Feed
 

Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Rick Churchill
Yesterday’s discussion on printers highlighted the Epson Eco range. Here is an expansion from what I said at the meeting.

Every time I put in a new cartridge in my previous printer, an HP, I ticked a sheet I had sellotaped to the lid. In 6 & a half years it consumed 180/42/66/42 & 42 ml for the B/Y/C/M and Photo Black inks.

Four years ago I was considering the HP Photosmart C6380, Canon TS6050 and the Epson ET-3600. I calculated the cost of ownership to be the printer price plus the cartridge cost (at the price then) for each printer were it to last 6 and a half years. They were £50 + £664 = £714, £99 + £423 = £512 and £330 minus £50 cashback minus £34 ink = £246.

As the two sets of ink bottles suppled with the Epson was calculated to last 8 years I subtracted an amount for this. After 4 years I am about three-quarters through the ink supplied. If the Epson were to fail now the Canon’s printer cost plus cost of ink has overtaken the price I paid for the Epson including the cost of the ink I have to throw away.

The quality of photo printing would probably not match the other 2 printers as the HP had an additional Photo Black and the Canon a Grey cartridge. (I translated the original Photo Black consumption as Grey for the Canon and Black for the Epson). The scanning software is good.

Unless other manufacturers follow Epson's lead I would not buy a printer sold at less than the cost of manufacturing so that the firm can claw back the cost in overpriced ink.

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Michael Corgan
It always puzzles me why people don't use the perfectly good ink cartridges supplied by many companies other than the fiercely expensive ones which, as Rick says, the printer manufacturers price to make their profits, using some of their printers as loss-leaders. The few faulty cartridges that I have found have always been replaced by the suppliers without demur. And no printer that I have bought has ever had its performance compromised by these cartridges despite warnings to the contrary from the printer firms.

I have used these cartridges for many years, and found the results perfectly satisfactory but maybe a professional photographer would be able to see differences in the quality of printing that escape my less critical eye.

I'm not alone in thinking this way - Which? Magazine does too!

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Eric Jervis
My experience was similar to yours Michael, until my old Canon gave up and I bought a new TR4550, which is rubbish. This one keeps misbehaving with refilled cartridges and I believe this is intentional by Canon. I think they are shysters and I will never buy another one.

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Mick Burrell
They could get round that by charging a sensible price (realistic!) for the printer then sell you cheaper ink. But if the cheapest Canon was £200 and an equivalent Epson was £100 (because they were still going to charge high prices for ink), which would you buy?

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Michael Corgan
I am thinking about replacing my Canon(MG6250)at some time, as it doesn't work with Big Sur. What problems have you found with the TR4550 Eric? And as a matter of interst, where did you buy the cartridges? The inappropriately named Stinky Ink is pretty good in my experience.

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Eric Jervis
Its erratic Michael, sometimes it works and sometimes it won't, so you spend ages trying this and that, switching off for a few minutes etc.... My old Canon had a menu from which you could diagnose some problems, the new one doesn't, you have to go online and sign in and remember the serial number and the password you never bothered to set, and you begin to wonder if life is still worth living. I use Stinkyink for cartridges because of their excellent service, you ring them up and a knowledgeable young lady solves your problem. It was she who told me about the refilled cartridges being cr no good.

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Lionel Ogden
Most of the negative comments about printers seem to relate to recent models. I can relate to this as my recent HP Photo all in one printer is nowhere as good as my previous HP Photosmart. Apart from the Epson which seems to be the flavour of the month and which is a rear feed printer which would not fit in my present setup, is there any other currently available printer that can be recommended?

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Trevor Hewson
We have a cheap and cheerful Canon MX470 which seems to work well enough. The negatives are it doesn't do double sided printing and the small single line display on it is illegible in anything less than perfect light.

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Roy Rainford
For years I used Epson A3 dedicated photo printers but now am quite satisfied with our Canon Pixma all-in-one A4 Wireless printer, model TS5151. Can print from any room, any device, uses double-sided if selected. Used mainly for document printing but photo quality is good if using Canon Photo paper and Canon inks. Yes those supplies are comparatively expensive but I have been disappointed with ‘compatible’ cartridges in the past and no longer risk them. Printer currently selling at £50 from Currys.

Re: Epson Eco-Tank Range of Printers

Avatar Eric Jervis
Grrr, it happened again. Messed about for ten minutes, switching off and then on again, checked all the plugs etc, then I changed it to a different USB socket on the Mini and it started working again.
 
Feed