HP DeskJet 4155e Review (2026): Honest Pros, Cons & Who It's Really For

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Quick Verdict

The HP DeskJet 4155e put a 35-sheet automatic document feeder on a printer that sold for under $100, which is why so many of them are still sitting on desks. It is slow, it prints one side at a time, and it is expensive to run on genuine cartridges — but the feeder is real and useful, and owner sentiment is reasonable at 3.9 out of 5 across more than 5,200 Best Buy reviews.

HP has discontinued it. If you own one, this review is mostly about keeping it cheap to run. If you're shopping, the honest answer is that new-old-stock 4155e units sell for around $90–$100 while the current DeskJet 4355 sells for about $70 on sale — so buying one new today rarely makes sense.

At a Glance

• Functions: Print, copy, scan, plus send-only mobile fax (no landline fax, no receiving)
• Print speed: Up to 8.5 ppm black, 5.5 ppm color (ISO)
• Document feeder: Yes — 35 sheets
• Duplex printing: Manual only, via driver
• Scanner: Flatbed plus ADF, 1200 dpi optical
• Display: Icon LCD — symbols, not text, not a touchscreen
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth 4.2 for setup, USB 2.0. No Ethernet
• Paper handling: 60-sheet input, 25-sheet output
• Recommended monthly volume: 100–300 pages
• Ink: HP 67, 67XL, and 67XXL black
• Size and weight: 16.9" x 13.1" x 7.9", 10.6 lbs
• Status: Discontinued. Roughly $90–$100 new old stock, $30–$45 used

One spec note worth stating plainly, because several sites get it wrong: the 4155e does have a document feeder. HP's own data sheet, the DeskJet 4100e user guide and Consumer Reports all confirm a standard 35-sheet ADF. Reviews that omit it are simply wrong.

Who This Printer Is For

• People who already own one. Realistically this is most of the audience. It's a serviceable machine and the sensible play is to stop overpaying for ink.
• Anyone who scans multi-page documents at home. The 35-sheet feeder was the reason to buy this printer and it still is.
• Light users at 100–300 pages a month. HP's own range, and honest.
• Bargain hunters on the used market. At $30–$45 used, an ADF printer is decent value if you go in knowing the ink economics.

Who Should Skip It

• Anyone buying new at $90–$100. The current DeskJet 4355 is newer, adds dual-band Wi-Fi, and regularly sells for less.
• Anyone who prints two-sided. Manual duplex only.
• Anyone who prints in volume. Consumer Reports estimated about $193 a year in ink and $492 over two years. On a printer that cost $85.
• Anyone needing real fax. Mobile send-only through the app is not the same thing.
• Anyone who wants a readable display. The icon LCD shows symbols, not words. Most tasks route through the HP Smart app.

What People Love About It

• Setup. The most-cited positive in owner reviews by a wide margin — roughly 1,200 mentions on Best Buy alone, frequently from people who describe themselves as not technical.
• Print quality for the money. Forbes, reviewing it hands-on, found "dark, sharp text and vibrantly colored graphics" that beat competing budget models. Consumer Reports rates photos on glossy paper "very good... that most people would be happy with."
• The 35-sheet ADF, genuinely rare at this price and Forbes's standout feature.
• The HP Smart app. Forbes called it "the best companion app of any home printer."
• Looks and footprint. Compact, and better looking than the price suggests.

The Legitimate Complaints

• Running cost. Consumer Reports measured 14.7¢ per text page and 46.7¢ per graphics page, estimating roughly $193 a year and $492 over two years — and called it "very high." Independent testing at TechGearLab put it at about double the group average. The cause is simple: a standard black cartridge holds about 120 pages.
• Wi-Fi drops. The number one negative theme in owner reviews, with over 300 mentions on Best Buy and a steady run of HP support threads. HP's data sheet lists 802.11a/b/g/n, but the near-identical successor is documented as 2.4 GHz single-band and HP markets dual-band as a new feature on the 4355 — so treat 5 GHz as unsupported in practice.
• Speed. Consumer Reports measured about 9.1 ppm in the real world; Forbes clocked roughly two minutes for a ten-page document against one to one and a half minutes for rivals.
• Text quality divides lab and owner opinion. Owners praise it; TechGearLab found text blurry and inconsistent and Consumer Reports rated it "not as good as most printers." Worth knowing the labs are harder on it than buyers are.
• No automatic duplex, and a 60-sheet input tray that the ADF physically obstructs when you reload it.
• The ink door is awkward — deeply recessed and fiddly to open, per Forbes.

