It has been almost half a century since the first inkjet printers arrived, and a good 40 years since they became commonplace. Yet these devices still often exist within a cloud of complication and frustration. From an inability to play nice with our computers, to confusing wireless connections and the worry over how long expensive ink cartridges will actually last, it often feels like the whole experience is yet to graduate into the 21st century.
One key cause for concern among printer buyers has always been the cost dilemma of cheap printers. You all know the score by now; the old adage that buying a cheap printer is only cost-effective until the included cartridges run out, because the cost to replace them is about the same as buying a whole new printer.
Say goodbye to messy ink cartridges
But it doesn’t have to be like this. The Epson ET-2820 All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer, available now from Currys (£209.99, Currys.co.uk), features Epson’s EcoTank technology, which replaces expensive cartridges with refillable ink tanks and will seriously lower your printing costs, as well as being kinder to the environment.
Instead of traditional ink cartridges, Epson EcoTank printers store their ink in tanks, which can then be refilled with bottles. Bottles filled with up to three years’ worth of ink are included with the printer, and more can be bought separately from Currys (£10.99, Currys.co.uk) as and when you need them.
Each of the printer’s tanks can hold the same amount of ink as 72 traditional cartridges, Epson says, meaning more time printing and less time refilling. What’s more, when the ink bottles finally run dry, they can be put in the household recycling – something that isn’t possible with traditional ink cartridges. And don’t forget, inkjet printers generally use less energy than laserjet printers.
Buy now (£209.99, Currys.co.uk)
The ink is stored in transparent containers on the front of the printer, making it easy to see when the ink tanks are getting low, and in need of a top-up. When ink levels do run low, simply pop open the front of the printer to access the tanks, and top them up from the included bottles. It’s the sort of speedy refill the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt would be proud of – handy, given he’s the Epson brand ambassador for EcoTank printers.
No more spring-loaded cartridges with tricky mounting systems, no more mess from cartridge ink invariably getting on your hands/clothes/sofa, and no more guilt as cartridges evade the household recycling.
Lower your printing costs by up to 90 per cent
The four, 65ml bottles included with the Epson EcoTank ET-2820 printer contain enough ink to print up to 4,500 monochrome pages and 7,500 pages in colour, Epson says, adding that its clever EcoTank system has the potential to lower your printing costs by 90 per cent.
Buy now (£209.99, Currys.co.uk)
Beyond its smart EcoTank technology, the Epson ET-2820 is a three-in-one printer that can print, copy and scan. It features a colour, 3.6cm LCD display to show exactly what’s going on with printing and the all-important ink levels, plus there’s wireless printing from any computer connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
The Epson ET-2820 also features Apple AirPrint for easy printing from your iPhone, and smartphone users can also send images and documents to the printer, wirelessly, using the Epson Smart Panel app. This lets users control the printer from their smart device, with the ability to print, copy and scan documents and photos, set up, monitor and troubleshoot the printer, and get creative with a range of artistic templates.
There’s no need to physically connect the printer to a computer, tablet, smartphone or any other device; just hook it up to a Wi-Fi network and print from anywhere in the home.
To find out more about the Epson EcoTank ET-2820, head over to Currys.co.uk
