don't think it does, but we have an older version of this and using the HP ink for about 2 years and no problems at all, where as we would want to smash up our old Epsom one every time we tried to use it.

These do have the print heads embedded into the cartridges. Yes, that does make the cartridges more expensive to replace, but if you subscribe to Instant Ink that doesn't really matter.

Hi, that is true. The head is attached to the cartridge. This is because the head has tiny nozzles and they boil the ink and spit it out onto the paper. This solution wears out the nozzles quickly, hence they are replaced with every ink. The only company that has a different solution is Epson. Their nozzles are piezoelectric and they contract and expand so do not wear out that fast and do not to be replaced so often. Hence Epson ink is cheaper and uses ink for cleaning each time you print. Once blocked you are done.

You'd normally have to use a decent cleaning system such as this one >http://www.ecco-clean.com/

As part of my job we have to service printers occasionally and taking a printer apart isn't cost effective labour wise for the customer, so kits like that are invaluable, but there's a lot of cheap craps one about, that one I linked to is 3D printed to fit with the right printer model. There might well be other decent kits about but that one does the trick for me. It's like anything in a job the right tools make the job easier.

As others say, yes, HP and some other makes favour the cartridge containing the head, while others such as EPSON favour the fixed print head with ink tanks.

The fixed head has a disadvantage of being an expensive maintenance task if it clogs beyond the ability of cleaning cartridges to fix.
Advantages of the fixed head are that the better head mechanism (often piezo pump rather than the thermal bubblejet) allows a greater range of ink types, and the cartridges being just tanks can be "cloned", assuming they can crack the ink monitor chip.

The HP system gives a fresh head with each cartridge, but the simpler bubblejet design places greater limits on the kind of ink.
Because the head is too big a task to clone, the only cheaper solution is refills which can be rather variable - unless retired and refilled at the first sign of rundown, the head may be partially burned through running dry - tri-colour are particularly vulnerable to one of the colours being unusable after refill. Another weakness of the HP system, is it relies on a lot of contacts - a poor contact can also cause striping

The one sensible system died a while back, a few models from one maker used a replacement tank . replacement head system, with the head not being particularly expensive (compared to a HP cartridge) and good for around 10 tanks.

PS. I recall one experiment using the old Deskjet original and the original lower capacity wadding type cartridge (easy refill) where we just kept giving it a shot of ink every now and then, and it lasted pretty much forever.

You'd be better off with a refill + ink reset kit, and refilling BEFORE it weakens, than relying on refilled cartridges that may have been thrashed to death - do the refillers actually TEST them?

Set the trial at 300pages. You will receive new cartridges pretty soon as the ones included in the printer don't have much ink. Also note that code FREEINK gives an extra free month and if you find/ask a referral code you get another month free in the trial, so total 6 months free.

They rob you monthly instead of when you buy cartridges.