What are the Top 4 Epson Printers?

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Evan Shephard Avatar

Reviewed By

Evan Shephard
Updated Jun 12, 2024 1:44 PM
best epson printer guide that shows the top best printer model

A whopping 75% of electronic and appliance reviews are untrustworthy. That’s why every reviewer gets a Trust Rating so our True Score System filters out the fake reviews. See how we do it.

Epson printers are renowned for their versatility and innovative features, making them excellent printers for both home and business environments. Their EcoTank line stands out for its high-yield, cost-effective printing, ideal for users who need to print large volumes without frequent ink changes. Additionally, Epson’s WorkForce and Expression lines offer excellent options for those needing reliable, high-quality printing for documents and photos alike. However, it’s worth noting that Epson’s general-purpose photo printing quality is modest compared to specialized photo printers, which might be a consideration depending on your specific needs​​​​.

In our comprehensive analysis, four Epson printers emerged as top performers, earning spots in our buying guide. Out of over 26 printers analyzed, these models excelled due to their reliability and performance. We sifted through 148,416 reviews and found that 67% of experts produced unreliable reviews. Our unique methodology combines certifying products as tested and filtering out fake and low-quality reviews using our proprietary Trust Rating. The winning printers demonstrated exceptional quality, making them reliable choices for any printing needs.

How Did We Rank the Best Epson Printers?

By analyzing testing methods, expert reviews, and customer feedback from over 200 sites, Gadget Review has developed a robust guide to the best Epson printers. We focused on identifying 2 key test results, 2 additional features, and 1 crucial specification. Our True Score system ensures our recommendations are accurate, reliable, and perfectly tailored to help you make the best choice.

Our commitment to unbiased reviews is powered by our ‘True Score’ system, targeting low quality and fake reviews. When you shop through our links, you’re backing our mission. Dive deeper to see how.

?️ Minimum Specifications

  • Made by Epson.

? Test Criteria

  • Print Speed: Black & white printing speed exceeds 10 pages per minute (ppm).
  • Printing Costs: Printing costs are less than 7 cents per page.

? “Nice To Haves”

  • Color Accuracy: Color accuracy is maintained with a deviation (dE) of less than 6.
  • Print Speed: Color printing speed surpasses 12 pages per minute (ppm).

Latest Updates

  • 06/12/2024: Republished the list to include the Best Epson Printers based on our True Score system.

Top Epson Printers For 2024

Prices accurate at the time of publishing

See how we test the testers

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Epson Ecotank ET-5850

    • Best For Small Business

    The Epson Ecotank ET-5850 is an outstanding choice for small business owners and home office workers, offering an excellent balance between cost and performance. It features rapid print speeds and exceptionally low operational costs.

    Epson Ecotank ET-5850 Review →

    True Score

    89
    90
    3

    Experts

    88
    798

    Customers

    SAVE $50
    $849.99
    $799.99

    Category Snapshot

    Printers

    • Total Brands/Products Tested

      5 Brands, 26 Products

    • Top 2 Brands

      Epson, Canon

    • Price Range (Budget-Premium)

      $30-$1,000

    • Average True Score

      80.95

    • Important Test Criteria

      Mono & Color Print Speed (in/s, cm/s)

      Color Accuracy (dE)

    • Most Trusted Testers

      rtings and tech gear lab logos

    • Top Printer Experts

      Ryan Lim, Lesley Robinson

    • Typical Warranty

      1 year

    • Covered by Insurance

      Yes – AKKO

  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Epson Ecotank ET-8550

    The Epson Ecotank ET-8550 is a premium Epson printer perfect for small business owners, creatives, and photography enthusiasts seeking quality printing. It offers impressive cost-effectiveness over time and balances fast print speeds with fairly accurate color reproduction.

    Epson Ecotank ET-8550 Review →

    True Score

    86
    85
    3

    Experts

    88
    3k

    Customers

    SAVE $200
    $799.99
    $599.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Epson Ecotank ET-3850

    The Epson Ecotank ET-3850 is ideal for home offices or small businesses seeking a cost-effective, reliable printer. It balances efficient print speeds with low operating costs, making it great for budget-conscious users.

    Epson Ecotank ET-3850 Review →

    True Score

    83
    83
    7

    Experts

    85
    4k

    Customers

    SAVE $80
    $399.99
    $319.99
  • Runner Up

    Best Value

    Best Budget

    gr recommended award

    Best Mid-Range

    Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840

    • Best For Wireless

    The Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840 is ideal for small businesses and home offices. It offers excellent color accuracy and fast printing speeds. While affordable upfront, its higher cost per print suits low-volume tasks.

    Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840 Review →

    True Score

    78
    77
    2

    Experts

    82
    3k

    Customers

    SAVE $100
    $349.99
    $249.99

Which Criteria Matters for Testing Best Epson Printers?

By focusing on these criteria (2 required, 2 nice to have), anyone can quickly and easily compare these printers and how they’ll perform. This helps you make an informed decision and purchase an Epson Printer.

CRITERIARANGEREQUIREDDEFINITION
B&W Print Speed> 10 ppmYesHow fast a printer can produce purely black and white pages while printing.
B&W Printing Costs< 7 centsYesHow much a black and white page costs to print.
Color Print Speed> 12 ppmNo (Nice to have)How fast a printer can produce color pages and photos while printing.
Color Accuracy< 6 dENo (Nice to have)How much the color printed by a printer deviates, on average, from the reference color.

