Late-night homework due tomorrow? Or a sudden print job at the office? If you're hunting for something that just works—without getting stuck at the store for another cartridge—the Epson EcoTank ET‑2800 might be your hero. Cartridges are out. A tank of ink that lasts months? In. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.
What’s a Supertank Printer Anyway?
Supertank printers come with refillable ink tanks instead of cartridges. Think of it as a soda fountain instead of bottled pop. You refill the bottles, pour the ink in, and forget about it for a while. The ET‑2800 arrives with enough ink to print for years—or thousands of pages. That might be great if you're printing homework, recipes, or office memos all the time. If your printer mostly sits idle, the ink might dry and clog the heads. But for most households, the savings are huge.
Specs at a Glance (No Tech Overload)
- Print Speed: ~10 ppm black & white, ~5 ppm color (manual duplex)
- Ink Included: Enough for ~2 years of printing
- Functions: Print, copy, scan—flatbed only
- Connectivity: Wi‑Fi, AirPrint, Epson Smart app
- Ink Tanks: Front-facing with see-through levels
- Size Footprint: Compact—easy to fit on most desks
Unboxing & Setup: No Cursing Required
Opening the box feels different. You get ink bottles that screw on easily—no drops, no mess. The first fill took about one minute, and the printer walked me through the setup with clear on-screen prompts. No fuss, no typo-laden manual. The LCD is small-ish, but it's angled just right so you don't need to crouch to see your options.
Print Quality & Cost: Everyday Good
This isn’t a photo lab machine. But for documents, school prints, and basic color work, it does the job. Text looks clean. Charts and graphs are sharp. Photos, however? They come out flat and a bit dull. But if you’re printing family snapshots, they’ll be fine for a scrapbook.
Ink cost is low. Like, laughably low. It works out to under a penny per black-and-white print. Color pages cost just a few cents. Epson claims massive savings. I believe it.
Speed & Performance: Patience Pays
Speed isn't its strongest suit. Printing a 10-page report with mixed text and images takes about five minutes. And duplex printing? You flip the pages yourself—it’s not fast. There's no ADF, so the official scan-yourself mode is single-sheet only. But once you accept that it's slow, it's fine. It’s not built for office rush, but it handles casual use steadily.
Everyday Use Cases: Does It Fit Your World?
- Students: Print essays, worksheets, and lab instructions without ever hunting for cartridges.
- Parents: Print permission slips and weekly calendars on demand.
- Home office: Reports, invoices, casual color docs—one machine, no frills.
- Crafters: Print sublimation transfers slowly, but it works if you're patient.
Maintenance & Reliability: Heads Need Use
Ink can dry if the printer sits unused for weeks. Best strategy? Use it once a week. Cleaning heads is simple—controls are in the app. The bottles are neat. Refill is safe and easy. Just don't let the ink level dip too low, or the printer will remind you loudly.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Extremely low per-page cost
- No more hassle with cartridges
- Compact design with visible ink levels
- Decent print quality for everyday docs
- It just works—no tech headaches
Cons
- Slow print speeds compared to other printers
- No auto-duplex or auto-document feeder
- Ink heads can clog if unused
Smart Tips for Best Use
- Print weekly. Even a test page keeps heads happy.
- Use “draft” mode for text-heavy pages—fast and economical.
- Keep backup ink bottles around—refill before levels get low.
- Clean print heads monthly via the app.
- Use the Epson Smart app for phone printing, scanning, and cloud saves.
Final Verdict: Is It Your Match?
This printer is a great fit for people who need regular color and black prints. It’s slow, but reliable. Photo print lovers might want a different model. But if you want low cost and no cartridge stress, this one checks the box. Just give it a little weekly attention.
FAQ Corner
Will the ink dry if I don’t use it?
Yes—print at least once a week to prevent clogs.
Can it print borderless photos?
No. It's not built for glossy prints.
How long does the included ink last?
About two years for regular use. Bottles will need reordering eventually.
Does it scan double-sided?
Nope—you feed each side manually.