Epson EcoTank ET-8500
MSRP $700.00
“The Epson EcoTank ET-8500 effortlessly delivers lab-quality prints at residence.”
Professionals
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Glorious picture high quality
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Quick doc and picture prints
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Straightforward setup and use
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Quick and quiet scanner
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Three paper trays with large media assist
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SD card and USB drive assist
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Small footprint with computerized output tray
Cons
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No computerized doc feeder
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Excessive preliminary price
The most effective inkjet printers are recognized for dealing with images nicely, however a printer designed particularly for photographic high quality prints takes issues to the following stage. Epson’s EcoTank ET-8500 is a photograph printer with a built-in scanner and enormous ink tanks, making it a novel all-in-one resolution.
We put Epson’s EcoTank ET-8500 to the check to learn how straightforward it’s to arrange and use, the efficiency on varied paper varieties, and the way rapidly it prints paperwork and photos. This can be a specialised and costlier printer, so we additionally examine whether or not it’s well worth the worth, making an allowance for the long-term prices.
Design
The EcoTank ET-8500 is a surprisingly compact printer measuring 15.9 inches large, 13.7 inches tall, and solely 14.5 inches deep with its computerized output tray retracted. When printing, the tray extends ahead, including six inches to the depth. With each the rear paper tray and entrance output tray open, the depth reaches 24 inches.
Epson gave the EcoTank ET-8500 loads of media choices, together with printing immediately on CDs and DVDs. The printer has three paper trays to accommodate card inventory, quite a lot of picture print sizes, and as much as 50 sheets of letter-size paper.
The off-white physique and rounded edges work nicely within the residence or workplace. The entrance proper nook options a big, adjustable 4.3-inch colour touchscreen that simplifies use whereas standing on the printer.
The design of the EcoTank ET-8500 is considerate. Regardless of having three trays, most operations are intuitive, matching my expectations for an costly residence workplace printer. I did misunderstand the envelope orientation icon till I observed the flap had a dashed line, indicating the envelope ought to face ahead, with the seal on the again.
Printing efficiency
Epson claims the EcoTank ET-8500 delivers “lab-quality colour images and graphics at an unbelievable worth.” In each print check I did on matte or shiny picture paper, photos got here out superbly, with excellent colour and crisp element — and at a surprisingly quick tempo.
On plain paper, distinction drops and colours lose saturation, as anticipated. Black-and-white and colour paperwork are good. Should you want the best-quality plain-paper colour images, a high-quality colour laser printer is likely to be a more sensible choice. The EcoTank ET-8500 is meant for top-quality, vibrant, borderless picture prints worthy of framing.
Getting a tough copy that appears nearly as good as what you see on an enormous, vivid display screen is tough, however the EcoTank ET-8500 managed to take action time and again. The important thing to simply attaining photographic high quality is having the right colours and algorithms to breed a picture precisely.
Epson’s Claria ET Premium is a six-color ink system made up of the normal cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, together with grey and “picture black” to increase the dynamic vary with out shedding colour constancy. Aside from black, which makes use of pigment, all Claria ET Premium inks are dye-based.
The outcomes are crisp, vibrant, and correct. I agree with Epson’s declare that the EcoTank ET-8500 delivers lab-quality picture prints.
The pace is nice additionally, because the printer rolls out as much as 16 black-and-white or 12 colour paperwork per minute. Photograph prints are fast as nicely: underneath a minute for highest quality 4×6 prints, about 30 seconds for traditional high quality, and simply 15 seconds for a draft mode. I needed to stare carefully on the draft print for practically a minute to search out an space the place wonderful element was missing. Between prime quality and customary, the distinction is negligible.
Particular options
Epson’s EcoTank ET-8500 isn’t only a premium ink tank picture printer. It additionally features a scanner, card reader, and USB-A port for a thumb drive. The massive touchscreen makes copying, scanning, and accessing drives and playing cards painless.
