As the leader in cartridge-free printing, Epson also has the largest range of refillable printers, which now includes this entry-level all-in-one promising ultra low-cost color printing at home. The white Epson EcoTank ET-2980 has several variants, including the black Epson EcoTank ET-2950 tested here, but it’s essentially a budget tank printer aimed at the small office or anyone who wants to cut their consumables bill by 95%. Yes, bottled ink is that much cheaper than cartridge ink. But can it compete with the Brother DCP-T580DW and HP Smart Tank 210 to become one of our best ink tank printers ? Epson EcoTank ET-2980: Design and build

(Image credit: Future) Specs
Type: color inkjet tank multifunction printer
Functions: Print, copy, scan
Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi
Data storage slots: None
Max print speed: 15ppm
Max paper size: Letter/A4
Print quality: 4,800 x 1,200 dpi
Memory: unknown
Apple AirPrint: yes
Consumables included: 4 x bottled ink (6,600 black or 5,500 color pages)
Dimensions/Weight: 375 x 347 x 187 mm (WxDxH)/11. 4lb/5. 2kg

For an all-in-one bulk tank device with an integrated 8. 5" x 11" scanner, the Epson EcoTank ET-2950 is reasonably compact. It replaces the outgoing Epson EcoTank ET-2850 and as well as printing a little faster using an improved printhead, I think it looks better too. The tanks protrude less, and yet they’re still conspicuous enough that it’s easy to see the ink levels at glance. And I’m glad to see the capacity is the same, because Epson’s reservoirs are slightly larger than those of the Brother DCP-T580DW. The sleeker replacement also gets an attention-grabbing LED on top that illuminates usefully when there’s printing in progress. There’s no touchscreen on this budget model, but the 1. 4” color LCD is clear enough and the control panel tilts upwards conveniently. There’s no USB Host port and no paper input tray. Instead, you have to load paper in the rear tray, which can only hold up to 100 sheets. The whole thing weighs little more than 11 pounds making it feel insubstantial, so it’s somewhat surprising to find that the out-tray is motorised. That’s really the only luxury. Epson EcoTank ET-2980: Features & specifications

(Image credit: Future) We’re so used to seeing cartridge printers packed with features and selling for fifty bucks and less, that tank printers, which are not being subsidized in order to make money from their ink, can seem expensive. Likewise, the feature set on this US$240 EcoTank could also look slim. As mentioned, there’s no touchscreen, no USB Host port and no paper drawer. There’s no ADF (automatic document feed) either, but these are all non-essential items that Epson has dropped to keep the price competitive. Crucially, the Epson EcoTank ET-2950 can auto-duplex and has a flatbed scanner, unlike the HP Smart Tank 210, and it has Wi-Fi with AirPrint and Mopria compatibility. It can print on a wide variety of paper up to Letter or A4-size, including quite think cardstock, but its best feature is perhaps the generous amount of ink included in the box. Enough to keep you printing for three years according to Epson. If you would rather have a printer with a paper input tray and an ADF for copying multiple documents at a time, you should consider the excellent step-up Epson Ecotank ET-3850 for around seventy dollars more. Or, if you don’t need auto duplexing or the scanning feature, you can save money with the economical HP Smart Tank 210. Epson EcoTank ET-2980: Setup and operation

(Image credit: Future) The Epson EcoTank ET-2950 comes with an easy-to-follow quick-start guide printed on a single sheet, but you probably won’t need it. When you plug in and turn on for the first time, the printer’s on-screen prompts will help you get your new printer online and printing the first test page in a matter of minutes. Alternatively, you can use Epson’s free companion app for iOS and Android called Smart Panel to avoid having to enter your Wi-Fi password via the printer’s control panel. Filling up with ink is also stress free as the capacity of the bottles matches that of the tanks. That’s 65ml for CMY and 127ml for black. And the keyed bottle necks mean you can’t pour the wrong color in the wrong tank. In day-to-day use, I’d say this is a user-friendly device, thanks to the reasonably sized color display and the intuitive companion app that really simplifies printing remotely. Epson EcoTank ET-2980: Performance

(Image credit: Future) The Epson EcoTank ET-2950 printed every test page on every type of media from card to envelopes without a hitch or a jam. It printed slowly but steadily with the quoted print speed of 15ppm for simplex mono printing proving accurate. That slows to just 8ppm in color…