HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web All-in-One (C309n)

Pros: Looks great. Touch screen is nice.

Cons: The original in-box black ink cartridge was consumed after printing only 62 pages. I replaced it with a high capacity cartridge that supposedly would last for 800 pages. It lasted for about 120 pages. That's $35 per cartridge plus tax.

Summary: Ink consumption is a big issue. I am in touch with HP's tech support, and they recommended that I change the "print quality" settings in Microsoft XP from "automatic" to "normal." I've done that but it is too soon to tell whether that change will effect a cure. In the meantime, my low rating stays where it is, and deservedly so. I fault HP for not suggesting this type of change in the product literature and software when I installed the printer. But who knows, maybe they think they will thrive on ink cartridge sales. I don't though.

Updated on Dec 24, 2009

I am now willing to revise my rating from 2 stars to 4 stars. By resetting the print quality control in Windows XP Control Panel (Printers) from "automatic" to "normal," my ink consumption appears to be in line with HP's representations, rather than the extreme amounts consumed on the automatic setting in Windows XP. I also like the touch screen feature--more like my iPhone.