HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle Review: Reliable OEM, Minor DOA Risk
A Staples reviewer summed up the no-nonsense appeal of HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle like this: “i need it and it works.” Verdict: dependable OEM ink for DesignJet owners who prioritize predictable output over experimentation — 8.2/10.
Quick Verdict
For many DesignJet users, HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle is a conditional “Yes”: yes if you want OEM reliability and consistent results, conditional because a minority report “faulty” or “error” cartridges and shipping/handling problems.
| What matters | What people say (with sources) |
|---|---|
| Print reliability | “works like a charm” (Staples) |
| Consistency/quality | “excellent product, never fails” (Staples) |
| Longevity | “these little cartridges last a while” (Staples) |
| Avoiding knockoffs | “could go with much cheaper knockoff… but i keep with hp” (Staples) |
| Shipping/ordering friction | “bad delivery bu fedx” (Staples) |
| Defects/errors (minority) | “bad right out of the box” / “kept getting error” (Staples) |
Claims vs Reality
The marketing story around HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle leans hard into consistency, sharp detail, and “smudge-resistant” output (Amazon product description; HP Store product pages). Digging deeper into user feedback, the tone is often simpler: users want ink that installs cleanly and prints without drama.
On Staples, one reviewer’s praise is blunt and transactional: “it works.” Another stakes out a long-term preference for OEM: “i only buy hp ink for my hp printer . they are more dependable.” That lines up with the official messaging about reliability, but the lived experience is expressed as relief from troubleshooting rather than admiration for specs.
A recurring gap shows up around “hassle-free.” While brand copy emphasizes smooth operation, some users describe friction that has nothing to do with print quality but everything to do with fulfillment or cartridge recognition. One Staples customer complained: “bad delivery bu fedx,” and another described a multi-order ordeal: “it took three orders however to get it.” Meanwhile, a more serious mismatch appears in defect reports: “bad right out of the box… cant be used,” and another user said they “kept getting error… i ended up throwing them away.”
- Sources referenced in this section: Amazon listing copy for HP 711 bundle; HP Store product pages; Staples customer reviews for HP 711 cartridges.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
“Works” is the dominant compliment for HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle, and it’s not faint praise—especially for professionals who lose money and time when a plotter stalls. A Staples reviewer put it as: “works like a charm,” describing a once-a-year buying cadence that suggests predictable performance matters more than novelty. For low-volume architectural or engineering users, that kind of routine (“once a year”) implies stable storage and reliable startup when a big job appears.
For quality-minded buyers who’ve been burned by third-party supplies, the emotional tone shifts from satisfaction to reassurance. One Staples reviewer wrote: “i learned my lesson years ago using imitation ink and over the long haul hp inks are the better and more reliable solution.” That perspective matters for print shops or offices producing client-facing posters and plans—where a misprint becomes rework, and rework becomes cost.
Longevity is another recurring bright spot. One Staples customer cautioned: “don't let the small size fool you . these little cartridges last a while,” adding they use them “for promotional event posters.” For event teams and marketers printing bursts of color-heavy materials, “last a while” reads like fewer emergency runs for replacements and fewer interruptions mid-deadline.
Even when users don’t gush, they reaffirm a consistent habit of choosing OEM because it reduces uncertainty. A Staples reviewer explained their decision plainly: “could go with much cheaper knockoff , but i keep with hp as i don’t use that much anyways.” For occasional DesignJet owners, the bundle’s value isn’t “lowest price,” but lowering the chance that infrequent printing turns into troubleshooting.
- Common praise themes (Staples): “works great,” “easy to use,” “never fails,” “last a while,” “more dependable.”
Common Complaints
The most damaging complaints about HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle aren’t subtle—when things go wrong, users describe instant failure and wasted money. The Staples “most helpful critical review” is direct: “bad right out of the box,” stating the cartridge “is showing faulty and cant be used.” For anyone running time-sensitive plots—construction submittals, permit sets, school project deadlines—dead-on-arrival ink is more than inconvenience; it’s disruption.
A second pattern emerges around “error” states and compatibility recognition, even when buyers believe they’re purchasing the right thing. One Staples reviewer said: “purchased black and color cartridges and kept getting error… i ended up throwing them away.” That kind of report hits hardest for users who aren’t in a position to troubleshoot firmware, contacts, or storage conditions; they just need the printer to accept the cartridge and move on.
Shipping and handling complaints also appear, and they can masquerade as product failures. One Staples comment: “is ruined when left in hot mailbox.” That’s a user story about logistics, but it becomes part of the ownership experience—especially in warmer climates or for people who can’t immediately retrieve deliveries. Another Staples reviewer complained: “bad delivery bu fedx.” Digging deeper into user reports, the narrative here is that even good ink can become a bad purchase if delivery conditions are poor.
Finally, there’s frustration with the broader ecosystem of cartridge variants. A Staples reviewer observed: “the cartridges work fine but they look exactly like the 951 cartridges… why can't hp… make one type of ink cartridge for 10 - 15 of their printers.” For IT admins or small offices managing multiple printer lines, the “works fine” comes with annoyance about fragmentation and purchasing complexity.
- Common complaint themes (Staples): DOA/faulty units, cartridge “error” states, shipping heat damage, delivery problems, product-line confusion.
Divisive Features
The “OEM vs cheaper alternatives” question divides buyers of HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle, not because people disagree about what OEM does, but because they weigh risk differently. Some users explicitly acknowledge the cheaper route and choose HP anyway. One Staples reviewer said: “could go with much cheaper knockoff… but i keep with hp,” framing the purchase as a risk-management decision for low-volume use.
