly compared it to “knockoff toner.” Digging deeper into that pattern, many buyers aren’t celebrating the cartridge—they’re paying to reduce risk.
Long-term reliability stories also appear as repeat-purchase confidence rather than “six months later” updates. Staples “S. M.” described using HP toner across “several of our printers” and said they “never have any issues,” which reads like multi-cycle ownership rather than a single cartridge impression. Staples “Cathy” similarly framed it as a policy: “i always use oem toner and never have any problems.” These aren’t dramatic testimonials, but they’re exactly the kind of steady signal offices look for in consumables.
Alternatives
The only explicitly described alternative in user feedback is generic/recycled/remanufactured toner. That comparison is not theoretical; it’s framed as a cautionary tale. Staples reviewer “Thomas” said a “generic toner cartridge was causing streaking issues,” and switching back to HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge “resolved the problem.” Best Buy reviewer “avis comi” was even more direct: “tried to use recycled toner and it was junk.”
There’s also a market alternative implied by retail listings: remanufactured cartridges promoted as cheaper while claiming comparable yield. But within the user comments provided, the “cheap alternative” story is consistently tied to risk—streaking, junk performance, or inferior results. For buyers who print client-facing documents or run shared office printers, the alternative is mostly framed as a gamble rather than a recommendation.
Price & Value
Amazon lists HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge at $181.89 with a 4.3/5 star rating on that product page snapshot, while Best Buy shows $172.99 (sold out in the captured listing). Meanwhile, eBay pricing for “HP 507a (CE400A) black toner cartridge” shows new units as low as around $96 in the category snapshot, with “open box” listings also appearing. Digging deeper into these numbers, the spread helps explain why so many users complain about OEM cost: retail pricing can feel punishing when secondary-market options exist.
But user feedback suggests many buyers evaluate “value” through hassle avoidance, not just unit price. Staples “Thomas” effectively priced in the cost of bad prints and troubleshooting when he described streaking that disappeared with OEM. Staples “Deb Roe” weighed cost against longevity: “pricey but last almost a year.” That framing matters for high-volume teams: if the cartridge truly reduces reprints and maintenance time, the cost-per-page argument becomes more believable—even if buyers still resent the upfront hit.
Community-style buying tips embedded in reviews focus less on couponing and more on channel convenience. Best Buy “luria” said: “you can get them to price match !” and another Best Buy reviewer pointed to rewards programs and discounts. On Staples, the “arrived in less than 36 hours” review highlights speed and predictable fulfillment as part of the value equation when offices are at risk of running out mid-week.
FAQ
Q: How many pages does the HP 507A (CE400A) black toner cartridge print?
A: Official listings commonly rate HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge at about 5,500 pages (Amazon specs, HP product pages, Provantage Q&A). User feedback tends to describe longevity in practical terms, like Staples buyer “Deb Roe” saying it “last almost a year,” rather than quoting exact page counts.
Q: Is HP 507A worth it over generic or recycled toner?
A: For many office buyers, yes—when print defects matter. Staples reviewer “Thomas” said a “generic toner cartridge was causing streaking issues” and the HP cartridge “resolved the problem.” Best Buy reviewer “avis comi” added: “tried to use recycled toner and it was junk, stick with hp.”
Q: What’s the most common complaint about the HP 507A toner cartridge?
A: Price. Staples buyer “Archbishop H.” said it “works fine but is to darn expensive,” and Best Buy “jake97” felt it was “more expensive than it needs to be.” Even satisfied users often describe it as “pricey” while still buying it for reliability.
Q: Is it easy to install and use?
A: Most comments suggest a straightforward experience. Staples buyer “Eugene C.” wrote: “installed just fine.” Best Buy “mikeh” said it “works like it should,” reflecting a common “set it and move on” office supply experience.
Q: Does it actually fix print quality issues like streaking?
A: At least one detailed user story says yes. Staples reviewer “Thomas” reported streaking with a generic cartridge and said switching to HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge “resolved the problem,” framing it as a practical fix rather than a minor improvement.
Final Verdict
Buy HP 507A Black Toner Cartridge if you run a compatible HP LaserJet Enterprise/Pro 500-series printer in an office setting and need “no drama” output—especially if third-party toner has caused defects. Avoid it if you’re extremely price-sensitive and willing to risk troubleshooting to save money. Pro tip from the community: Best Buy reviewer “luria” suggested using retailers that “price match !” to soften the OEM hit.
