Epson EcoTank ET-2800
MSRP $280.00
“The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 produces nice picture prints and scans at high-resolution, making this a superb household printer.”
Execs
- Nice picture print high quality
- Excessive-resolution 1200 dpi scans
- Nice cell app
- Small footprint
Cons
- Print velocity is gradual
- No full-page borderless possibility
Epson’s EcoTank ET-2800 is an all-in-one printer with refillable ink reservoirs that final a very long time and prevent cash. It’s not a brand new concept, and Epson makes a number of different EcoTank fashions, however that is at present probably the most reasonably priced mannequin. The query is whether or not it’s top-of-the-line printers accessible.
I like the value, however wished to confirm the worth of the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 to ensure it supplies sufficient high quality and efficiency on your wants. I’ll check out the design, print high quality and velocity, multifunction options, and ease of use to find out whether or not that is the fitting printer for you.
Design
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 stands out as a remarkably tiny all-in-one printer. Spanning simply 14.75 inches in width, it’s one of many smallest I’ve examined. Depth is a extra normal 22.8 inches with the paper tray and output bin open, and it’s solely 11 inches tall with paper within the tray. As anticipated, it’s gentle, weighing 8.8 kilos.
Regardless of the diminutive measurement, the design is eye-catching, with the ink tanks extending over 2 inches past the entrance panel. The management panel tilts upward for straightforward viewing. I examined the matte white mannequin, nevertheless it’s additionally accessible in matte black.
A small, 1.44-inch shade show with massive buttons on both aspect supplies entry to printing and settings. The cell app proved dependable and full-featured sufficient in my testing.
A 100-sheet paper tray is on the again, however is definitely accessible. Paper guides are clearly marked and might be adjusted to carry media as small as 4×6 picture sheets and No. 10 envelopes.
Epson takes a little bit of artistic license within the product pictures, exhibiting the black, yellow, magenta, and cyan ink tanks in shade. I might see the ink ranges via the translucent tanks, however the colours weren’t seen.
Printing efficiency
Epson’s EcoTank ET-2800 supplies nice image high quality on picture paper. Shiny, semigloss, and matte picture paper prints have been crisp and vibrant with no shade solid. A devoted picture printer, just like the five-color Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 or the six-color EcoTank ET-8500, gives better dynamic vary, however often prices extra.
The EcoTank ET-2800 can print on all normal paper sorts and sizes. It handles No. 10 envelopes with no issues, even from the cell app.
Distinction is low when printing on plain paper since blacks seem darkish grey and whites are duller. That’s common, however some printers, just like the Brother MFC-J1205W, deal with plain paper pictures significantly better.
Quick printers value extra, and the EcoTank ET-2800 is a price range mannequin. At simply 10 pages per minute (ppm) for monochrome and 5 ppm for shade, I needed to wait somewhat longer than standard for paperwork and labels to complete. Which may not be a deal-breaker when you aren’t in a rush.
Epson saved a bit on paper-handling prices by limiting the EcoTank ET-2800 to single-sided printing. Duplex printing on each side of the paper is vital for some companies, in order that trade-off is price contemplating.
Particular options
Epson is beneficiant with scan high quality for its all-in-one printers. Like a number of different fashions, the EcoTank ET-2800 helps as much as 1200 dots per inch (dpi) for high-resolution scanning from a pc after putting in Epson’s Scan 2 utility. That’s nearly as good as some devoted scanners.
The Epson Good Panel app for iOS and Android permits as much as 600 dpi. That’s spectacular since many printers are restricted to 300 dpi when utilizing the cell app.
There’s no computerized doc feeder, however the flatbed scanner makes good shade copies, saving me a visit to an workplace retailer.
Scan and replica speeds are comparatively gradual, however present good high quality with good element.
Software program and compatibility
Set up is straightforward with the Epson Good Panel app for iOS or Android. The app guided me step-by-step, making the method easy. Put aside at the least a half hour, although. It’s good to fill the tanks (about 4 minutes), cost the ink system (about 11 minutes), print the alignment web page, and recalibrate.
In my case, the printhead alignment was excellent on the primary print. The whole setup took about 20 minutes. That’s actually not unhealthy and solely must be completed while you print sufficient to empty a number of ink tanks, which final a really very long time.
Epson’s Good Panel is a well-designed cell app that permits you to arrange, print, scan, copy, and carry out upkeep out of your telephone. One concern arose, however I discovered an answer. If you happen to get bored with paper mismatch warnings that require selecting the scale and kind on each the printer and within the app, you may change that warning off in settings.
Home windows and Mac computer systems help the EcoTank ET-2800 with out the necessity to obtain something. Like most main producers, Epson gives a number of utilities and artistic instruments that will help you get extra out of the printer.
Save now and later
Epson’s EcoTank ET-2800 retails for $280 however might be discovered for as little as $200. That makes it probably the most reasonably priced tank printers.
The financial savings don’t cease there. Epson estimates you’ll get 7,500 shade pages and 4,500 black-and-white pages from the included ink bottles. That might last as long as two years.
The fee per web page for shade paperwork is about six-tenths of a cent whether or not you purchase particular person bottles or the multi-color three-pack. To be exact, the three-pack prices two cents much less at $41.95 than three separate bottles at $13.99. The per-bottle value is identical for black ink, and the associated fee per web page is three-tenths of a cent.
Conventional inkjet printers like Epson’s WorkForce WF-2930 can solely print a number of hundred pages earlier than it’s time to interchange the cartridges. With an ongoing want for extra ink, your operating prices add up rapidly.
You’ll pay somewhat extra to purchase a tank printer, however given the massive quantity of ink included and the continued financial savings, it’s well worth the funding. The EcoTank ET-2800 has a lot decrease long-term prices, wastes much less ink, and minimizes plastic waste.
Is that this the printer for you?
Epson’s EcoTank ET-2800 falls simply wanting making our listing of the perfect inkjet printers, however for a household printer on a price range, it’s nonetheless a fantastic deal and positively price contemplating. There are a number of trade-offs to think about earlier than making a purchase order. If you happen to print continuously, the gradual velocity might develop into annoying. For dwelling use, the low value and prime quality could be price ready a number of extra seconds for output.
Enterprise customers would possibly miss duplex printing and an computerized doc feeder for multipage copies. they could wish to verify our information to the perfect workplace printers.
Epson intends this to be a hassle-free household printer, a necessity it serves effectively. The EcoTank ET-2800 is straightforward to connect with any machine, and all features can be found from the cell app. Picture prints look nice on 4×6 paper, whereas monochrome paperwork and labels have crisp textual content and graphics.
For picture fans, there are a number of cautions. Like most inkjets, you get the very best quality from picture paper. Coloration laser printers, like HP’s Coloration LaserJet Professional 4301fdw, keep distinction and vibrancy even on plain paper.
If you happen to want full-page pictures, bear in mind the EcoTank ET-2800 can’t print letter-sized borderless photos. A straight-edge paper cutter can take away the white edges rapidly, nevertheless it requires further effort.