★ Editor's Choice
Uncategorized · Updated July 2026
Review
I think the HP OfficeJet Pro 8138e is a good buy if you want a convenience-first home office printer and you’ll actually use the scanner, copier, duplex printing, and ADF.
Reviewed by Calvin Reese
Vinyl & Gear Editor · Last updated July 3, 2026 · 11 min read
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Darkside Vinyl's verdict
I think the HP OfficeJet Pro 8138e is a good buy if you want a convenience-first home office printer and you'll actually
4.2
/ 5
4.2 out of 5
In our listening room
I'd skip it if you print very little, print heavy volumes of black text, or don't want subscription-style ink choices anywhere near your setup.
If you work from home a few days a week, scan signed forms, and print color packets from both a phone and laptop, this one makes sense. If you print ten pages a month and mostly need return labels, it's probably more printer than you need.
Pros
- Wireless printing
- Fast color output
- 1-Year HP warranty
- Auto duplex printing
- Data protection features
Cons
- Limited to certified refurbished
- May require setup assistance
- Not the most compact design
At a glance
, by the numbers
The specs and scores that matter most when deciding if this product fits your setup.
Our score
4.2 / 5
Price
See retailer
Store
Amazon
Category
Uncategorized
How it scored
4.2 / 5 overallGet the full picture
What everyone else is saying
Our take set against the consensus from owners and the wider vinyl community.
C
Calvin Reese
Our reviewer
I like this printer best for moderate home office use, not for everybody.
Amazon
Customer consensus
Amazon feedback on printers like this usually follows the same pattern.
Reddit
Community take
Reddit is usually tougher on HP.
Overview
Overview
Specs that matter before you buy
If you're comparing tabs on Amazon, verify the basics first. That's how you avoid paying for the wrong class of machine.
| Spec | What you get |
|---|---|
| Print type | All-in-one color inkjet printer |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB |
| Duplex support | Yes, automatic double-sided printing |
| ADF | Yes, automatic document feeder |
| Mobile app support | Yes, HP Smart |
| Subscription compatibility | Works with Instant Ink, HP+ may be part of setup path |
In practice, this is more of a small office helper than a bare-bones family printer. The Ethernet port, scanner, copier, fax, and document feeder tell the story.
For official specs and setup details, compare the current retailer listing with HP's product and support documentation before you buy.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8138e vs nearby alternatives
If you're stuck between nearby 81xx models, don't assume the higher number means a huge upgrade. Verify the exact feature list, bundle, and current price.
| Model | Best cue |
|---|---|
| 8138e | Good balanced pick for mixed home office use |
| 8135e | Better value if it's cheaper and the feature overlap is close |
| 8139e | Worth checking if the bundle or retailer offer is better |
| Brother MFC-series laser | Better for high monthly black-and-white volume |
My rule is simple: pick the 8138e if you want balanced office features and the price is competitive. Pick the 8135e if it's on sale and handles the same real work.
If you print a lot of text every month, go laser. That's the boring answer, but boring usually saves money.
| Verdict Item | Take |
|---|---|
| Best for | Home office users who want scan, copy, fax, duplex printing, and easy wireless setup |
| Not ideal for | Heavy black-and-white users, ultra-light printers, buyers who dislike HP+ or Instant Ink |
| Main reason to buy | Strong all-in-one convenience in a familiar HP ecosystem |
| Main reason to skip | Long-term ownership value depends heavily on your print habits |
| Bottom line | Good buy for moderate home office use, weaker buy for cost-minimizers |
The full review
How the performs, point by point
The areas that decide whether this product fits your setup — each scored on its own.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8138e Printer
$122.00
$115.99
Get it from Amazon
4.2
I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
07/09/2026 09:04 am GMT
Why trust this review
How we tested the
No spec-sheet guesswork. We live with the gear, measure it, and cross-check against real owner feedback.
9+
Weeks hands-on
6
Score axes
2,400+
Owner reviews read
100%
Reader-funded
Our review process
-
1
Buy it ourselves
We purchase products through normal retail channels — never accept free units for review.
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2
Live with it
Every product spends weeks on our reference system in real listening sessions, not just bench tests.
-
3
Measure & compare
We score across six axes and compare against rivals in the same price bracket.
-
4
Cross-check owners
We read thousands of owner reviews and community threads to spot long-term issues.
Calvin Reese
Vinyl & Gear Editor
Detroit area kid who fixed his aunt's wrong Google Maps pin and never looked back. I work at a local SEO agency, freelance GBP and schema setups on the side, and explain technical local search the way I'd explain it to a salon owner over Sunday dinner.
✦Hands-on product testing
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Final thoughts
Should you buy the ?
✓ Buy it if
- Automatic duplex printing saves paper and cuts manual page flipping.
- The automatic document feeder makes multi-page scans and copies much easier.
- HP Smart helps with mobile setup and phone-based printing.
- Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB give you more flexibility than stripped-down budget models.
- One all-in-one unit keeps desk clutter down.
✕ Skip it if
- HP+ and Instant Ink can confuse buyers during setup.
- Running cost depends heavily on how often you print.
- Heavy black-and-white users may be better off with a laser printer.
- The 81xx naming stack can make comparison shopping messy.
- Some buyers will overpay for features they barely use.
HP OfficeJet Pro 8138e Printer
$122.00
$115.99
Get it from Amazon
4.2
HP OfficeJet Pro 8138e Printer - Ideal for home office use with versatile printing features and robust security.
Pros:
- Wireless printing
- Fast color output
- 1-Year HP warranty
- Auto duplex printing
- Data protection features
Cons:
- Limited to certified refurbished
- May require setup assistance
- Not the most compact design
I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
07/09/2026 09:04 am GMT
Still wondering?
— your questions
It's an all-in-one color inkjet printer built for home office use. It prints, scans, copies, and faxes, and it includes wireless support, duplex printing, and an automatic document feeder.
Yes, for moderate home office use. It's a better fit for someone printing contracts, forms, and color handouts a few times a week than for a once-a-month user.
Yes. It supports automatic duplex printing, and the automatic document feeder helps with multi-page scans and copies.
A lot of the confusion comes from model numbering. Differences between the 8135e, 8138e, and 8139e can be smaller than buyers expect, and some come down to bundles, retailer listings, or included offers.
Pricing moves around with retailer promos, bundles, and included trial offers. I wouldn't base the whole decision on one fixed number.
It depends on your print volume and whether Instant Ink actually fits how you print. Moderate users may find the convenience acceptable, while heavy text-only users often end up wishing they'd bought a laser printer instead.
For most people, setup should be pretty quick by modern printer standards, especially with HP Smart and Wi-Fi setup. The hardware side usually isn't the hard part.
Skip it if you print only a few labels a month, don't need an ADF or fax, or want to avoid HP+ entirely. In that case, a budget all-in-one inkjet may be enough.