What Ink Does the HP DeskJet 2742e Use?
Last Updated:The HP DeskJet 2742e takes HP 67 and HP 67XL ink cartridges. It belongs to the DeskJet 2700e family, so it uses the same black and tri-color pair as the 2734e, 2752 and 2755e — there is no cartridge unique to the 2742e.
CastleScore · October 2026
45/100 — Below our ranking bar
HP DeskJet 2742e
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | — | No retailer rating with enough reviews to use. |
| Expert reviews (18%) | — | No published numeric expert score we could verify. |
| Cost per page (24%) | 39 | About 15.2¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured 67XL (240 / 200 pages). Docked because the printer can reject cartridges without the maker's chip. |
| Reliability (13%) | — | Not enough owner complaint data to score. |
| Features (12%) | 56 | Print, copy, scan, Wi-Fi. No document feeder, no auto two-sided printing, no fax, no touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | — | Running cost and owner satisfaction |
Limited data: We could not find enough owner ratings, published expert scores or owner complaint data for this printer, so those weights are spread across the other pillars. With neither owner ratings nor a published expert score, we cap this printer at 69 (Situational) until better data is available.
No longer listed by HP. HP's store has no 2742e page and marks its DeskJet 2755e sibling discontinued. The DeskJet 2855e that replaced it takes the same HP 67 cartridges.
CastleScore is Castle Ink’s own editorial rating, built from retailer star ratings, expert reviews, real cost per page and owner complaint patterns, checked October 7, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
The cartridges, pictured
HP 67XL 2-packBlack 3YM57AN + Tri-color 3YM58AN
HP 67XL Black3YM57AN · ~240 pages
HP 67XL Tri-color3YM58AN · ~200 pages
HP 67XL 2-pack
HP 67XL Black
HP 67XL Tri-colorOur own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.
HP DeskJet 2742e Ink Cartridges at a Glance
| Cartridge | Color | Approx. Yield |
|---|---|---|
| HP 67 | Black | ~120 pages |
| HP 67 | Tri-Color | ~100 pages |
| HP 67XL | Black | ~240 pages |
| HP 67XL | Tri-Color | ~200 pages |
Yields are the manufacturer's published estimates at roughly 5% page coverage — a normal text page. Photos, graphics and heavy colour fills will use considerably more than that, so treat these as a planning number rather than a promise.
About the HP DeskJet 2742e
- Wireless all-in-one: print, scan and copy
- Flatbed scanner, no automatic document feeder
- Manual duplex printing
- 60-sheet input tray, 25-sheet output
- Sold as an HP+ printer, which affects which ink you can use (see below)
If your 2742e came with setup cartridges in the box, they are standard-yield at best, so plan on a replacement early. Going straight to a 67XL pair at the first low-ink warning is the cheapest way to own this printer.
HP+ and the HP DeskJet 2742e
The HP DeskJet 2742e is sold as an HP+ printer. If you accepted HP+ during setup, the printer is locked to Original HP cartridges for its lifetime and will reject compatible ink outright. HP+ can only be declined during setup, and HP Community experts say it cannot be undone afterwards.
If you are not sure which state your printer is in, open the HP Smart app and look at the printer's details — an HP+ printer is labelled as such. Even without HP+, HP lists this platform as dynamic-security enabled: it rejects cartridges with non-HP chips, and firmware updates can block cartridges that worked before. Remanufactured cartridges that keep the original HP chip, like ours, are the ones that work in a printer that was never enrolled.
Standard or XL — Which HP 67 Cartridge Should You Buy?
| Cartridge | Approx. Yield | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| HP 67 (standard) | ~120 black / ~100 color | Light users — a few pages a week |
| HP 67XL (high yield) | ~240 black / ~200 color | Households, students, anyone printing weekly |
The high-yield cartridge is almost always the cheaper way to print, because you are paying once for the shell, the chip and the shipping regardless of how much ink is inside it. If you want to see the difference for your own volume, run the numbers through our Printer Ink Cost Calculator.
How to Replace the Ink in the HP DeskJet 2742e
- Turn the printer on — the carriage will not move to the access position if it is powered off.
- Open the cartridge access door and wait for the carriage to slide to the centre and stop.
- Press down on the old cartridge to release it, then pull it toward you and out.
- Unwrap the new cartridge and peel off the protective tape. Do not touch the copper contacts or the nozzle plate.
