HP
Printers · Last assessed 6/9/2026
Score breakdown
Why this grade
HP is the documented worst offender for cartridge DRM. Its 'Dynamic Security' system, introduced in 2016, uses a chip to authenticate cartridges; firmware updates (notably the November 2020 push) blocked non-HP and even previously-working cartridges. This triggered multiple lawsuits: a US class action settled in 2025 with no payout and no admission of wrongdoing (only ~21 listed LaserJet models gained the option to decline/remove Dynamic Security; restrictions remain for most printers made after 2016), and a $12M fine in Italy. An HP executive openly boasted in 2023 that its ink subscription 'locks' customers in. PIRG documents razor-and-blades pricing with ink marked up roughly 10,000% ($1.18/oz wholesale vs ~$118/oz in cartridges) plus Instant Ink subscription lock-in. Official public board schematics are unavailable; consumer inkjets are largely disposable.