Our Trusted Data Sources

We looked at 80+ printers reviewers and found that 23 are trustworthy (60%+ Trust Rating). The three we have listed below are our most trusted for printers.

  1. Ryan Lim – Rtings, LinkedIn
  2. Lesley Robinson – TechGearLab, LinkedIn
  3. Ben Keough – Wirecutter, MuckRack, LinkedIn

Interested in a comprehensive analysis of our data sources? We’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find a detailed list of every printer review website we’ve identified, organized by their respective Trust Ratings from highest to lowest. But we didn’t stop there. We’ve meticulously reviewed each publication and verified the data by checking whether the authors have bio links to MuckRack or LinkedIn. We’re committed to not only checking the facts but ensuring their veracity.

Printers Test Data & Results

1. Print Speed, Black & White (PPM)

The primary job of a printer is to print out pages, and black & white print speed tests are just measurements of how long it takes a printer to produce pages that are purely black and white. The better a printer is at printing in black and white, the more pages it’s able to produce in a minute.

Print speed is largely a matter of convenience, so while we have a minimum speed we suggest (generally around 20 pages per minute) there’s no real downside to a printer being slower if you’re using it at home – you’ll just end up having to wait longer to finish printing out a document. However, printers in professional settings need to be snappy because they’re going to be used constantly, and the faster a printer is able to produce documents, the better.

Print Speed, Black & White (PPM; higher is better)

2. B&W Printing Costs (Cents per page)

Using your printer uses up ink, which means it costs money. Printing costs are usually measured as cost per print (or page) and are gauged by calculating how much each print costs by comparing the cost of an ink or toner cartridge to the total number of pages printed by the cartridge.

Print costs should ideally be as low as possible, with the greatest number of pages per cartridge being the obvious “goal” to aim for. Black ink, being the cheaper ink, means that black and white printing costs are usually lower on a per page basis. If you’re printing constantly, getting the cost as low as you can means you’ll be spending less on cartridges in the long run.

B&W Printing Costs (in cents per page; lower is better)

3. Print Speed, Color (PPM)

Much like black and white print speeds, color printing speed is simply a measure of how long it takes a printer to print out color documents and photos. If you’re purely printing photos, you’ll see an ever further reduced speed (given the size of photographs and the detail they demand.)

Color print speed is less important (generally) than black and white speeds, simply because it’s usually done less. However, if you’re constantly printing photos at home or in the office, higher print speeds are good to keep you from waiting around for a print job to finish.

Print Speed, Color (PPM; higher is better)

4. Color Accuracy (dE)

Color accuracy with printers uses a mix of standardized references (like the Adobe ColorChecker) and a color control sensor to check the accuracy of the colors printed by a printer and then grades the accuracy on a 10-point+ scale. Unlike most scales, where 10 is good, color accuracy scores are reversed, with 0 and 1 being the most desirable score, as it indicates little to no deviation from the reference color.

Generally speaking, color accuracy should be at least a 5 or lower to be considered “good.” At 6 or higher, the colors are noticeably different, which is an issue if you’re printing photos and hoping for accurate colors.

Color Accuracy (lower is better)

Best Epson Printers: Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Ignoring Printing Needs: Don’t overlook your specific printing requirements. Consider factors such as print volume, document types (text, graphics, photos), and color vs. black and white printing. Choose an Epson printer that meets your needs without unnecessary features that inflate the price.

  2. Neglecting Print Quality: Epson printers offer a range of print quality options, so ensure the model you choose produces satisfactory results for your printing needs. Check reviews and sample prints to assess print quality for text, graphics, and photos. If your projects involve printing on materials like fabrics or ceramics, consider an Epson model designed as a sublimation printer to achieve vibrant and durable results.

  3. Underestimating Printing Speed: Printing speeds can vary among Epson printer models. Consider the printer’s ppm (pages per minute) for both black and white and color printing to ensure it meets your speed requirements, especially if you have high-volume printing needs.

  4. Disregarding Connectivity Options: Ensure the printer offers versatile connectivity options to accommodate your needs. Look for models with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB connectivity, as well as support for mobile printing technologies like Epson iPrint or Apple AirPrint for added flexibility.

The Best Epson Printers Tests Compared

Product
True Score
B&W Print Speed
Color Print Speed
B&W Printing Cost (per page)
Color Printing Cost (per page)
Color Accuracy

Epson Ecotank ET-5850

  • Best for Small Business

89
  • 23 ppm

  • 18.1 ppm

  • 0.5¢

  • 2.15¢

  • 7.02 dE

$799.99
$850
$50
86
  • 15.45 ppm

  • 8.95 ppm

  • 0.4¢

  • 2.6¢

  • 6.48 dE

$599.99
$800
$200
83
  • 15.45 ppm

  • 5.5 ppm

  • 0.87¢

  • 3.37¢

  • 10.4 dE

$319.99
$400
$80
78
  • 22.75 ppm

  • 9.5 ppm

  • 4.4¢

  • 12.2¢

  • 6.33 dE

$249.99
$350
$100

Epson Printer Questions (FAQ)

What are the best Epson printers for home use?

The best Epson printers for home use typically include models from the Epson EcoTank series, which are known for their high ink efficiency and lower running costs. These are great for families or individuals who print frequently and are looking for a cost-effective solution.

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