- Slide the new cartridge into its slot at a slight upward angle and press until it clicks firmly into place.
- Close the door and let the printer run its alignment page. Skipping alignment is the most common cause of banding people blame on the cartridge.
Troubleshooting the HP DeskJet 2742e
The printer prints, then stops mid-job. The 2742e has a small output tray and will pause if the extension arm is folded in. Pull the output extender out fully before a long job.
Print quality drops off after the printer sits unused. Print one colour page every couple of weeks. It costs almost nothing and it keeps the nozzles from drying, which is far cheaper than the deep cleaning cycles required to recover them.
The ink gauge reads low on a brand-new cartridge. Ink level reporting is an estimate, and on compatible cartridges it can read low, unknown, or not at all. Judge by print quality, not by the gauge.
Cartridges That Do Not Fit the HP DeskJet 2742e
These come up constantly in mistaken orders. None of them will work in an HP DeskJet 2742e:
- HP 65 / 65XL — looks similar, different chip and shape
- HP 63 / 63XL — older DeskJet and Envy models
- HP 62 / 62XL — Envy 5540 / OfficeJet 200 series
- HP 664 / 662 — international models sold outside the U.S.
- HP 68 — the newer DeskJet 2955 and 4355 and ENVY 6100e / 6500e series
What DeskJet 2742e owners ask
These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, HP's support forum and owner reviews, answered in our words.
Can it print on both sides automatically?
No. The DeskJet 2700e platform does manual two-sided printing only: the driver tells you when to flip the pages and feed them back in.
Can it print borderless photos?
No. HP lists borderless printing as "No" for this platform, so photos print with a white border.
Will it print on legal paper?
Yes. HP lists custom paper sizes up to 8.5 x 14 in.
I accepted HP+ during setup. Can I switch it off later?
HP Community experts say no. HP+ is permanent once enabled and locks the printer to Original HP cartridges.
My model isn't named on the HP 67 box or listing. Is HP 67 still right?
Yes. Some lists leave the 2742e out (Staples' HP 67XL tri-color page is one), but it is a DeskJet 2700e model and takes HP 67 or 67XL.
DeskJet 2742e quirks worth knowing
- The "fax" in HP's specs for this platform is mobile fax: send-only, through the HP Smart app. There is no phone jack.
- It has Bluetooth for setup from a phone as well as dual-band Wi-Fi, but no Ethernet port.
- Even without HP+, HP calls the 2700e platform "dynamic security enabled", so a firmware update can block cartridges with non-HP chips.
- HP's replacement for this platform, the DeskJet 2855e, still takes HP 67. The newer DeskJet 2955 does not: it moved to HP 68.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the DeskJet 2742e use HP 65 or HP 67?
HP 67. The HP 65 belongs to the older DeskJet 3700 and Envy 5000 generation.
Will an HP 67XL fit if my printer shipped with a standard 67?
Yes — same family, same carriage, more ink.
How many pages does the HP 67XL black cartridge print?
Approximately 240 pages at 5% coverage.
Can I use compatible ink with HP+ enabled?
No. HP+ printers require Original HP cartridges. If you declined HP+ at setup, cartridges that keep the original HP chip, like our remanufactured 67XL, work. Cartridges with non-HP chips can still be blocked by HP dynamic security.
Is the 2742e the same printer as the 2755e?
They are the same DeskJet 2700e platform under different retail SKUs, and they share ink.
Why is my colour printing in the wrong shade?
Usually one of the three colour chambers in the tri-color cartridge has run dry. Replace the whole tri-color cartridge — the colours cannot be topped up individually.
Is shipping free?
On U.S. orders over $50, yes. Orders placed by 4 PM ET, Monday to Friday, ship the same day.
Other printers that use HP 67
HP DeskJet 2755e · HP Deskjet 2700 · HP DeskJet 2855e · HP DeskJet 4155e · HP DeskJet 4255e · HP Envy 6000 · HP Envy 6055 · HP Envy 6455e
More HP ink guides: HP OfficeJet 3830 · HP Envy 5000 · HP OfficeJet Pro 8610 · find any printer
Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
- HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw (laser) — CastleScore 82
- HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e — CastleScore 79
Sources
Ratings and prices were checked on October 7, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement HP ink cartridges? Shop HP ink cartridges at Castle Ink. Remanufactured, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.