More on Staples Exclusive HP OJ Pro K5400dn color inkjet printer

Yesterday, I wrote a short post about an email I received from Staples (that's right, I received this special email along with their 3 million other closest friends).

Well, I've had some of my heaviest blog traffic ever since then, with numerous keyword searches on "HP OJ Pro K5400dn color inkjet printer" through Google and other sources leading to my blog. And although I'm primarily a "business and marketing news and analysis" blogger, I'm going to provide some guidance for those of you who've found my site due to your interest in buying this HP (NYSE HPQ) printer going on sale at Staples tomorrow.

First off, at least at my local Staples, the printer is in stock and for sale NOW (Saturday March 3rd) at the advertised price of $199.98, even though the ad says the price is effective starting tomorrow.

Secondly, where do you read about the product, since it's a Staples exclusive and thus not reviewed anywhere on the web? (In fact, my blog, jimlyonsobservations.blogspot.com, is the ONLY English-language site that comes up when the printer name is entered as a Google search!) Let me try to help.

The publication that carries my monthly column, "Observations", is The Hard Copy Observer, and in their February 2007 issue, they carried extensive coverage of HP's K5400 "family" of printers that were announced early in the month and replace the HP K550 inkjet printers. But like this blog, The Hard Copy Observer is a publication mostly for printer industry insiders, and (unlike this blog) it's not available on the Web. It's a print-ohly publication and costs $650 a year, which is a bargain if you're an industry insider, but not if you're a consumer or small business person debating whether or not to spend $200 on a printer!

HP's own web site has a press-oriented description of the K5400 series including an "available in March" statement. The product descriptions don't go deep and of course they're not reviews. Nor does the HP site include specifics about the K5400tn or K5400dtn, let alone the Staples-exclusive K5400dn.

Cnet, in their reviews section, lists the HP K5400, K5400tn, and K5400dtn but has no reviews yet and shows VERY limited availability (MacMall only).

So what's my shopping advice outside of visiting your local Staples and taking a look? Cnet (and other sites) carry reviews on the K550 and related printers from HP so that would be one place to start.

Please comment below with other sources of information and even more critically, your FIRST HAND INFORMATION. Thanks!

Comments

Jim Lyons said…
Confirming here that our local Staples store has the HP Officejet Pro K5400dn Color Printer in stock, for $199.98, in an attractive display right in the front of the store. They have a similar adjacent display of the HP C7180 (inkjet all-in-one) for $399.98, though this one's not a "Staples exclusive".
Anonymous said…
Thanks for your input. Found the reviews that saved me a trip to Staples. Easy to believe the hype.
Reminded me of the HP printer my granddaughter purchased (at Staples)to use at school that was dirt-cheap and of course did not include ink cartridges. Do admit to having used only HP printers and my experience has been good. Still use the 'ole $500 HP 855C that prints as good as ever and have a PSC 1210 printer/scanner/copier that works great.