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HP DesignJet 800
42" wide-format inkjet printer
- Model800
- Prints42" wide
Authorized HP dealerGenuine hardware & ink
Manufacturer warrantyExtension plans available
Free shippingContinental U.S.
Plotter specialistsAEC experts, not just sellers
Analyst take
- The Designjet 800 is a discontinued four-color aqueous 42-inch plotter built for monochrome CAD line work on bond.
- It runs HP-GL/2 natively, which is why it dropped cleanly into legacy AutoCAD plotting.
- Ink is simple to source — HP 10, HP 82 and HP 11 cartridges keep a legacy unit running.
Not sure if the 800 is right for you?
Compare key specs and an AI analyst read-out against similar models.
Overview
Built for the work
HP Designjet 800 Printer (42 in)
Expert analysis
What you should know
Key takeaways
- The Designjet 800 is a discontinued four-color aqueous 42-inch plotter built for monochrome CAD line work on bond.
- It runs HP-GL/2 natively, which is why it dropped cleanly into legacy AutoCAD plotting.
- Ink is simple to source — HP 10, HP 82 and HP 11 cartridges keep a legacy unit running.
- Media support is broad, from bond through film and semi-gloss photo stocks.
- It is single-roll with no modern network security or job accounting, and parts get scarcer every year.
- For a full-width replacement, look to current Canon 44-inch machines or the HP DesignJet T918 for built-in scanning.
It’s 4:45 p.m. Someone needs a 42-inch bond set out the door, and the machine humming in the corner of the print room is an HP Designjet 800. If that’s your situation, you’re not shopping — you’re keeping an old workhorse alive. That’s a different job than buying, and it deserves an honest look.
The Designjet 800 was HP’s mid-range 42-inch plotter for engineering and CAD work. It’s long discontinued. But you’ll still find these in surveying offices, small civil shops and back rooms of firms that never saw a reason to replace something that still lays down a clean line.
What it actually is
The 800 is a four-color aqueous inkjet built for line drawings on bond — plans, permit sets, redlines. Monochrome CAD is its native language. It runs HP-GL/2, which means it dropped straight into the AutoCAD workflows of its era without a fight.
Ink is simple by today’s standards: HP 10 and HP 82 cartridges feed the printheads, with HP 11 in the mix. That simplicity is a feature when you’re maintaining a legacy box — fewer variables to source, fewer things to go wrong at deadline.
42 inPrint widthhandles D and E-size plan sets on a roll
HP 10Ink platformpaired with HP 82 and HP 11 cartridges
HP-GL/2Languagenative to legacy AutoCAD plotting
Where it still earns its keep
The honest case for keeping an 800 running is narrow but real. If your volume is modest, your work is mostly black-line CAD on bond, and the machine still holds dimension across a full E-size sheet, there’s no crime in running it until it dies.
Media support is broad — everything from ordinary bond through HP Universal Semi-gloss Photo Paper and film stocks like HP Matte Film 610 mm x 38.1 m (24 in x 125 ft). For a firm that occasionally needs a presentation board off the same box that does daily plots, that flexibility mattered.
The trade-off is age. Single roll. No modern network security or job accounting to speak of. Parts and printhead availability get harder every year. When it fails mid-bid, it fails alone.
When it's time to move on
If you’re deciding whether to replace rather than repair, don’t buy another 800 — buy this century. Within HP’s own line, an MFP like the HP DesignJet T918 36-in adds integrated scanning and modern job handling, though it steps you down to 36 inches. If you need the full 42-to-44-inch width for E-size color work, the Canon crowd is where the current fleet lives: the Canon GP-4000 44-in and Canon iPF8100 44-in both push far more detail than the 800 ever could. Worth a side-by-side before you commit — put the 800 next to the GP-4000 and the gap is plain. See where it lands in the class ranking.
Related reading
The read
The Designjet 800 was a sensible mid-range 42-inch plotter, and the good ones still run. If yours prints clean lines and your volume is light, maintain it with HP 10 and HP 82 ink and get your money’s worth. But don’t plan around it. It’s discontinued, it’s single-roll, and it has no answer for the security and accounting a modern firm expects. When it goes, replace it with something built for the work you do now — a current Canon 44-inch or the T918 if you want a scanner in the deal. Bottom line: nurse it, don’t invest in it.
Spec analysis
How the specs grade
Overall performance
—Not enough data for an overall score
Individual dimensions are shown where the specs support them.
Verified specifications
The specs that decide it
| Maximum print width | 42 in |
|---|
Specifications
Full technical detail
Max print width42"
Use caseCAD / Technical
Everything that fits the HP DesignJet 800
The full supplies hub lists every cartridge, printhead, roll and accessory verified against the manufacturer's own documentation for this machine.
5 ink cartridges · 4 printheads · 77 paper & media items · 2 accessories
HP DesignJet 800 ink and paper →Supplies
Compatible ink, printheads & media
Genuine consumables that fit the HP DesignJet 800 42-in — only the cartridges, printheads and media compatible with this model.
