The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile Printer is a portable all-in-one inkjet printer. It uses a two-cartridge system with HP 62 Black and HP 62 Tri-Color ink cartridges; it's also compatible with the high-yield HP 62XL High Yield Black and HP 62XL High Yield Tri-Color cartridges. While it doesn't have a flatbed scanner, it does have an ADF scanner. Its connectivity options include USB, Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi Direct, as well as printing directly from external USB devices like hard drives. Finally, it features support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service and is compatible with the HP Smart App.
Our Verdict
The HP OfficeJet 250 is decent for family use. It prints excellent-looking black and color documents. It also has an ADF scanner; unfortunately, scans turn out tilted as the paper guide doesn't properly feed sheets into the scanner, and it can't automatically scan or print double-sided pages. Page yields are low, so you'll have to change the ink cartridges frequently if you print often. There's a risk of clogging if you don't print regularly, which entails further maintenance. Finally, there are many connectivity options, including support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service.
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Decent photo quality.
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Great connectivity options.
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Battery lasts for many prints.
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Cheap ink cartridges.
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Low page yield.
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Slow printing speed.
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No flatbed scanner.
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Produces tilted scans.
The HP OfficeJet 250 is bad for small or home offices. It's a portable printer, so it isn't designed for offices with a large print load. While its print quality is excellent, it's very slow at printing documents and has a disappointing page yield. It does have an automatic document feeder, but again, it's slow and can't perform duplex scanning, which isn't ideal if you deal with double-sided documents often. Scans are also tilted, as the paper guide doesn't properly feed paper through the scanner.
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Automatic document feeder.
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Great connectivity options.
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Battery lasts for many prints.
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Low page yield.
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Slow printing speed.
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No duplex printing or scanning.
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No flatbed scanner.
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Produces tilted scans.
The HP OfficeJet 250 is decent for students. While it prints sharp black and color documents, it's a portable printer, so high-volume print loads aren't its strength. It has low page yields and is very slow at printing, so this isn't the device for you if you tend to print long term papers at the last minute. It has an ADF scanner but no flatbed scanner, so you can't scan pages from a textbook or notebook. Finally, the printer is easy to access as it has many different connectivity options, and its companion app is easy to use.
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Automatic document feeder.
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Great connectivity options.
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Battery lasts for many prints.
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Cheap ink cartridges.
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Low page yield.
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Slow printing speed.
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No duplex printing or scanning.
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No flatbed scanner.
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Produces tilted scans.
Although the print quality is excellent, the HP OfficeJet 250 is bad for black-and-white printing. It's very slow at printing black-only text documents, can't print or scan double-sided documents, and has poor page yield. You'll have to change the cartridge frequently if you print often. On the plus side, high-yield cartridges are available and should last longer, and the cost-per-print is still reasonable despite the page yield.
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Great connectivity options.
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Cheap ink cartridges.
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Low page yield.
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Slow printing speed.
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No duplex printing or scanning.
The HP OfficeJet 250 is okay for casual photos. It excels at reproducing small details, and while its color accuracy isn't the best, it's still fine for casual use, like printing the occasional photo at home or on the road. There's some graining in color transitions, however. It's decently affordable to print photos, but with low page yields, replacing the color cartridge can get expensive, especially if you plan on printing in color a lot. Unfortunately, it can't print 2" x 3" photos.
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Decent photo quality.
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Great at reproducing small details
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Low page yield.
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Doesn't print 2" x 3" photos.
The HP OfficeJet 250 has unremarkable color quality. It's acceptable for at-home use but doesn't produce color-accurate photos for professional or enthusiast use.
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Printer produces vibrant colors.
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Color accuracy for prints isn't good enough for professional use.
The HP OfficeJet 250 produces excellent documents. Text is clear, and charts and graphs are easy to read. Fine details are present but slightly grainy.
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Excellent quality black documents.
The HP OfficeJet 250's ADF scanner is alright. It only has an ADF scanner, and unfortunately, scans are crooked as the paper guide doesn't correctly feed sheets into the scanner. The scan quality is okay; it has aggressive image processing that removes lots of background and fine details, so know that your scans will appear different from the source material.
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Automatic document feeder.
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No flatbed scanner.
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Produces tilted scans.
The HP OfficeJet 250 is a very slow printer. It can only push three black and six color pages per minute when plugged in and one black and color page per minute when using battery power.
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Slow printing speed.
Recurring costs are reasonable for The HP OfficeJet 250. Although ink cartridges have low yields, they're not too expensive to replace.
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Cheap ink cartridges.
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Low page yield.
- 7.1 Family
- 5.5 Small/Home Office
- 6.8 Student
- 5.5 Black & White
- 7.0 Photo
Performance Usages
- 6.2 Color Quality
- 8.5 Document Quality
- 6.7 Scanner
- 3.1 Speed
- 6.6 Recurring Costs
- Updated Jul 26, 2024: Added mention of the HP OfficeJet 200 as an alternative with faster printing speeds in the Printing Speed section.
