HP
Printers · Last assessed Jun 9, 2026
Read the scope and sources before applying this finding.
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The letter is the published assessment. Missing factor evidence is labeled; it does not become a zero.
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.
Sources
Methodology & scope
Five dimensions are scored 0–100 and weighted equally: parts availability, schematic access, repairability, OEM pricing and software freedom. The letter scale is A (90–100), B (80–89), C (70–79), D (60–69), F (below 60).
This assessment was last assessed Jun 9, 2026. Its assessment scope is Printers and is not a claim about every device the maker ships.
The record does not supply a methodology version identifier. Read the published method, limitations and version history ↗
Manufacturer response
No manufacturer response is recorded for this assessment.
What makes up the grade
- Parts Availability
- 40 / 100
- Schematic Access
- 35 / 100
- Repairability
- 30 / 100
- OEM Pricing
- 18 / 100
- Software Freedom
- 12 / 100
Grade history
No grade changes are recorded.
Corrections
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