TLDR Review: Epson EcoTank ET-2980 Printer
Verdict
The Epson EcoTank ET-2980 is a fantastic choice if you want a cost-effective, wireless all-in-one printer with truly impressive ink longevity and sharp color output for home use. Its easy-to-refill tanks and seamless mobile app connectivity make it a modern and low-maintenance option, especially for those frustrated with cartridge hassles. Just be prepared for a slow initial setup, a small control screen, and the need for regular use to avoid ink clogs. If sharper text or a larger display is a priority, you might consider exploring other supertank models, but overall this printer balances quality, speed, and economical ink use quite nicely.
- Top pro:
- Printing speed is solid at around 15 pages per minute, with a full letter page taking about 1 minute on plain paper and 3 minutes on photo paper.
- Top con:
- Initial ink priming takes a long time (about 11 minutes) and uses some ink, which might feel sluggish before your first print.
Pros
- •Printing speed is solid at around 15 pages per minute, with a full letter page taking about 1 minute on plain paper and 3 minutes on photo paper.
- •Print quality is consistently clear and crisp, with deep, rich blacks and excellent color contrast across various paper types like Epson EcoTank, HP Presentation, and Epson Photo Luster.
- •Wireless setup is straightforward and reliable, with easy connection via the Epson Smart Panel app on iPad and compatibility for printing directly from phones, laptops, and even assigning an email for remote printing.
- •Refillable ink tanks provide up to 3 years of ink, significantly reducing the hassle and expense of cartridges, and the ink installation process is simple once instructions are grasped.
- •Auto 2-sided printing works smoothly, eliminating manual paper flipping and speeding up double-sided jobs.
- •Scanner functions adequately for basic needs.
- •The printer is quiet, lightweight, and reliable without frequent paper jams or issues.
- •Setup runs smoothly across multiple devices including Macs, Windows, iPads, and Android phones, with particularly seamless experience on Mac.
- •Maintenance is mostly hassle-free, with a self-cleaning mode that rarely needs attention.
- •Comes with a 1-year warranty, extendable to 2 years with registration, providing peace of mind.
Cons
- •Initial ink priming takes a long time (about 11 minutes) and uses some ink, which might feel sluggish before your first print.
- •The 1.44" color screen is quite small, limiting ease of navigation and control directly on the printer.
- •Print head alignment and nozzle check features are somewhat outdated and less user-friendly compared to competitors.
- •Duplex (auto double-sided) printing is slightly slower and can occasionally experience paper jams.
- •Text sharpness, while good, is slightly less crisp than some rivals like the HP Smart Tank, and printing text from certain devices (e.g., M1 MacBook Pro) may result in darker and more filled-in text.
- •Windows setup can be more complicated compared to Mac and Chrome setups.
- •Daily printing in both color and black ink is recommended to prevent clogging, which could be inconvenient for infrequent users.
- •Although build quality is adequate, it feels surprisingly lightweight, which may affect durability perceptions.
- •Output tray automatically closes with the input tray, which might be a minor annoyance during longer print runs.
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How we researched this
About this review: it summarizes the professional reviews and customer ratings ShopSavvy collected for this product, alongside prices from ShopSavvy's price data.
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