How It Compares

The successor is barely an upgrade

The 4255e replaced the 4155e with remarkably little change: same speeds, same 35-sheet ADF, same trays, same dimensions and weight, same HP 67 cartridges. Independent testing at RTINGS found the 4255e actually performs slightly worse — lower cartridge yields, and HP removed searchable-PDF creation from scans. If you own a 4155e, there is no reason to "upgrade" to a 4255e.

The real upgrade

The DeskJet 4355 is the first model in this line to fix the actual problem, with true dual-band Wi-Fi. It moves to HP 68 ink, so it breaks compatibility with your HP 67 stock — but if connectivity has been driving you mad, that's the one worth looking at.

Ink and Supplies

The 4155e uses the HP 67 family. The yields explain the running cost:

HP lists 67XXL black as supported on the DeskJet 4100e series, so it is a legitimate option on this printer — in black only. There is no HP original 67XXL tri-color. Listings advertising a "67XXL black and tri-color 2-pack" are selling a compatible or remanufactured product, not an HP original. Original 67XXL is also thin on the ground at US retail.

At genuine prices, 67XL black runs about $36 and the tri-color about $37. A full genuine XL set is close to what a used 4155e costs, which is the whole argument for compatible cartridges on a printer like this.

About HP+ and third-party cartridges

The "e" means HP+ was offered at setup. It was optional — HP's own FAQ confirms customers could skip activation — but the choice is effectively permanent:

• If HP+ was activated, HP requires Original HP ink for the life of the printer, and that does not expire with the Instant Ink trial. The DeskJet 4100e user guide states outright that HP+ printers "will not operate as expected" with non-Original HP supplies.
• If HP+ was skipped, the printer runs as a conventional DeskJet and compatible HP 67 cartridges work.
• Turning it off later: HP documents no way to deactivate HP+ after setup. Plenty of blogs claim workarounds; none of it comes from HP. Treat activation as permanent.
• What you got for enrolling: warranty extended from one year to two, plus three months of Instant Ink (some bundles shipped with six).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the HP DeskJet 4155e have an automatic document feeder?
Yes — a standard 35-sheet ADF, confirmed on HP's own data sheet and in the user guide. Some review sites omit it; they are wrong.

What ink does the DeskJet 4155e use?
HP 67 and HP 67XL in black and tri-color, plus HP 67XXL in black. XL or XXL are the only sensible choices.

Can I use compatible cartridges in it?
Yes, provided HP+ was not activated at setup. If it was, the printer accepts Original HP cartridges only.

Does it print double-sided automatically?
No, manual duplex only. If auto duplex matters more than the feeder, the Envy 6055e is the alternative — it has one but no ADF.

Is the DeskJet 4155e discontinued?
Yes. HP's product page carries a discontinued notice. The succession runs 4155e to 4255e to the current 4355.

Should I replace mine with a 4255e?
No. The hardware is near-identical and independent testing found the 4255e slightly worse on cartridge yield and scan features. If you replace it, go to the 4355 or a different class of printer entirely.

Bottom Line

The DeskJet 4155e did one thing genuinely well for its price — it gave home users a real document feeder — and everything else about it is average or slow. Owners largely like it. Lab testing is harder on it. Both are fair.

What isn't fair is what it costs to run on genuine ink. Nearly $200 a year on a printer that cost $85 is the sort of math that makes people give up on inkjets entirely. If you own one and it still works, compatible 67XL cartridges are the difference between keeping it and replacing it.

Where to Buy

The 4155e is discontinued, so what's left is old stock and the used market. You can see current listings for the HP DeskJet 4155e on Amazon, but compare against the current DeskJet 4355 before buying new — it is usually cheaper and better connected.

Shop Compatible Ink at Castle Ink

The cheapest fix for this printer's worst trait:

• HP 67XL Ink Cartridges – Black & Tri-Color 2-Pack Compatible — $59.95
• Remanufactured HP 67XL (3YM57AN) Black High Yield — $18.99
• Remanufactured HP 67XL (3YM58AN) Tri-Color High Yield — $19.99

If HP+ was activated on your printer at setup, it will only accept Original HP cartridges — please check before ordering.

See Also

• What Ink Does the HP DeskJet 4155e Use?
• Best Printers: Top Picks for Every Use Case and Budget
• PrinterIQ Finder — find your next printer in about 60 seconds
• Find Ink by Printer Model
• How we rank and recommend printers

By William Elward, Founder of Castle Ink — 20+ years helping people solve printer and ink problems. Last updated August 23, 2026.