- Updated Jul 16, 2024: We've updated this article to reflect its conversion to Test Bench 1.2 and made additional changes for accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Jul 11, 2024: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Jul 10, 2024: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Feb 01, 2023: We've updated the text in the Connectivity section to clarify that the Bluetooth is only for setup purposes, not for printing.
- Updated Feb 16, 2022: Made a minor change in the Scanner Features box; scores weren't affected.
- Updated Jan 18, 2022: Added details about printing speed on battery and updated the Borderless Printing test result.
- Updated Jan 14, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Jan 20, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Jan 15, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Jan 11, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jan 06, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Dec 27, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Dec 17, 2020: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
There are no variants of this printer. You can see the unit of our label here.
Compared To Other Printers
The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile Printer is a portable printer. Although its features are fairly limited and it has a low page yield, this is to be expected since it prioritizes portability. In terms of print and scan quality, this printer excels compared to other portable printers. It has an ADF scanner that produces decent (albeit tilted) scans, and it also prints excellent black and color documents. Its battery life is solid; you'll likely run out of ink before you run out of battery.
For other options, check out our recommendations for the best cheap printers, the best wireless printers, and the best all-in-one printers.
The HP OfficeJet 250 and the Canon PIXMA TR150 are both inkjet printers with batteries. The HP may be a better choice if scanning is a big part of your tasks since it has an automatic document feeder. It prints faster and supports printing off a USB thumb drive. On the other hand, the Canon may be a better choice if you only need to print since it yields slightly more pages and its cartridges cost much less, which results in a much lower cost-per-print. Also, it can automatically print double-sided, which the HP can't.
The HP OfficeJet 250 is a much better portable printer than the Epson WorkForce WF-110. The HP has more features, including an ADF scanner, faster print speeds, and far superior build quality. Moreover, the Epson overheats during long print jobs, which is not an issue with the HP. The Epson does print much better photos. However, they look vibrant and detailed, making the Epson a better choice if you want to print photos on the go for personal use.
The HP OfficeJet 200 and HP OfficeJet 250 are similar printers. The 250 is the bigger sibling to the 200; it offers more functionality, as it's an all-in-one portable printer. With its ADF, it's the clear choice if you need to scan on the go. However, the 200 takes the cake in terms of performance. It prints faster and has higher color page yields. Photos look similar between the two printers, although they're marginally better on the 250 thanks to its superior accuracy. Thus, if you don't need the versatility that an all-in-one brings, the OfficeJet 200 is the better choice.
The Canon PIXMA iX6820 and the HP OfficeJet 250 are both compact printers. If you need to print only and don't need a scanner, the Canon is a better choice due to its significantly higher page yield and excellent cost-per-print. On the other hand, if you often need to print when on the go, the HP has a rechargeable battery. Also, it has a sheetfed scanner and more connectivity options, including Wi-Fi Direct and Mopria Print Service.
The HP DeskJet 3755/3772 and the HP OfficeJet 250 are both compact printers with sheetfed scanners, but the OfficeJet 250 performs slightly better for most uses. It has a higher page yield, a lower cost-per-print, and a rechargeable battery. Also, it can print directly from a USB thumb drive. However, the DeskJet 3755 is better for casual photo printing since it produces better-looking pictures and more accurate colors.
The Epson Expression Home XP-4100 and the HP OfficeJet 250 are two all-in-one printers designed for different uses. The Epson is made to stay on your desk and plug into a wall. It has a flatbed scanner with higher resolution, so it's a better choice for scanning photos. On the other hand, the HP has a rechargeable battery, so you can still use it even when you don't have a power outlet near you.
The Brother MFC-J995DW is better than the HP OfficeJet 250, but the HP is better for traveling. The Brother is a better choice if you plan to print large documents frequently because it has a much higher page yield and an incredibly low cost-per-print. However, the HP is better suited to printing on the go thanks to its rechargeable battery, compact design, and better connectivity options.
The HP OfficeJet 250 is better if you need to work on the go, whereas the Canon PIXMA TR4720/TR4722 is better for casual photo printing. The HP yields many more pages at a much cheaper cost-per-print, and it has a battery so that you can still use it when you aren't near a power outlet. On the other hand, the Canon has a flatbed scanner with a higher scan resolution for more detailed scans and a built-in fax. It also supports automatic duplex printing and produces significantly better-looking photos.
The HP OfficeJet 250 and the HP Tango X are both very compact printers. If you want something you can print on the road with, the OfficeJet 250 is the better choice since it comes with a rechargeable battery, meaning you can keep printing even without a power outlet. Also, it has an automatic document feeder, unlike the Tango X, which is a printer-only unit. On the other hand, the Tango X prints slightly faster, and it also prints better-looking photos. It comes with a linen cover to hide the printer when not in use and to keep dust out.
