HP 951 Yellow Ink Cartridge Review: Reliable OEM Pick
“One of the few consumables I buy without hesitation,” one Best Buy reviewer wrote, and that confidence sets the tone for HP 951 Yellow Ink Cartridge. Across mainstream retail feedback, people keep coming back to the same themes: clean color output, plug‑and‑play installs, and a cartridge that often feels like it “lasts longer than generic.” Verdict: a dependable OEM yellow cartridge for compatible OfficeJet Pro printers, with most frustration concentrated around non‑OEM multipacks and remanufactured substitutes. Score: 8.6/10.
Quick Verdict
Conditional yes. If you’re buying genuine HP 951 Yellow from a reputable retailer, most users are satisfied. If you’re considering remanufactured or marketplace multipacks, reports of errors and even printer failures spike.
| Theme | What users say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Print quality | “Print quality is great!” | Best Buy reviews |
| Reliability (OEM) | “Solid product, no issues.” | Best Buy reviews |
| Installation | “Always simple, easy to install and no problems in printer.” | Best Buy reviews |
| Longevity | “This ink gives great color and lasts a long time.” | Best Buy reviews |
| Price pain | “Hi quality ink… just wish it was less expensive.” | Best Buy reviews |
| Risk with non‑OEM | “Printer says they are used and defective… boxing used cartridges and selling them as new.” | ReviewIndex analysis of Amazon 3‑pack |
| Remanufactured variability | “My printer… accepts this cartridge at first and before half a page prints, tells me that it is damaged.” | Staples reviews |
Claims vs Reality
HP markets the 951 Yellow as an original cartridge engineered for consistent quality and ~700 pages of yield. Digging deeper into user reports, the “original HP” promise aligns closely with what people experience when they buy OEM singles through major retailers. A Best Buy reviewer described the cartridge as a “solid product, no issues,” and another added that after comparing advertised yields with third‑party tests, they had “no such concerns with this product” and felt it “consistently exceeds my expectations.” For students or home‑office users printing frequently, that sense of hitting or beating the stated yield matters more than lab numbers.
Where the marketing narrative breaks is not in OEM performance but in marketplace and substitute experiences. While officially rated at about 700 pages, multiple users buying HP‑branded 951 color multipacks through Amazon‑adjacent sellers reported cartridges arriving “depleted” or flagged as “used before,” per TheReviewIndex’s summary of verified reviews. One buyer was blunt: “when I opened the package and inserted the first cartridge… I got an error message that the cartridge was depleted—same with all the others.” Another reported their printer warning the cartridges were “used and defective.” These stories don’t contradict HP’s yield claim so much as highlight distribution and authenticity problems for some sellers.
HP also positions original ink as more reliable than non‑original options. That matches a common theme in the Best Buy OEM pool, where people say things like “hp ink is always reliable” and “no other ink goes into my printer.” But in the Staples remanufactured ecosystem, a recurring pattern emerged of printers rejecting cartridges mid‑print or throwing system errors. A Staples customer wrote, “could not use on my hp printer. received system error or cartridge error,” and another said the remanufactured set caused a “printer failure.” For budget shoppers, the claim “works like HP for less” is the most contested.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
The strongest agreement centers on output quality. People using compatible OfficeJet Pro models repeatedly say the yellow prints “nice and dries quickly,” as one Best Buy reviewer noted. Another said, “this ink gives great color,” describing how the yellow stays vivid across long runs. For teachers, small‑business owners, or grad students printing handouts or color charts, this translates to fewer reprints and less tweaking. A frequent printer for graduate school wrote that HP cartridges “often print more pages than the minimum page count listed,” which in their workflow meant less anxiety about running out mid‑semester.
Ease of installation is another near‑universal positive in OEM feedback. Multiple Best Buy reviewers describe a predictable swap‑and‑go routine: “inserted in printer and was able to print, no issues” and “always simple, easy to install and no problems in printer.” For office admins or home users who don’t want downtime, that low‑friction install is a major functional benefit. One person framed it as “consistent,” emphasizing that nothing about the cartridge requires troubleshooting.
Longevity and consistency form the third pillar. Users don’t just say it lasts; they say it lasts more than expected. A Best Buy buyer wrote, “this is great ink and last for many printed pages,” and another said print quantity felt “above average.” For people who replace yellow less frequently than black, the separate‑cartridge system is seen as practical rather than wasteful. One reviewer shared a specific pattern: “I have to replace the yellow cartridge several months before the magenta,” and appreciated being able to buy yellow alone.
- Praised most often: clean yellow output, reliable OEM recognition, fast dry time, and “above average” page life.
- Who benefits most: high‑volume home/academic users, small offices using compatible OfficeJet Pro 8600/8610/8620/8630 series.
Common Complaints
Price is the main frustration even among satisfied OEM users. A Best Buy reviewer summed up the mood: “Hi quality ink… just wish it was less expensive.” Another called HP ink “overpriced and overrated,” even while admitting it “works for my printer.” For retirees printing occasionally or households with light color needs, the cost feels hard to justify, especially when yellow runs out sooner than expected relative to other colors.
Availability also comes up, especially for single colors. One Best Buy customer noted, “this cartridge is not always available in the stores… if you need just one color order online.” That’s not a performance issue, but it affects people who need a quick local replacement and don’t want to buy a 3‑pack.