On the other side, even buyers who prefer HP sometimes sound resigned about the cost and logistics rather than enthusiastic. One Staples comment praises the product but highlights ordering friction: “the cartridge is fine… it took three orders however to get it.” That kind of experience can push value-sensitive users toward third-party compatible 711 XL options listed on Amazon search results, even if the perceived risk is higher.
So the divisive feature isn’t print quality—it’s whether the buyer’s priority is minimizing headaches (OEM) or minimizing spend (compatibles), and whether their supply chain experience with OEM is smooth enough to justify the premium.
- Sources referenced in this section: Staples reviews; Amazon search results listing compatible/remanufactured 711 XL options.
Trust & Reliability
A recurring trust signal for HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle comes from long-term brand loyalty in retailer reviews. One Staples reviewer wrote: “excellent product , never fails ... i have been a hp user for 20 years,” anchoring their confidence in years of experience rather than a single purchase. Another echoed the theme of reliability as relief after experimentation: “my printer has ' been with ' lesser cartridges… once you’ve tried hp there ’s no going back.”
But reliability concerns do surface in the same review ecosystem, and they read like classic buyer anxiety triggers: “bad right out of the box” and “kept getting error.” Those comments don’t necessarily prove widespread defect rates, but they do show that failures happen—and when they do, users perceive them as total losses (“throwing them away”) rather than fixable hiccups.
As for Reddit “6 months later…” durability-style posts: the provided Reddit data is an HP Store informational page about printheads rather than community threads or identifiable user quotes, so there aren’t verifiable long-term Reddit stories to quote here.
Alternatives
Only alternatives present in the provided data can be considered, and they cluster into three camps: OEM packs, compatible/remanufactured bundles, and refillable solutions.
For buyers considering HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle versus compatible 711 XL bundles shown in Amazon search results (e.g., listings like “compatible 711 xl 711 ink cartridges replacement”), the tradeoff mirrors what Staples reviewers describe: OEM can feel “more dependable,” while non-OEM appeals on price. One Staples reviewer’s rationale for sticking with HP—“i learned my lesson years ago using imitation ink”—is essentially a cautionary tale aimed at that exact decision.
For a more explicit “budget alternative,” the data includes a remanufactured option from Inkjets.com (“HP 711XL & 711 Remanufactured Ink Cartridge 4-Pack Combo”), positioning itself as “budget-friendly” with a “1-year warranty.” That competes directly on price and risk-mitigation via warranty, but it’s not user-review text—so the only grounded comparison point from user feedback is that some people avoid “knockoff” to reduce hassles.
Finally, eBay listings include “empty refillable ink cartridge with resettable chip,” which will appeal to tinkerers. However, no user feedback is provided to confirm how well resettable chips behave over time—so it remains a market option rather than a validated experience.
Price & Value
Current pricing varies widely by channel in the provided data: Amazon shows the OEM HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle at $146.90 (Amazon listing), while other marketplaces and retailers list different packs and formats at higher totals (e.g., Walmart listing at $199.90; Staples bundle at $217.96). The important value story in user feedback isn’t “cheapest,” but “avoiding waste and rework,” echoed by Staples reviewers who frame OEM purchases as reliability insurance.
Resale value trends aren’t directly evidenced by user commentary here, but market pricing snapshots from eBay (“HP 711 yellow… $73.90”) suggest individual color 3-packs circulate with steady supply. For buyers who only burn through one color, that can shape a buying strategy: purchase singles/3-packs instead of a full bundle—though again, that’s an inference from listings, not a user quote.
Community buying tips in the supplied data lean practical and repetitive: stick with HP if you don’t print often and don’t want trouble. One Staples reviewer put it plainly: “i need it , and it works,” and another reinforced the low-volume mindset: “i don’t use that much anyways.” For that persona, value is reduced hassle per project, not lowest cost per milliliter.
FAQ
Q: Does the HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle “just work” in DesignJet printers?
A: Many buyers say yes. A Staples reviewer wrote: “works like a charm,” and another said: “i only buy hp ink… they are more dependable.” However, a minority reported problems like “bad right out of the box” and cartridges that “kept getting error,” suggesting occasional failures happen.
Q: Is OEM HP 711 ink worth it compared to cheaper compatible 711 XL cartridges?
A: For risk-averse users, the feedback leans yes. One Staples reviewer said: “could go with much cheaper knockoff… but i keep with hp,” and another wrote: “i learned my lesson years ago using imitation ink.” The tradeoff is paying more to reduce the chance of printer errors or bad prints.
Q: How long do the HP 711 cartridges last in real use?
A: Some users say they last longer than expected, especially for periodic poster printing. A Staples reviewer noted: “don't let the small size fool you . these little cartridges last a while.” Exact page counts depend on what you print, but the recurring theme is acceptable longevity for typical DesignJet jobs.
Q: What are the biggest risks when buying HP 711 ink online?
A: Two themes show up: defective/errored cartridges and delivery conditions. Staples reviewers reported “bad right out of the box” and “kept getting error.” Others complained about logistics: “bad delivery bu fedx” and ink “ruined when left in hot mailbox,” implying heat exposure can be a real issue.
Final Verdict
Buy HP 711 Ink Cartridge Bundle if you’re a DesignJet T120/T520/T530-style user who values predictable results and wants to avoid the “knockoff” gamble; Staples reviewers repeatedly emphasize dependability: “it works,” “works like a charm,” and “more dependable.” Avoid if you can’t tolerate any chance of DOA/error cartridges or you routinely receive packages in extreme heat—users described “bad right out of the box” and ink “ruined when left in hot mailbox.” Pro tip from the community mindset: if you print infrequently, the OEM premium can feel justified because, as one Staples reviewer said, “i don’t use that much anyways.”
