HP 655A (CF450A) Review: Reliable OEM, Pricey Buy
“Great quality, but pricey” is the line that keeps surfacing—yet this cartridge still pulls a 4.6-star average on Amazon. HP 655A Black Toner Cartridge (CF450A) comes across as the safe, office-grade OEM choice for compatible HP Color LaserJet Enterprise printers, with a value hit that users feel in their budgets. Verdict: buy if uptime and consistent output matter more than bargain pricing. Score: 8.6/10.
Quick Verdict
HP 655A Black Toner Cartridge: Conditional (best for offices that need reliable OEM output on the M652/M653/M681/M682 series)
| What buyers focus on | What they say | Evidence (source) |
|---|---|---|
| Print quality | “Quality is awesome” | A verified buyer on Staples noted: “quality is awesome and feels like it last forever :)” |
| Longevity | “last quite a bit” | A verified buyer on Staples noted: “great product and last quite a bit !” |
| Ease of installation | “easy to install” | A verified buyer on Staples noted: “product is easy to install and works great.” |
| Reliability/compatibility | “never had problems with hp cartridges” | A verified buyer on Staples noted: “works great ! have never had problems with hp cartridges.” |
| Price | “pricey… compared to… other brands” | A verified buyer on Staples noted: “great quality , but pricey” |
| Delivery experience (retailer) | “fast delivery” / “quick turn around time” | A verified buyer on Staples noted: “fast delivery too : )” and “quick turn around time.” |
Claims vs Reality
HP’s official messaging leans hard on reliability and fewer printing problems. On Amazon’s listing, the cartridge is framed as: “high-quality, reliable printing” that helps you “avoid common printing problems,” with an approximate yield of 12,500 pages for CF450A. That promise shows up in buyer language too—especially from offices buying repeatedly.
A recurring pattern emerged in Staples feedback: users describe a smooth, low-drama experience that matches the “plug in and go” OEM expectation. A verified buyer on Staples wrote: “very easy to install and use and have had no issues,” and another echoed the routine nature of replenishment: “we order toner all the time… we are very pleased… we are always satisfied with the service.”
HP also emphasizes high yield expectations and tracking, positioning the CF450A around “~12,500 pages.” In the user-supplied reviews here, people don’t cite exact page counts—but they repeatedly describe lasting power in everyday office terms. A verified buyer on Staples said: “great product and last quite a bit !” and another added: “quality is awesome and feels like it last forever :)” While that doesn’t confirm the official page-yield number, it aligns with the impression of a standard-capacity cartridge that doesn’t run out surprisingly fast.
Where reality diverges most is cost. HP’s store copy calls the experience “high-volume professional prints at an extremely low cost,” but actual buyers repeatedly flag the price. A verified buyer on Staples wrote: “great quality , but pricey… compared to similar product from other brands,” and followed with a practical frustration: “there isn't a lot of choices for this particular item.” Digging deeper into that, it suggests some buyers feel locked into OEM because the printer model ecosystem doesn’t leave them many credible alternatives.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
The most consistent theme across platforms is “it just works,” which matters most to office admins and small teams who don’t have time for troubleshooting. On Staples, the praise reads like procurement shorthand—simple, repeatable, and about staying operational. A verified buyer on Staples said: “works great ! have never had problems with hp cartridges,” which is exactly what you want when downtime is more expensive than toner.
Print quality is another repeat signal, especially for workplaces that need sharp text and business documents that look professional without tweaking settings. Provantage’s product framing highlights “high-quality black text and graphics,” and the sentiment summary describes it as “praised for its high-quality prints.” That lines up with Staples buyers who focus on output rather than features. A verified buyer on Staples said: “excellent product,” and another added: “quality is awesome.”
Ease of installation comes through as a real benefit for teams without dedicated IT. For an office manager swapping cartridges between meetings, “easy” is a productivity feature. A verified buyer on Staples noted: “product is easy to install and works great,” and another reinforced the no-hassle angle: “very easy to install and use and have had no issues.” The praise isn’t poetic, but it’s consistent—and that consistency is the story.
Even delivery experience becomes part of the reliability narrative for business buyers who need supplies fast. Several Staples reviews fold the purchase experience into the product experience. A verified buyer on Staples said: “fast delivery too : )” and another wrote: “works great , highly recommend ordering from staples as there is such a quick turn around time.” For time-sensitive offices, “fast delivery” is effectively an uptime feature.
After those narratives, the strongest praised takeaways are:
- “Works great” reliability for routine office printing (Staples reviews)
- “Easy to install” for non-technical staff (Staples reviews)
- “Quality is awesome” output confidence for business documents (Staples reviews)
Common Complaints
The loudest complaint is cost, and it’s not subtle. Buyers who like OEM quality still show sticker shock, especially when comparing to third-party supplies. A verified buyer on Staples said: “great quality , but pricey,” and sharpened the point with: “a little pricey compared to similar product from other brands.” For budget owners, the implication is that quality doesn’t end the conversation—it starts a cost justification.
Another recurring frustration is limited choice: not necessarily with CF450A itself, but with the ecosystem around it. That matters to procurement teams trying to source alternatives or negotiate. A verified buyer on Staples said: “there isn't a lot of choices for this particular item, until the aftermarket catches up.” In practice, that can mean you pay OEM pricing because compatible options are scarce or less trusted for this specific model set.
There’s also a small but telling “can’t review the toner yet” style complaint, which reveals a dependency problem: toner purchases often happen alongside printer rollouts, and a broken printer turns the toner into dead inventory. A verified buyer on Staples wrote: “i can’t answer yet because the new printer i ordered with this does not work properly.” It’s not a toner fault, but it’s a real buyer experience tied to the purchase.
