While testing printers usually isn't that exciting, sometimes I find an offering that's almost too good to be true. You can scoop up our favorite printer, the Epson ET-2980, from Best Buy for just $220, a $100 markdown from the usual price tag. You'll get thousands of pages of excellent printing, and it could be years before you have to buy a refill.
Photograph: Brad Bourque
Photograph: Brad Bourque
Photograph: Brad Bourque
Photograph: Brad Bourque
Epson
EcoTank ET-2980
One of the most appealing features for any ink tank printer is the low cost to print. As I discussed in my review of the Epson, classic ink cartridges are generally expensive to replace, and manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to keep you from using less expensive, and often less reliable, third-party cartridges. Ink in bottles is far harder to restrict, which means ink costs are often much lower per page.
To that end, the Epson claims that the bottles included with the ET-2980 should last around 5,000 pages, and replacements are only about $50. Compare that with upwards of $100 for a set of cartridges that only print 1,000 pages or so, and it won't take long for the ink tank to pay for itself, particularly with the discount. That alone makes this an extremely appealing purchase, and one that you won't need to maintain or refill for months or years, depending on how often you print.
The Epson was also less of a headache than a lot of the other printers I've worked with. While it sometimes has to think a little before it starts printing, it runs nice and quiet, and both regular black and white pages and color photos came out nice and crisp. It doesn't have the biggest paper tray, but it's easily accessible in case you need to switch paper types on a whim. It also has a flatbed scanner for occasional photos and documents, but I'd suggest checking out our other printer options if you often scan large stacks.
For everyone else, this $100 discount on the Epson ET-2980 is a deal you can't afford to miss, particularly if you're in a home that prints on a regular basis.
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