HP 950 & 951 Ink: Complete Australian Guide 🖨️
The HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 series became one of the defining small business printers in Australia — fast, duplex, wireless, and capable of high-volume document output at a fraction of laser printer costs. Millions were sold through Officeworks, Harvey Norman, and direct channels across the 2012–2018 era.
Many are still running hard in Australian offices today. And they all take HP 950 and HP 951 ink. Noodle and Ollie have the full picture (Ollie in particular appreciates the low per-page cost 🐾).
Which Printers Use HP 950 and HP 951?
The HP 950/951 range covers the full OfficeJet Pro 8000 series:
- OfficeJet Pro 8100 — compact wireless inkjet
- OfficeJet Pro 8600, 8600 Plus — full-featured all-in-one (most widely sold)
- OfficeJet Pro 8610, 8615, 8616 — updated all-in-ones with faster print speeds
- OfficeJet Pro 8620, 8625 — higher-capacity business all-in-ones
- OfficeJet Pro 8630 — high-duty-cycle business printer
HP 950 vs HP 951: Understanding the System
| Cartridge | Colour | Type | |-----------|--------|------| | HP 950 / 950XL | Black | Pigment-based | | HP 951C / 951XLC | Cyan | Dye-based | | HP 951M / 951XLM | Magenta | Dye-based | | HP 951Y / 951XLY | Yellow | Dye-based |
HP 950 black is pigment-based — sharp text, smudge-resistant, ideal for document printing. HP 951 colours are dye-based — better for graphics and colour output.
Crucially: each colour is sold separately. Unlike HP's tri-colour designs (HP 63, HP 65, HP 67), HP 951 has individual cyan, magenta, and yellow cartridges. You replace only the colour that runs out.
Page Yield: Standard vs XL
| Cartridge | Standard | XL | |-----------|---------|-----| | HP 950BK / 950XLBK | ~1,000 pages | ~2,300 pages | | HP 951C/M/Y | ~700 pages | ~1,500 pages |
Yields based on HP ISO standard at 5% coverage.
HP 950XL delivers 2.3× more pages than standard. HP 951XL delivers 2.1× more. For a business running an 8600 or 8610, standard cartridges represent very poor cost efficiency.
Cost Per Page: Genuine vs Compatible
At typical Australian retail prices:
| Cartridge | Genuine XL (est.) | Compatible XL | Saving | |-----------|-------------------|---------------|--------| | 950XLBK | ~1.5¢/page | ~0.6¢/page | ~60% | | 951XL Colour (each) | ~4.0¢/page | ~1.6¢/page | ~60% |
For a small business printing 1,000 pages/month (typical for an OfficeJet Pro 8600), compatible XL saves approximately $300–$400 per year vs genuine standard.
The 4-Cartridge Individual System
HP 950/951 uses a 4-cartridge individual colour system — the better HP design:
- HP 950XLBK (black)
- HP 951XLC (cyan)
- HP 951XLM (magenta)
- HP 951XLY (yellow)
For document-heavy business printing (the primary use case), black depletes 3–5× faster than individual colour cartridges. Stock up on black XL.
HP 950 vs HP 952 / HP 956 — Current vs Legacy
HP has since released newer cartridge families for later OfficeJet Pro models:
| | HP 950/951 | HP 952/953/954/955 | HP 956 | |--|-----------|---------------------|--------| | Fits | OfficeJet Pro 8600 series | OfficeJet Pro 8710/8720/8730 | OfficeJet Pro 9010/9020 | | Interchangeable? | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
If you have a newer OfficeJet Pro 8710, 8720, or 9010, you need a different cartridge family. HP 950/951 is specifically for the 8100 and 8600 series.
Ollie & Noodle's Verdict
- ✅ Always buy XL — 2.3× more pages from black XL vs standard
- ✅ Individual colour cartridges — replace only what runs out (better than tri-colour designs)
- ✅ Compatible XL saves ~60% — approximately $300–$400/year for a 1,000-page/month business
- ✅ High-duty-cycle printers — OfficeJet Pro 8600 can handle serious monthly volumes
- ✅ No warranty risk under Australian Consumer Law
Australian Consumer Law and HP Warranties
HP Australia cannot void your statutory warranty simply because you used compatible ink. Under the Australian Consumer Law (Competition and Consumer Act 2010), HP must demonstrate the compatible cartridge directly caused a specific fault. Routine business printer faults — paper feed, carriage issues, printhead wear from high-volume printing — are mechanical and unrelated to ink brand.
Summary
- ✅ HP 950 (black, pigment) + HP 951 (colour, individual C/M/Y — dye-based)
- ✅ 950XL: ~2,300 pages vs ~1,000 standard; 951XL: ~1,500 pages vs ~700 standard
- ✅ Compatible XL saves ~60% — approximately $300–$400/year at 1,000 pages/month
- ✅ 4-cartridge individual system — replace only the depleted colour
- ✅ Fits: OfficeJet Pro 8100, 8600, 8610, 8615, 8620, 8625, 8630
- ✅ NOT compatible with HP 952, 953, 954 (different OfficeJet Pro generation)
- ✅ No warranty risk under Australian Consumer Law