What Ink Does the HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus Use?

by Lauren Elward Last Updated: October 26, 2026

Quick answer: The HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus (N911g) uses HP 950 or high-yield HP 950XL black (CN045AN for XL) and HP 951 or HP 951XL cyan, magenta and yellow (CN046AN, CN047AN and CN048AN for XL). It takes the same cartridges as the plain 8600 and the 8600 Premium.

Unlike most later HP inkjets, the 8600 Plus puts the print head in the printer rather than in the cartridges, so the cartridges are simple ink tanks. Castle Ink sells remanufactured 950XL and 951XL cartridges for it.

CastleScore · October 2026

69/100 — Situational

HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus (Scored on HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus data)

Pillar (weight)	Score	What it is based on
Owner ratings (28%)	—	No current major-retailer rating pool; the printer was discontinued years ago and survives mainly on eBay.
Expert reviews (18%)	—	Trusted Reviews reviewed it, but we couldn't verify the numeric score.
Cost per page (24%)	97	About 1¢ per page blended with our remanufactured HP 950XL black (2,300 pages) and 951XL colors (1,500 pages).
Reliability (13%)	60	Most-reported problems: 'printer or ink system' errors; print head failures; waste-ink leaks on aging units
Features (12%)	80	Print, copy, scan, fax, 50-sheet document feeder, auto two-sided printing, Ethernet and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, 4.3-inch touchscreen, memory-card slots.
Value (5%)	—	Not scored without owner ratings

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 launched it in 2011 and replaced it with the OfficeJet Pro 8610/8620/8630 in 2014. Used units sell for about $100–$290.

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 26, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.

The cartridges, pictured

Our own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.

What Ink Does the HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus Take?

Cartridge	HP part no.	Approx. yield (HP)	Castle Ink option
HP 950 Black	CN049AN	~1,000 pages	Amazon
HP 950XL Black	CN045AN	~2,300 pages	Castle Ink 950XL Black, $17.95
HP 951 Cyan / Magenta / Yellow	CN050AN / CN051AN / CN052AN	~700 pages each	Amazon
HP 951XL Cyan	CN046AN	~1,500 pages	Castle Ink 951XL Cyan, $15.95
HP 951XL Magenta	CN047AN	~1,500 pages	Castle Ink 951XL Magenta, $15.95
HP 951XL Yellow	CN048AN	~1,500 pages	Castle Ink 951XL Yellow, $15.95
950XL / 951XL 4-pack	CN045AN / CN046AN / CN047AN / CN048AN	one of each	Castle Ink 950XL/951XL 4-pack, $59.95

Yields are HP's ISO figures as listed in HP's specifications; some HP pages and retailers now show lower numbers (about 1,650 for 950XL black and 535 for standard 951 colors), so expect some variation. U.S. part numbers end in AN; cartridges are region-coded, and HP warns that a U.S. cartridge won't work in a printer from another region. Amazon links are tagged (as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases).

What Does 950XL / 951XL Ink Cost?

On October 26, 2026, Staples listed the Original HP 950XL Black at $71.89 and Quill had the standard HP 951 Cyan at $34.99. Our remanufactured 950XL Black is $17.95 and each 951XL color is $15.95, or $59.95 for all four, which works out to roughly 1¢ a page at HP's rated yields. The 8600 Plus is one of the cheapest HP inkjets of its era to run on XL cartridges.

Will Remanufactured 950XL and 951XL Work?

Generally, yes. The 8600 Plus predates HP+ and has no "e" version. HP's September 2016 firmware update blocked non-HP chips on several 950/951 printers, such as the OfficeJet Pro 8610, 8620 and 8630, but the 8600 and 8600 Plus were not on the published lists of affected models. HP later settled a class action over that update. The bigger risk on this printer is the separate print head, not the cartridges.

How Do I Replace the Ink in the HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus?

With the printer on, open the ink cartridge access door and wait for the carriage to stop.
Press the front of the cartridge to release it and pull it out.
Take the new cartridge out of its package.
Slide it into its color-coded slot and push until it clicks.
Close the access door.

Which Other Printers Use HP 950 and 951?

Quill, Staples and HP list the OfficeJet Pro 8600 and 8600 Premium, the OfficeJet Pro 8100 ePrinter, the OfficeJet Pro 8610, 8615, 8620, 8625 and 8630, and the OfficeJet Pro 251dw and 276dw.

What OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus owners ask

These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, manufacturer support communities and owner reviews, answered in our words.

What's the difference between the 8600, 8600 Plus and 8600 Premium?

The base 8600 has a 2.65-inch screen and prints 18/13 pages a minute. The Plus has a 4.3-inch touchscreen, 20/16 pages a minute and an optional second tray. The Premium adds the second 250-sheet tray in the box and a two-sided document feeder. All use 950/951 ink.

It says there's a problem with the printer or ink system. What do I do?

HP's community advice is to replace any empty or nearly empty cartridge even if it isn't flagged, then reseat the cartridges and print head, power-cycle the printer and plug it straight into the wall.

Can I replace the print head?

Yes. The CR322A print head is user-replaceable, though it is sold through HP rather than at most retailers.

Does it work on 5 GHz Wi-Fi?

No. Its Wi-Fi is 2.4 GHz only (802.11b/g/n). It also has Ethernet and USB.

OfficeJet Pro 8600 Plus quirks worth knowing

The print head (CR322A) is a separate part, and a failed print head is a common end of life for these printers.
The black is a double-width cartridge, which keeps black cost per page low.
It has memory-card slots and a 50-sheet document feeder; the second 250-sheet tray is optional.
Older units can leak from a full waste-ink pad, according to repair guides on iFixit.

Frequently Asked Questions