What Ink Does the HP OfficeJet 5610 Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The HP OfficeJet 5610 uses two cartridges: an HP 27 or higher-capacity HP 56 black, and an HP 22 tri-color. For photos you can swap the black for an optional HP 58 photo cartridge. Castle Ink stocks remanufactured HP 56 Black, HP 22 Tri-color, HP 27 Black and HP 58 Photo.
Watch the pairing. Many printers that take HP 27 black use HP 28 tri-color, and many that take HP 22 use HP 21 black. The 5610 takes neither HP 21 nor HP 28, so 27 + 28 and 21 + 22 combo packs won't work. The HP 22 tri-color also fits the DeskJet F4180, which pairs it with HP 21. European units use the same numbers with different region codes (such as C9352EE), so U.S. buyers should shop by the AN part numbers.
CastleScore · October 2026
69/100 — Situational
HP OfficeJet 5610
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | — | No retailer rating with enough reviews to use. |
| Expert reviews (18%) | — | Reviewed by Bigbruin.com, without a numeric score we could verify. |
| Cost per page (24%) | 83 | About 4.8¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured HP 56 black (520 pages) and HP 22 tri-color (165 pages). |
| Reliability (13%) | 72 | Most-reported problems: 'Carriage Jam' errors with nothing jammed; carriage jams right after a new black cartridge; high ink cost with the small in-box HP 27; dated drivers and intrusive HP software updates |
| Features (12%) | 60 | Print, copy, scan, fax, 25-sheet document feeder, 2-line text display, PictBridge. USB only: no Wi-Fi, no Ethernet. No auto two-sided printing. |
| Value (5%) | — | Running cost and owner satisfaction |
Limited data: We could not find enough owner ratings or published expert scores 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.
Discontinued. HP announced the OfficeJet 5610 in August 2005, and it's now sold only used. We found no named replacement. Original HP 56 and HP 22 cartridges show as out of stock for delivery at Staples.
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 16, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
The cartridges, pictured
HP 56 BlackC6656AN · ~520 pages
HP 22 Tri-colorC9352AN · ~165 pages
HP 27 BlackC8727AN · ~220 pages
HP 58 PhotoC6658AN · ~125 pages
HP 56 Black
HP 22 Tri-color
HP 27 Black
HP 58 PhotoOur own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.
What Ink Cartridges Does the HP OfficeJet 5610 Take?
| Cartridge | HP part no. | Approx. yield | Castle Ink option |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 27 Black | C8727AN | ~220 pages | Remanufactured HP 27 Black |
| HP 56 Black (higher capacity) | C6656AN | ~520 pages | Remanufactured HP 56 Black |
| HP 22 Tri-color | C9352AN | ~165 pages | Remanufactured HP 22 Tri-color |
| HP 58 Photo (optional) | C6658AN | ~125 pages | Remanufactured HP 58 Photo |
HP's launch release put the HP 27 at 220 pages, and 4inkjets agrees, but Staples lists it at up to 280. The other yields come from Staples, 4inkjets and LD Products listings. The HP 58 photo cartridge goes in the black slot, so you swap it in and out by hand.
Is HP 56 Worth It Over HP 27?
Yes. The HP 56 holds more than twice the pages of the HP 27 that comes in the box. On October 16, 2026, Staples listed HP's 56 black at $56.99 (about 11¢ a page) and the 27 black at $38.99, and had the 22 tri-color at $48.99 (about 30¢ a page). Both the 56 and the 22 were out of stock for delivery. Our remanufactured HP 56 black is $12.99 (about 2.5¢ a page), the HP 22 tri-color is $16.99 (about 10¢ a page), and the HP 27 black is $11.99.
How Do I Replace the Ink in the HP OfficeJet 5610?
- Turn the printer on and lift the print-carriage access door. Wait for the carriage to move to the center and stop.
- Push down lightly on the old cartridge to release it, then pull it out of its slot (tri-color on the left, black or photo on the right).
- Unpack the new cartridge and pull off the tape covering the nozzles. Don't touch the copper contacts.
- Slide the cartridge into its slot at a slight upward angle and push it forward until it snaps into place.
- Close the access door. Print the alignment page the printer offers, then scan it to finish aligning.
Which Other Printers Use HP 27 or 56 with HP 22?
TonerBuzz lists the same HP 27 or 56 black and HP 22 tri-color for the OfficeJet 5605. 4inkjets also lists HP 27 for the rest of the OfficeJet 5600 series (5600, 5607, 5608, 5609, 5610v, 5610xi and 5615) and the OfficeJet 4315, but we couldn't confirm the tri-color for each of those. Check your printer's manual before buying.
What OfficeJet 5610 owners ask
These are the questions that come up most for this printer in owner forums like BleepingComputer and JustAnswer, answered in our words.
Can I use HP 56 instead of HP 27?
Yes. The HP 56 is the higher-capacity black for the same slot. It's rated at about 520 pages against about 220 for the HP 27 that ships in the box.
Will HP 21 or HP 28 cartridges fit?
No. The 5610 takes HP 22 for color. HP 28 tri-color and HP 21 black are for other printers, so skip combo packs that include them.
It says 'Carriage Jam,' but nothing is jammed.
The carriage can't get back to its home position. On older units, ink from an overflowing spit cup can foul the encoder strip. Unplug the printer, slide the carriage by hand to find sticky spots, then clean the encoder strip and rail. A BleepingComputer owner also oiled the rail lightly.
The carriage jam started right after I changed the black cartridge.
Take both cartridges out and reseat them. Clean the cartridge contacts and the carriage contacts with a swab and a little water or isopropyl alcohol, then let them dry. If the error stays, the cartridge may be faulty, or the carriage needs service.
OfficeJet 5610 quirks worth knowing
- HP rated it at up to 20 pages a minute in black and 13 in color. That predates ISO ratings, so real pages come out slower.
- It prints, copies, scans and faxes, with a 25-sheet document feeder (15 sheets for legal size). There's no automatic two-sided printing, and the feeder is single-sided.
- It connects by USB only, with no Wi-Fi or Ethernet. There's a 2-line text display and a PictBridge port for printing straight from a camera.
- Bigbruin.com called it a good value but said the bundled HP software kept updating itself and that ink costs ran somewhat high.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ink does the HP OfficeJet 5610 use?
HP 27 or HP 56 black and HP 22 tri-color. An HP 58 photo cartridge is optional.
Do HP 27 + 28 combo packs fit?
No. The 5610 needs HP 22 for color, not HP 28. Buy the black and the HP 22 separately.
Does the OfficeJet 5610 have Wi-Fi?
No. It connects by USB 2.0 only.
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 16, 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.