Epson limits scan high quality to 600 dpi when utilizing the cell app or scanning to exterior reminiscence. When linked to a Home windows PC or a Mac, I may double the decision to get crisp 1,200 dpi scans. Actually, I don’t have any paperwork or images which are sharp sufficient to profit from such excessive decision, however it’s good to have the choice.
The SD card reader and USB-A port, positioned behind the decrease entrance cowl on the left, supply fast entry for walk-up printing and scanning and not using a smartphone.
As talked about above, the EcoTank ET-8500 has three media trays, one on the rear for thick paper and envelopes and two on the entrance for paper, images, and direct printing on a CD or DVD.
The decrease tray has a CD/DVD information saved beneath. The touchscreen and cell app supply steerage on utilizing this distinctive function. Whereas the usage of optical discs has fallen off dramatically, photographers and videographers will respect the convenience of customized printing a disc earlier than handing it over to shoppers.
Software program and compatibility
Organising the Epson EcoTank ET-8500 was straightforward utilizing my Pixel 6a and the Epson Sensible Panel app. The printer’s giant touchscreen guided me alongside the way in which as nicely, so I may change to whichever was extra handy at every step.
It’s value noting that filling six ink tanks, charging the strains, and doing head alignment takes a number of minutes. Fortunately, it is a uncommon incidence for the reason that included ink provide ought to final nicely over a 12 months. Epson thoughtfully gave every ink bottle a barely completely different high, so you may’t fill the flawed tank.
Epson printers are widespread, so after setup is full, it solely takes a second to hook up with the EcoTank ET-8500 from gadgets working Home windows, macOS, ChromeOS, iOS, and Android.
For best-quality scanning and to entry each function, I wanted to put in Epson software program. For the fundamentals, you can begin printing, copying, and scanning instantly.
Worth vs. worth
The Epson EcoTank ET-8500 retails for $700, so it’s value taking a second to contemplate the long-term worth earlier than making a purchase order. Word that sale costs of $550 are widespread.
Epson consists of six full ink bottles, supplying as much as two years of printing, relying on utilization. It doesn’t sound like an exaggeration for the reason that estimated yield is 6,200 pages for probably the most steadily used colour inks: cyan, magenta, and yellow.
Particular person colour ink bottles price $17.50 every, and print about 6,200 pages. Black is $20 and lasts for six,700 pages. Photograph black prices $17.50 and delivers 7,300 pages. Grey is used least, however is a crucial shade that prices $17.50 per bottle and lasts for a exceptional 46,600 pages.
Which means a colour doc ought to price about 1 cent, on common, whereas a black-and-white doc prices three-tenths of a cent.
In two years, Epson estimates that you could save as much as $2,000 in ink prices. That’s in comparison with cartridge-based printers. There are extra economical inkjet tank printers, however few can match the picture high quality of the EcoTank ET-8500.
Is that this the printer for you?
Photographers, historians, and know-how fanatics are sometimes pissed off by the great, however not nice image high quality of many inkjet printers. When you’ve got a discerning eye and see colour casts on picture prints, small print errors, misplaced element, and different inkjet frustrations, the output of a pleasant picture printer is a pleasure to behold.
The Epson EcoTank ET-8500 is without doubt one of the finest picture printers I’ve ever used. There’s no have to tweak photos in a photograph editor to regulate for print errors. Every part appears to be like nice on the primary print. Even draft-quality images have good colour constancy and sharpness. Prints are quick, dependable, and match the unique image.
Scanning is fast and quiet with good decision. Copying is hassle-free and simple by way of the large, colour touchscreen. I attempted exhausting to search out one thing I didn’t like, however the worth is the one barrier to purchasing this printer.
Even the $700 retail worth turns into affordable when you print in quantity, because of the massive ink provide that’s included and low working prices. Should you can afford the EcoTank ET-8500 and prioritize picture printing, it is a extremely advisable printer.
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