
How we pick our products
No office or studio is complete without an Epson printer, as these machines are capable of bringing any design or document to life. Because we want to help you with your shopping, in this guide we’re going to help you choose these amazing machines.
Not only will we answer all your questions about these products, we will also recommend the best Epson printers on the market. We’ll also show you what features to look for when shopping for printers, as well as tell you everything that makes these printers stand out from the rest.
Summary
- Epson printers are mid- to high-end models, designed to be applied under all kinds of workloads. They are perfect for use in offices, studios and even by students. They are highly efficient with ink usage, being able to save up to 90% ink when printing.
- There are the standard Epson printers and the multifunction printers. Standard printers are those that do not have scanners. Multifunction printers are those capable of printing and scanning, and are a little more useful and versatile. In both versions there are more variants, such as monochrome (only print in black and white), invoice and large scale.
- The first thing to look out for when buying an Epson printer is the volume it works with. If you’re just printing things at home then any printer will do, but if you’re looking for high volumes then look for 30 PPM (pages per minute or more). You should also decide whether you want it with a scanner or not, and its connection methods.
The Best Epson Printer: Our Picks
Buying Guide: What you need to know about Epson printers
Epson printers are one of the most important pieces of office equipment in the workplace, as many of the tasks performed there depend on them. To help you better understand these tools, we’ve looked at the answers to the most common questions, so you can buy them without fear.
What is the difference between Epson printers and other brands?
Other brands often lag behind Epson printers’ advances, as they are not able to keep up with the same pace of technological innovation. They also have dedicated lines for specific jobs, such as the WorkForce, which specialise in more efficient printing for different needs.
Epson printers | Canon printers | HP printers | |
---|---|---|---|
Cartridge type | Piezoelectric | Thermal | Thermal |
Cartridge features | Higher quality prints, expensive | Lower quality prints, economical | Lower quality prints, economical |
Average printer price | 2,800 MXN | 2,200 MXN | 1,000 MXN |
How do I connect an Epson printer to Wi-Fi?
Do Epson printers exist without cartridges?
Do Epson printers work without ink?
Are there Epson printers for sublimation?
Are there Epson printers for invoices?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Epson printers?
Fun facts: what you didn’t know about Epson printers
Where can I get technical support for Epson printers?
How do I check the warranty on an Epson printer?
Buying criteria: Factors that allow you to compare and rate Epson printer models
Often companies are so keen to tell us about the virtues of their products that they completely forget to explain them, but luckily, here we’re going to explain them all to you. In this section we’re going to help you understand the buying factors for Epson printers, so you can choose the one that’s right for you.
- Technology
- Type
- Laser and Inkjet
- Extras
Technology
Epson printers make use of a multitude of technologies that make them perform better. From greater accuracy when printing to better ink efficiency, here we’ll name the most striking ones.
Piezoelectric printhead: This is a type of printhead that uses a piezoelectric crystal that changes shape when it receives an electric shock, which pushes the ink under pressure from the container onto the paper. This provides better image quality, faster imaging and allows the printer to use a wider range of ink types.
Supertank: This technology is used in the Epson EcoTank line of printers, and dispenses with the use of print cartridges. Instead of using disposable containers, ink is poured directly into tanks built into the printer using special bottles.
Disc printing: Certain Epson Stylus printers have the ability to print directly onto compact discs. This allows you to deliver documents, programs or photos on CDs in a personalised way.
Epson Connect: An Epson printer with this technology will be able to receive your photos and documents from anywhere in the world, and print them remotely. You can use it to send surprise photos home, print files at the office before you arrive and return home from holiday with an album ready to assemble.
Type
Because of the wide variety of printing needs, there are different types of Epson printers. Each one aims to do specific jobs in the best way, or to do many jobs efficiently. Knowing them will help you know which printer line to look for and save you time and money.
Multifunctional: If you are looking for an Epson printer for the home, this one will suit you perfectly. They can perform functions such as scanning or printing, and some can even share scans. Examples of these are the Epson EcoTank L6171, L5190 and L495.
Single function: These are the simplest and cheapest models. They are designed for printing only, which will only serve those who do not have the need to use a scanner. If you are a student who only wants to print your work documents and reports, then look for models such as the EcoTank L1300 or L805.
Commercial: This is the type to look for if you need an industrial or large-scale Epson printer. They will be useful for printing advertisements or sublimation material, so they are ideal for businesses and companies. They are, however, very expensive and very large. Examples are the SureColor F9370 or the F6200.
Label and point-of-sale: These small Epson printers are for very specific tasks. The label printers are used to print stickers and papers such as product pricing, the point-of-sale printers to print receipts. The TM-T88V and the Mobilink P20 are perfect examples of this type.
Photo: Ideal for both professional and amateur photographers, these printers have much better print quality than the others. They will be suitable for printing photographs on photo paper as well as for regular prints. If you want one of these, we recommend the L1800.
Laser and Inkjet
Epson printers can come with two different types of printing, laser and inkjet. Both work very differently, which in turn affects the quality and speed of printing. Here you will find out what the advantages of each are.
Inkjet: Inkjet printers use ink for printing and are the most common on the market. They are better than laser printers for photo and image printing, but they are much slower. Because their cartridges are smaller and more expensive, they can be the more expensive option in the long run.
Laser: An Epson laser printer will work using a powder called toner, which plays the role of ink when printing. They print much faster than inkjets, which will make them better for places where a large amount of printing is required. Their biggest problem is that they need to heat up to work.
Additional features
Now that we’ve covered the most important buying factors, here we’ll group together those little details that are on the lesser Epson printers when it comes to buying them. You can skip them as they are not really essential but they will make using them more convenient.
Pictbridge: An Epson printer that supports PictBridge technology allows you to connect it directly to a camera via USB. This will allow you to print photos without the need for a computer, although it won’t do you much good if you don’t have compatible cameras.
Voice printing: If you have experience using digital assistants, then you’ll be pleased to know that certain Epson printers can integrate with Alexa. You’ll be able to print documents and emails just by giving your assistant a voice command.
(Featured image photo: Piotr Adamowicz / 123rf.com)