Summarizing the complaint patterns:
- High price is the most frequent pain point (“pricey,” “good product expensive”) (Staples reviews)
- Limited alternative sourcing for this specific cartridge/printer pairing (Staples review)
- Purchasing friction when bundled with printer deployment issues (Staples review)
Divisive Features
The most divisive “feature” here is the OEM premium itself. Some buyers treat original HP supplies as non-negotiable because they prioritize predictable results, while others feel forced into that choice. A verified buyer on Staples framed the pro-OEM view: “i always recommend the oe cartridges, because of the superior quality.” But in the same breath, that buyer expresses the opposing pressure: “this item is a little pricey.”
There’s also mild tension around yield expectations. Official specs across Amazon and HP store pages repeatedly cite “~12,500 pages,” and Provantage lists “typical print yield 12500 pages.” Users don’t contradict it directly, but they speak about longevity in subjective terms like “last quite a bit” and “feels like it last forever :)”—helpful, but not measurable. For high-volume print managers who track cost per page, that’s a gap: the marketing gives a number, while the user feedback here gives impressions.
Trust & Reliability
The strongest “trust” signals in the provided data come from repetitive, routine purchasing behavior and consistent satisfaction language rather than dramatic long-term stories. A verified buyer on Staples said: “we order toner all the time… we are very pleased… we will continue to order,” which reads like stable supply-chain confidence—especially relevant for offices standardizing on one cartridge for multiple devices.
On scam or authenticity concerns, the data leans more on manufacturer/retailer claims than on buyer warnings. Provantage highlights “factory new” and references HP’s “anti-fraud technology,” while HP store pages emphasize “tamper-resistant chips” and authenticity messaging. What’s missing in the user feedback provided here are explicit stories of counterfeits or “chip not recognized” failures—so the reliability narrative is less about fear and more about predictability: “works great” and “never had problems.”
Alternatives
Competitors are only lightly implied in the feedback, but they still shape buying decisions through comparison. The clearest “alternative” in user language is non-OEM brands generally. A verified buyer on Staples compared value directly: “pricey compared to similar product from other brands.” That’s not a named competitor, but it’s the real decision point: OEM certainty versus cheaper third-party risk.
There’s also a structural alternative mentioned in market listings: higher-capacity cartridges in adjacent HP lines (for example, high-capacity options shown in third-party catalog pages), but the user-provided sentiment summary from Provantage specifically flags: “no high-yield option in this model.” For offices trying to reduce cartridge swaps, the “standard yield” nature of CF450A may push them to look at other cartridge families—if their printer supports them.
Price & Value
Price is where the emotional temperature rises. Even satisfied buyers repeatedly come back to cost. A verified buyer on Staples summed it up bluntly: “good product expensive.” Another delivered a more nuanced procurement take: “great quality , but pricey… compared to similar product from other brands,” then added the sourcing reality: “there isn't a lot of choices for this particular item.”
From the official side, Amazon lists the CF450A as “Amazon’s Choice” within its category and shows a 4.6 out of 5 rating, which signals broad satisfaction even at premium pricing. The implication for office buyers is that value is being defined as fewer problems, not lowest cost. That aligns with Amazon’s own positioning around avoiding “common printing problems,” and with Staples buyers who emphasize repeat orders and reliability.
Buying tips embedded in community behavior are subtle but present: people highlight retailer speed and service as part of the value. A verified buyer on Staples said: “ordering is easy and delivery is fast,” and another wrote: “highly recommend ordering from staples as there is such a quick turn around time.” For an office that can’t pause printing, paying a bit more for reliable fulfillment becomes part of the total cost calculation.
Practical value takeaways from the feedback:
- If you’re optimizing for uptime, the OEM premium feels justified (“never had problems,” “works great”) (Staples)
- If you’re optimizing for budget, the price stands out immediately (“pricey,” “expensive”) (Staples)
- For procurement, retailer fulfillment speed is part of perceived value (“fast delivery,” “quick turn around time”) (Staples)
FAQ
Q: How many pages does the HP 655A (CF450A) print?
A: The official yield is about 12,500 pages. Amazon lists “page yield 12500,” and Provantage specifies a “typical print yield 12500 pages.” Buyers in the provided reviews don’t cite exact counts, but a verified buyer on Staples said it “last quite a bit !”
Q: Is it easy to install the HP 655A Black Toner Cartridge?
A: Yes, ease of installation is repeatedly mentioned. A verified buyer on Staples wrote: “product is easy to install and works great,” and another said: “very easy to install and use and have had no issues.” The feedback emphasizes quick swaps and minimal hassle.
Q: Is the HP 655A toner worth it compared to cheaper brands?
A: It depends on what you value. A verified buyer on Staples said: “i always recommend the oe cartridges, because of the superior quality,” but also called it “pricey… compared to similar product from other brands.” The value argument in reviews centers on reliability and fewer problems.
Q: Which printers is the CF450A compatible with?
A: The listings consistently cite HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M652, M653, and MFP M681/M682 series. Amazon explicitly says it “works with HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M652, M653… M681, M682 Series,” and Provantage repeats similar compatibility for those Enterprise models.
Final Verdict
Buy if you run a busy office on compatible HP Color LaserJet Enterprise printers and you want “works great” reliability with minimal installation friction—A verified buyer on Staples said: “have never had problems with hp cartridges.”
Avoid if your top priority is lowest cost per page and you’re comfortable experimenting with “other brands,” because even satisfied OEM buyers still say: “great quality, but pricey.”
Pro tip from the community: treat fulfillment speed as part of your uptime plan—A verified buyer on Staples highlighted “fast delivery” and another praised the “quick turn around time.”