The most serious complaints concentrate around non‑OEM pathways. TheReviewIndex’s Amazon 3‑pack analysis is filled with reports of cartridges flagged as old or empty. One user said their printer warned the yellow was “depleted” right after install; another reported the cartridges lacked seals and must have been “boxing used cartridges and selling them as new.” For deadline‑driven users—students printing a project the night before, or a small business needing color flyers—these failures are particularly damaging. A buyer described a “major upset when printing a project for the following day and the cartridges wouldn’t work.”
- Complaints that recur: high OEM pricing, spotty in‑store stock, and a spike in error messages with marketplace or remanufactured packs.
- Most affected: budget shoppers, last‑minute buyers, anyone using third‑party or questionable sellers.
Divisive Features
Third‑party and remanufactured compatibility is sharply split. Some Staples buyers say the Tru Red remanufactured colors are “as good as the brand name product” and “works perfectly, no discernible difference from HP’s expensive refills.” For cost‑conscious offices, that’s meaningful savings if it works.
But an equally vocal group reports rejection or failures. One Staples reviewer wrote, “these cartridges did not work in my printer… until I replaced with HP cartridges,” and another warned, “i tried to use these on my hp and now i have to buy a new printer.” The divide suggests that success with remanufactured 951‑compatible cartridges depends heavily on batch quality and how strict the printer’s firmware is.
Trust & Reliability
Concerns about authenticity and seller practices show up most clearly in the Amazon multipack analysis. TheReviewIndex compilation highlights repeated stories of cartridges arriving already “depleted” or marked “used.” One buyer said, “blue and yellow cartridges kick out an error message stating that these have been used before,” while another suspected old stock because seals were missing. Even though these reviews refer to the 3‑pack (not necessarily the single yellow from HP direct), they shape trust in where to buy.
On the durability side, OEM users rarely describe long‑term problems beyond normal ink depletion. Best Buy reviews lean toward steady repeat purchasing: “hp ink is always reliable,” “i’ve used hp ink for about 3 years and it always has provided quality print.” That kind of multi‑year routine implies the cartridge doesn’t introduce new reliability risks for compatible printers, in contrast to some remanufactured reports where users fear damage.
Alternatives
Only alternatives explicitly discussed in user data are Staples Tru Red / Staples remanufactured HP 951 color sets and generic/knockoff cartridges. The narrative split is clear: remanufactured options are attractive on price, and some users say “see no difference between the hp and the tru red.” For low‑stakes color printing or offices willing to troubleshoot, that’s a compelling angle.
Yet the risk profile is higher. Multiple Staples reviewers report cartridge errors or printers rejecting them mid‑job, including “does not work with hp printer… printer said printer failure” and “knockoff brand is not registered with hp printer upon install.” Users who can’t afford downtime—like a small business doing client‑facing color documents—tend to stick with OEM as the safer route.
Price & Value
At Amazon US, the single OEM HP 951 Yellow lists around $25.89, while Best Buy clearance pricing historically dropped as low as $5.99 in the snapshot provided. That gulf explains why some users hunt deals or switch to remanufactured sets. One Best Buy reviewer even framed shopping strategy as value optimization: “buying hp ink at best buy is cheaper than buying at staples!”
Resale and secondary markets (eBay) show wide price dispersion, especially for older stock and expired boxes. Listings include “old stock” and cartridges with 2015–2021 expirations, often cheaper. Given authenticity complaints on marketplace multipacks, users’ implicit buying tip is to prioritize reputable sellers even if the sticker price is higher, because an unusable cartridge costs more in delays and returns.
- Typical OEM price band: mid‑$20s new at major retailers.
- Community buying tip: look for reputable retailers or HP direct for singles; be cautious with “old stock” or unsealed multipacks.
FAQ
Q: Does the HP 951 Yellow cartridge work well in OfficeJet Pro printers like the 8600/8610/8620 series?
A: Yes, with compatible OfficeJet Pro models, OEM users report smooth installs and reliable printing. A Best Buy reviewer said it was “always simple, easy to install,” and another noted “inserted in printer and was able to print, no issues.”
Q: Is the page yield close to the advertised ~700 pages?
A: Many OEM buyers feel it meets or exceeds that ballpark. One Best Buy user wrote the cartridge “often print[s] more pages than the minimum page count listed,” and another said print quantity felt “above average,” especially in regular home or school use.
Q: Why do some people get “used” or “depleted” errors with HP 951 cartridges?
A: Those reports cluster around marketplace multipacks. TheReviewIndex summary quotes buyers who saw “error message that the cartridge was depleted—same with all the others,” and others who believed sellers were “boxing used cartridges and selling them as new.”
Q: Are Staples/Tru Red remanufactured 951 cartridges a safe cheaper alternative?
A: It’s inconsistent. Some Staples reviewers say remanufactured ink is “as good as the brand name,” but others report system errors like “tells me that it is damaged” and even “printer failure,” so reliability appears batch‑dependent.
Q: What’s the main downside of sticking with OEM HP 951 Yellow?
A: Price. Even satisfied users complain about cost, with one Best Buy reviewer saying it’s “hi quality ink… just wish it was less expensive,” and another calling HP ink “overpriced,” despite working fine.
Final Verdict
Buy if you’re a home‑office, student, or small‑business user on a compatible OfficeJet Pro and want predictable color without troubleshooting; OEM feedback consistently praises quality and ease. Avoid if you’re only chasing the lowest price through marketplace multipacks or remanufactured sets and can’t risk printer errors. Pro tip from the community: order single OEM colors online from reputable retailers when stores only stock 3‑packs.
