When weighing up inkjet printers for home use, two major concerns almost always dominate the conversation: cost and convenience. The Epson EcoTank ET-2820 sits squarely at the intersection of both, marketed as a budget-friendly, cartridge-free solution that promises to drive down your expenses per page while remaining accessible and functional for most everyday printing needs. But just how well does Epson’s popular EcoTank model live up to the hype—and where might it leave home users wanting? In this comprehensive deep dive, we’ll explore the EcoTank ET-2820’s key features, performance, and value proposition, drawing on third-party tests, official specifications, and broad user feedback to help you decide if it’s the best budget inkjet for your home or small office.
Epson has staked a significant portion of its consumer printer business on the EcoTank range, a product family that replaces single-use cartridges with refillable ink tanks. The ET-2820 sits at the more affordable end of this spectrum, competing directly with entry-level laser and inkjet competitors that often try to lure buyers with low up-front prices—and then recoup costs through pricey, low-capacity cartridges.
With the ET-2820, Epson’s main pitch is clear: pay a little more upfront (though still undercutting many rival ink tanks), and enjoy dramatically reduced ongoing ink expenses. Included in the box are four 65ml bottles—black, cyan, magenta, and yellow—intended to last for up to three years, depending heavily on your print habits. Epson rates these as yielding up to 4,500 black or 7,500 color pages per full tank refill, and real-world testing suggests these claims are in the right ballpark for light to moderate home use. This translates to a per-page cost that’s minuscule compared to almost any cartridge-based inkjet, with the outlay for each black page hovering near $0.0036 and color pages at about $0.0064.
Controls are stripped back to basics as well. Though lacking a true touchscreen—settling instead for a tactile button array flanking a 3.7 cm color LCD—the overall layout is user-friendly. The tilting front panel means the controls are accessible whether the printer sits atop a desk or a lower shelf. Setup, according to reviewer and user testimony, is a straightforward process, with clear visual guides and multi-language instructions included. Everything from filling tanks to running the initial ink charging sequence is well-documented, though expect the full process (including head alignment and initial charging) to take upwards of 15 minutes—worth planning for if you’re in a rush.
Mobile and cloud printing support is robust, covering Apple AirPrint, the user-friendly Epson Smart Panel mobile app, and Epson Connect features like Email Print and Remote Print Driver. This flexibility is appreciated by families and small offices where devices may span several platforms and operating systems.
On the down side, there are a few connectivity omissions. Notably absent is an Ethernet port, limiting wired network setups. There’s also no support for external storage (such as SD cards or USB drives), which would have been helpful for direct photo printing. These are understandable in the pricing context but worth noting if you prize a fully connected printer.
Grayscale documents show some minor fuzziness and spotting, especially as lines draw closer together, but the effect is subtle enough not to detract from everyday usability. Color documents are, for the most part, bright and well-saturated; gradients are handled smoothly, and there’s little risk of colors bleeding or muddling together. However, some test prints reported minor issues with yellow ink, including occasional spotting under close inspection.
Still, for the average home user wanting to fill a picture frame or add color to a report, the results are more than satisfactory. Any shortcomings become pronounced only when compared against much pricier six- or eight-color photo printers—a mismatch for the ET-2820’s intended use.
There’s also a lack of automatic duplexing. Double-sided printing must be done manually, which again is tolerable for occasional home users but could quickly become a pain for those producing longer multipage booklets or presentations.
Copying is similarly straightforward. Output is generally faithful to the original, with only minor fading of colors or slight shifts in gradients (for instance, pure black gradients can take on a purplish tint). For most household tasks—forms, IDs, and schoolwork—these compromises are unlikely to be deal-breakers.
Calculations based on typical U.S. retail pricing and quoted ink yields work out to approximately $0.0036 per black page and $0.0064 per color page—a mere fraction of the cost per page associated with competing cartridge models, where $0.10 or more per color page is common. Early reviews and ongoing user feedback confirm that, unless your usage pattern is extremely atypical (heavy-duty photo printing, or infrequent use that risks ink drying out), the cost savings will add up quickly.
