Epson EcoTank ET-4950 Review: A Wireless Printer That Actually Works

Epson Ecotank Et 4950 Wireless Printer Colour Display Level

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Printers are quite possibly one of the most frustrating pieces of technology one can encounter. Their most important job is to PRINT stuff. Yet, with so many models from so many brands, there are obstacles galore in achieving this task.

Low ink (but only one colour and not even the one you're needing
"Can't connect to device." Even though you SEE the device is online according to your computer
Mysteriously and inexplicably just doesn't feel like it

This likely why so many people have ditched them and are relying on printing at stuff at work - they can be such a headache.

Enter the Epson EcoTank ET-4950. Every frustration you've had with printers, they've heard it, and fixed it.

If you're looking to upgrade the printer at your office or in your home, here's a few reasons why we think this is as good as any printer could ever hope to be.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950: One Paragraph Review

Let's face it. Most people don't need a printer very often. But when they do, they forget how to do stuff, they run into troubleshooting issues, or they come face-to-face with the dreaded dried-out ink cartridges. Not anymore. This printer just works when you need it to, even if it's been months since you've needed to actually print something.

This thing is a tank...a supertank

The ET-4950 is a cartridge-free printer. It's designed with a refillable supertank for your ink, which means the ink lasts a really, really long time. We're talking years. And because of this, you no longer have to worry about empty ink cartridges when you're in the midst of trying to print something super important.

When you buy this printer, it comes with enough ink to last you up to three years' worth of printing, and, when the time comes, the replacement EcoFit ink bottles include enough ink to print up to 8,500 pages (black and white) or 6,500 pages (colour). To put that into perspective, that's the equivalent of about 80 ink cartridges for each set of replacement bottles.

Pros

Wireless printing means can set it up anywhere
Ink tanks are super easy to fill and last a long time
You can print and scan directly from your mobile device

Cons

Initial set-up and ink charging takes time
It's a bit big for at home (you'll want a dedicated side table, not your desk)
Occasionally needed a restart to get back on track

Say goodbye to ink cartridges

Epson Ecotank Et 4950 Ink Levels With Cmyk Bottles

To put that into perspective, that's the equivalent of about 80 ink cartridges for each set of replacement bottles.

Epson Ecotank Et 4950 Wireless Printer Filling Yellow Tank

Another point worth mentioning: It's impossible to mess up the ink refill stage. The idea of filling up a tank with tubes of ink made me picture cartoon-style messes. Each EcoFit bottle is uniquely keyed (has a special shape at the top of the bottle), so you can only insert the correct colour into the top of the correct tank. This elminiates any mess and stress from this task.

Say hello to seamless connectivity

Epson Ecotank Et 4950 Wireless Printer Ports

This multi-function printer and fax machine (yes, literally...a FAX machine - some people just cannot move on) gives you seamless connectivity via Ethernet or Wi-Fi and gives you the freedom to set it up anywhere in your home because it doesn't need to be plugged directly into a printer.

With Epson's Smart Panel app, you can print—and scan—wirelessly directly from your computer or wireless mobile device. The Epson app supports Apple AirPrint, Mopria Print Service, and Mopria Scan.

Next time you get emailed a return shipping label from your Amazon purchase, you'll be able to print it at home from your phone!

An impressive ISO print speed of 18 pages per minute keeps big projects moving along, and Epson's PrecisionCore Print Technology means you're printing at high-resolution (4800 x 1200 dpi).

So, what does that mean? It means you'll always see sharp text and true photographic print in whatever you're printing.

Improve print quality with ink charging

Epson Ecotank Et 4950 Ink Charging Initialization

For those who remember painful "printer calibrations" where you printed something, scanned it, then tried to pick which lines looked straight, only for your printer to forget between your sessions and need to do this process all over again...good news! This model is far slicker than the clunky old printers.

With a unique permanent printhead that's designed to last as long as you have this printer, you'll no longer have to worry about clogged nozzles or air bubbles. This is thanks to one of the first things you'll do during set-up: ink charging.

Ink charging fills the entire ink delivery system with fresh ink. Doing this before you use the printer for the first time, or after an extended period of inactivity, primes the printer and can improve its quality.

This might sound like a big operation, but it's super simple to do. You just follow the on-screen prompts on the printers 2.4-inch colour touch display to start ink charging, which takes about 11 minutes. The only really important thing to remember during this stage is making sure you don't unplug or turn off your printer (or even raise the scanner) while it's ink charging, or you can run into issues or waste ink.

Embrace two-sided capabilities

This device also features front paper input, and you can fit 250 sheets of paper in the tray, giving you lots of time before you'll need to restock it.

Plus, it's got auto two-sided print and auto two-sided copy / scan capabilities. This makes printing, scanning, or copying a breeze because you no longer have to figure out which way to flip the paper to resume the job; the printer just takes care of it automatically for you.

Epson EcoTank ET-4950: Is it worth it?

If you've ever dealt with the headache of having to figure out why your printer won't print the documents you need at what always seems to be a crucial time, then investing in this printer is definitely something you should consider.

Friends and family will turn to you because they know you have the printer and you will be the hero for saving the day by getting their shipping labels, boarding passes, or cottage mortage renewal printer (and then you can negotiate a free weekend at the cottage since you're the person with the printer).

There was one occassion where my lapotp just couldn't "Find" the printer even though everything was connected. So a quick reboot on the printer got everything working again within 30 seconds. And by printer standards anything that can be fixed in 30 seconds is phenomenal.

Wireless Printer

Epson Ecotank Et 4950 Wireless All In One Color Supertank Printer 18 Ppm 2.4 Colour Touchscreen Auto Document Feeder White

Epson EcoTank ET-4950 All-in-One Colour Supertank Printer

Geeking Out Shop

The Epson EcoTank ET-4950 is an excellent small office or at-home wireless printer. It's cartridge-free and has refillable tanks that last a long time. You can print up to 18 pages per minute in high-resolution (4800 x 1200 dpi). This printer is available in black and white and it comes with enough ink for up to three years' worth of ink (one bottle of Black (127 mL), plus one bottle each of Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow (70 mL)).

From $599 CAD on Amazon

The easy-fill ink tank, combined with knowing your ink isn't going to dry out (and that your printer will, therefore, work!), even after an extended period, eliminates unnecessary printing hassles from your home or office life, which to me, is absolutely worth it.

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