Ink Cartridges 5
Printheads 4
Paper & Media 67
Representative image11 Mil Water-Resistant Synthetic BannerRepresentative image180gsm Solvent Satin PE PaperRepresentative image5 Mil Polycarbonate LaminateRepresentative image230gsm Special Matte Photo PaperRepresentative image200gsm Special Matte Photo PaperRepresentative image10 Mil Water-resistant Blockout Display FilmRepresentative image10 Mil White Opaque BackerRepresentative image5 Mil Water-Resistant Self-Adh Vinyl (3" AC)Representative image8mil Poster Paper Satin (514)Representative image20LB Engineering Vellum (471)Representative imageWSL 28LB Simple Inkjet Coated Matte Paper (C2S) (448)Representative imageWSL 24LB Simple Inkjet Coated Matte Paper (C2S) (446)
HP Q1733A printing paper Matte 1 sheets White
HP Two-view Cling Film
HP Two-view Cling Film
HP C6033A photo paper High-gloss
HP C3868A plotter paper 45.7 m 91.4 cm
HP C3869A plotter paper
HP White Matte Polyester Film
HP RC Satin Proofing Paper-914 mm x 22.9 m (36 in x 75 ft)
HP Q1420A photo paper Brown, White
HP C6032A photo paper White Semi-gloss
HP Q1760A large format media 45.7 m Matte
HP Matte Film 610 mm x 38.1 m (24 in x 125 ft)
HP High-gloss White
HP Reverse Print Matte Backlit Film
HP C6035A large format media 45.7 m
HP C6036A printing paper Matte White
HP C6567B plotter paper
HP Universal Semi-gloss Photo Paper
HP Clear Film 174 gsm-610 mm x 22.9 m (24 in x 75 ft)
HP Q1904A printing film
HP Q1421A photo paper Brown, White
HP Q1757A printing paper Matte Yellow
HP Q1724A large format media 10.7 m Matt
HP C6573A photo paper White High-glossRepresentative imageHP Heavyweight Coated Paper, 42 in x 100 ft (C6569C)
HP Q1730A large format media 30.5 m
HP Q1908A printing film
HP Adhesive Vinyl 914 mm x 12.2 m (36 in x 40 ft)
HP Q1961A large format media
HP Q1962A large format media
HP Q1967A printing paper A3+ (330×483 mm) Matte 100 sheets White
HP Q1968A large format media 30.5 m Matte
HP C7949A large format media 30.5 m Matte
HP Q1898B large format media
HP Q1899B large format media
HP Q6579A photo paper Brown, White
HP Q6580A photo paper Matte
HP Q6581A photo paper
HP Q6596A large format media Matte
HP Durable Display Film
HP Q1441A large format media 45.7 m
HP Q1442A large format media 45.7 m
HP Q1444A printing paper Matte
HP Q1445A printing paper Matte
HP Q7897A large format media 45.7 m
HP Matte Proofing 458 mm x 30.5 m (18 in x 100 ft) printing paper
HP Q8664A printing paper High-gloss 1 sheets White
HP Q8662A printing paper A3+ (330×483 mm) High-gloss 50 sheets White
HP Q8663A large format media 30.5 m High-gloss
HP Aquarella Fine Art Paper-914 mm x 10.7 m (36 in x 35 ft)
HP Aquarella Art Paper-610 mm x 10.7 m (24 in x 35 ft)
HP CG490A large format media 30.5 m Semi-gloss
HP Premium Semi-gloss Proofing Paper-50 sht/A3+/330 mm x 483 mm (13 x 19 in)
HP CG463A large format media 30.5 m Semi-gloss
HP CG462A printing paper Semi-gloss White
Questions
Straight answers
Is the HP Designjet 800 still made?
No. It’s long discontinued. You’ll only find it in the installed base or on the used market. Keep one running only if your volume is low and it still holds line quality.
What ink does the Designjet 800 use?
It uses HP 10 and HP 82 cartridges, with HP 11 in the set. That simple four-color platform is easy to source, which helps when you’re maintaining a legacy machine.
Can it handle color presentation work?
It can print color on media like HP Universal Semi-gloss Photo Paper and various film stocks, but it was built primarily for monochrome CAD lines. For serious color plan sets, a current Canon iPF8100 or GP-4000 44-inch will out-resolve it.
What should I replace it with?
If you want scanning built in, the HP DesignJet T918 36-in is the in-family MFP path, though it’s narrower. For full 44-inch width, the current Canon GP-4000 or GP-4600S are the practical replacements.
Does it do E-size plan sets?
Yes — at 42 inches wide it handles D and E-size sheets on a roll. Just remember it’s single-roll, so mixed-size sets mean hands-on media changes mid-job.
Is it worth repairing an old one?
If it still prints clean, dimensionally accurate lines and your volume is modest, running it out is reasonable. Investing heavily in repairs isn’t — parts and printheads get harder to find every year.
Ready to put the HP DesignJet 800 to work?
Configuration, media and a quote tailored to your workflow — from AEC plotter specialists.