This low consumables cost is especially attractive for families with school-age children or households with frequent document needs. Those who only print occasionally are also spared the frustrating “empty cartridge” scenario common to lower-end inkjets serving mostly as glorified scanners between print runs.
A minority of users, as with any inkjet, have reported issues with ink drying out after very long periods of inactivity—something that applies to virtually all inkjet designs. Epson’s risk-mitigating advice is to run a print or head cleaning cycle at least once a month if the printer is used sporadically.
EcoTank’s nearest competition tends to come from Canon’s MegaTank and HP’s Smart Tank ranges, both of which use similar refillable systems but with varying yields and differing quality trade-offs. Overall, reviews indicate the Epson edges ahead in per-page costs and is generally regarded as less temperamental in day-to-day use.
As with any device, context is everything. The Epson EcoTank ET-2820 may not impress in an office comparison against high-speed laser models, but for its intended audience—households, students, and light office tasks—it’s a masterclass in giving users exactly what they need (and no more) at a price that’s a genuine relief in today’s refill-averse market. Just be mindful of its modest speed, manual duplex limitation, and the basic interface—minor tradeoffs in an otherwise impressive equation that lets you print what you want, when you want, at a fraction of the old cartridge cost.
Source: PC Guide Epson EcoTank ET-2820 review: cheap and cost-effective for home printing
Unpacking the EcoTank Approach
Epson has staked a significant portion of its consumer printer business on the EcoTank range, a product family that replaces single-use cartridges with refillable ink tanks. The ET-2820 sits at the more affordable end of this spectrum, competing directly with entry-level laser and inkjet competitors that often try to lure buyers with low up-front prices—and then recoup costs through pricey, low-capacity cartridges.With the ET-2820, Epson’s main pitch is clear: pay a little more upfront (though still undercutting many rival ink tanks), and enjoy dramatically reduced ongoing ink expenses. Included in the box are four 65ml bottles—black, cyan, magenta, and yellow—intended to last for up to three years, depending heavily on your print habits. Epson rates these as yielding up to 4,500 black or 7,500 color pages per full tank refill, and real-world testing suggests these claims are in the right ballpark for light to moderate home use. This translates to a per-page cost that’s minuscule compared to almost any cartridge-based inkjet, with the outlay for each black page hovering near $0.0036 and color pages at about $0.0064.
Designing for Simplicity—and Saving Space
Visually, the EcoTank ET-2820 eschews design frills in favor of practicality—think functional black plastic, with a conspicuous bulge where the external ink tanks are attached. Its compact footprint (375 x 347 x 179 mm) and relatively light weight (4.1 kg) make it easy to fit on most desks or shelves. One minor trade-off: the tank assembly protrudes, breaking up an otherwise boxy profile. Still, it manages to squeeze scanning, copying, and printing into one chassis. As an all-in-one, it’s suited for the multi-purpose needs of households balancing schoolwork, administrative documents, and the odd photo print.Controls are stripped back to basics as well. Though lacking a true touchscreen—settling instead for a tactile button array flanking a 3.7 cm color LCD—the overall layout is user-friendly. The tilting front panel means the controls are accessible whether the printer sits atop a desk or a lower shelf. Setup, according to reviewer and user testimony, is a straightforward process, with clear visual guides and multi-language instructions included. Everything from filling tanks to running the initial ink charging sequence is well-documented, though expect the full process (including head alignment and initial charging) to take upwards of 15 minutes—worth planning for if you’re in a rush.
Connectivity and Software: Modern Basics, Some Gaps
Wireless features are increasingly expected, and the ET-2820 delivers on the essentials: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and USB. The inclusion of Wi-Fi Direct makes it possible to connect devices directly to the printer without the need for a home network, perfect for guests or those with limited router access. Mac and Windows compatibility is strong, with drivers for everything from Windows XP to Windows 11 and macOS 10.6.8 or later.Mobile and cloud printing support is robust, covering Apple AirPrint, the user-friendly Epson Smart Panel mobile app, and Epson Connect features like Email Print and Remote Print Driver. This flexibility is appreciated by families and small offices where devices may span several platforms and operating systems.
