Kodak EasyShare 5500 Ink Cartridges

The Kodak EasyShare 5500 may be an all-in-one inkjet device with the ability to print, scan, copy and fax documents, but its most notable feature is photo printing. The unit has solid output speeds across the board, printing up to 32 pages per minute for monochrome text and taking only 28 seconds to print a 4x6-inch photo. Although it has a simple bundle of photo features, its low price, 4-in-1 design and affordable EasyShare 5500 printer ink supplies make the printer an adequate solution for home offices.

One issue with the 5500 noted by experts is its focus on PC-based editing features rather than offering them on the control panel. For example, its 2.4-inch LCD is small and makes previewing color photos difficult, and a handful of the buttons on the control panel are sometimes unresponsive. Instead, photo editing is primarily handled in its software, which will require a PC. A USB port will allow users to print straight from their computer, though the front memory cards slots and PictBridge port also offer basic direct photo printing.

Paper handling is minimal, but should support light-duty volumes with its main 100-sheet input tray and dedicated 20-sheet 4x6-inch photo tray. The printer does offer useful features like double-sided printing and a 35-sheet automatic document feeder, which will enable users to continuously scan and fax media up to legal sizes.

The machine tested well against output tests for monochrome documents, which printed with sharp black lines using its Kodak 5500 printer ink. Graphics also printed on par for its class, but the device dropped in output quality for color photos, which appeared to have a grainy quality when tested.

The device operates with one black supply and one color Kodak 5500 ink cartridge that can be replaced separately. Each black EasyShare 5500 ink replacement can yield up to 425 pages and the color supply can last around 420 pages. To keep costs low, users have the option to purchase remanufactured Kodak 5500 ink cartridges that are less expensive than OEM supplies.

The 5500 loses points for its lackluster photo quality and PC-based editing and control features, but it is one of the least-expensive 4-in-1 machines on the market. Overall, home offices looking for a very well rounded device may not benefit from this inkjet unit and should set their sights on the higher-end models in its class.

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