The Canon SELPHY Square QX10 and the HP OfficeJet 250 are both compact battery-powered printers. The Canon is a pocket-sized printer for printing small photos taken with your phone. The HP is a traditional inkjet printer for printing and scanning documents when on the go. It accepts many different paper sizes, including Letter and Legal, and it has an automatic document feeder for scanning.
Test Results
The HP 250's build quality is mediocre. The scan cover feels slightly flimsy, and the ink compartments feel tight when inserting the ink cartridges. Also, fingerprint smudges are very noticeable due to the surface's glossy finish. Since there's no output tray, you must stand in front of the printer to grab the pages or ensure enough space on the desk so that papers don't spill onto the floor. On the upside, the rear input and the ADF has width sliders to accommodate different paper sizes, and paper jams are easy to reach from the top of the printer. Since it's a portable printer, it has a rechargeable battery for when you're on the go and don't have a power outlet present. There's also a light indicator on the left side for Wi-Fi connection, battery charge, and power. Both the power cable and the rechargeable battery are removable, so you can easily replace them if necessary.
This printer requires frequent maintenance. Because of its low page yield, you'll have to change the ink cartridges frequently if you print regularly or in high volume. Changing the cartridges is easy and intuitive, but the printer needs to be on to do so. There's only one access point to the printer's internals, though the opening gives access to almost the entirety of the inside. You'll also have to fill the paper tray regularly as it only holds 50 sheets. As an inkjet printer, there's an inherent risk of clogging if it sits for a long period between uses. Thankfully, there are several maintenance tasks built-in to align and clean the printheads.
You can access the user manual here.
The HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile has a good display. The settings menu is easy to navigate, thanks to its well-identified icons. It has three touch-sensitive buttons below the screen: Back, Home, and Help. The Home button provides a quick exit back to the main display, and the Help button pulls up how-to videos and tips. The screen is flush with the printer's body but has a spring to prop it up at an angle. It has good vertical visibility, but the viewing angle isn't as good from the side.
This printer has a bad cartridge system. Its page yield for both black and color pages is very low, so you'll need to replace the cartridges often if you print regularly. Also, since this printer uses a tri-color cartridge, you must replace the whole color cartridge even when one color runs out. You can purchase HP 62XL High Yield Black and HP 62XL High Yield Tri-Color cartridges with an advertised page yield of 600 pages each.
While the advertised scan speed is nine black pages per minute, the ADF can only process up to four pages per minute, regardless of whether it's plugged in or using battery power. You can produce a searchable PDF or document; although this results in a few errors, they're mostly the result of special characters.
The ADF's scan quality is okay. While the colors are a little washed out, the text is clear and easy to read. However, the image processing is very aggressive and removes all fine details and background elements, resulting in scans appearing noticeably different from their source materials. Finally, the scanner produces tilted scans, even if the paper is aligned properly with the guides.
- Quick start guide
- Power cord
- Rechargeable printer battery
- HP Starter Cartridges:
- 1x HP 62 Black
- 1x HP 62 Tri-color
Black-and-white documents look excellent from this printer. The text is clear, and charts and graphs are easy to read. Fine details are present, although ever so slightly grainy. However. dark shades like purple and maroon are very difficult to distinguish from one another when converted to grayscale.
The print quality of color documents is amazing. Colors are vibrant, text is crisp, and fine elements like lines on a chart or graph are sharp.
When printing using the battery, it can only push one page per minute for black and color documents alike, and the first page takes 37.8 seconds to print. If you want a portable printer with faster printing speeds, check out the HP OfficeJet 200.
Unfortunately, manual duplex printing doesn't work despite being an advertised feature; the printer doesn't provide a prompt to flip or re-insert pages.
The color gamut on this printer is mediocre. While there's enough contrast between colors for photos to appear detailed, color transitions are especially grainy. Moreover, this printer struggles to reproduce saturated shades of any color.
This printer has acceptable color accuracy. The printer struggles with skin tones, blacks, and blues. It's fine for casual photo printing; however, it isn't sufficiently accurate for professional photo printing or enthusiasts.
This printer is excellent at reproducing small details. You can differentiate background details from foreground objects, and fine elements are quite sharp.
In addition to the posted sizes above, you can print 3.5" x 5" (88.9 mm x 127 mm) photos.
You can print from a USB flash drive using the USB port on the side of the printer. Bluetooth support is available for device setup but not for printing.
You can use the HP Smart app to initiate prints, scans, and copies, as well as use your device's camera for scanning. You can adjust color and contrast settings for scans and order more ink for your device.
You need to install drivers to print on Windows devices, while macOS and ChromeOS devices don't require drivers to print. To initiate scans from the printer when using a Windows device, you also need to install the HP Printer Assistant.