On the down side, there are a few connectivity omissions. Notably absent is an Ethernet port, limiting wired network setups. There’s also no support for external storage (such as SD cards or USB drives), which would have been helpful for direct photo printing. These are understandable in the pricing context but worth noting if you prize a fully connected printer.
Printing Performance: Good, but Not for Power Users
When assessing a printer marketed for economy, expectations sometimes slip regarding output quality or speed. The ET-2820 must walk the line between keeping costs low and maintaining acceptable print and scan quality.Text and Document Quality
For standard office and academic tasks, the ET-2820 is more than sufficient. Black text is sharp and well-formed on standard office paper, with letters remaining legible even at smaller font sizes. Line alignment and gradients are well-executed thanks to Epson’s Micro Piezo print head technology, which uses precision-controlled droplets for crisp edge definition.Grayscale documents show some minor fuzziness and spotting, especially as lines draw closer together, but the effect is subtle enough not to detract from everyday usability. Color documents are, for the most part, bright and well-saturated; gradients are handled smoothly, and there’s little risk of colors bleeding or muddling together. However, some test prints reported minor issues with yellow ink, including occasional spotting under close inspection.
Photo Printing: Adequate for Occasional Use
While not intended as a dedicated photo printer, the ET-2820 is capable of producing decent photo prints on glossy or matte paper. Colors are respectably vibrant, and image detail is fair—though, as expected for a four-color system without dedicated photo inks, depth and color accuracy lag behind specialist photo models. Side-by-side, photos from the EcoTank may appear slightly less vivid or nuanced, and some fine gradations may be lost.Still, for the average home user wanting to fill a picture frame or add color to a report, the results are more than satisfactory. Any shortcomings become pronounced only when compared against much pricier six- or eight-color photo printers—a mismatch for the ET-2820’s intended use.
Print Speeds
Speed is a more pronounced limitation. Tests show that a six-page mixed (color and grayscale) print job takes about 93 seconds in total—roughly 15-27 seconds per color page and 9-10 seconds per black and white page once the printer is up to temperature. This is slower than most entry-level laser printers and some rival inkjets, particularly for bulk jobs. For the typical low-volume home environment, this may not matter much—but if you routinely churn out long documents, the delay can add up.There’s also a lack of automatic duplexing. Double-sided printing must be done manually, which again is tolerable for occasional home users but could quickly become a pain for those producing longer multipage booklets or presentations.
Scanning and Copying Capabilities
The ET-2820’s integrated flatbed scanner uses a 1,200 x 2,400 DPI contact image sensor, which is typical for entry-level all-in-ones. Scan quality is good for document archiving, basic graphics, and casual photo digitization—text clarity is preserved even on lower-quality originals, and colors are reproduced faithfully, though the dynamic range can suffer on darker or heavily shaded areas.Copying is similarly straightforward. Output is generally faithful to the original, with only minor fading of colors or slight shifts in gradients (for instance, pure black gradients can take on a purplish tint). For most household tasks—forms, IDs, and schoolwork—these compromises are unlikely to be deal-breakers.
Paper Handling
The ET-2820 supports a respectable range of paper formats: A4, A5, A6, B5, B6, and a variety of envelope sizes (C6, DL, No. 10). The 100-sheet input tray is serviceable for home use and can be adjusted to fit different sizes easily. However, it's strictly a rear-feed system, somewhat more basic than those in mid-range office printers, and the output tray is a similarly simple pull-out mechanism. The lack of advanced paper handling features—no true photo tray, no larger format support, and no automatic document feeder for multi-page scanning—once again signals who the ET-2820 is (and isn’t) for.Cost per Print: The Real EcoTank Game-Changer
Perhaps the biggest selling point for the ET-2820 is the economics of its ink system. Almost universally, cartridge-based inkjets are plagued by high ongoing running costs, with replacement ink often costing as much as, or more than, the printer itself. By swapping tiny ink cartridges for high-capacity bottles, Epson’s EcoTank system virtually eliminates the “razor and blades” pricing trap.Calculations based on typical U.S. retail pricing and quoted ink yields work out to approximately $0.0036 per black page and $0.0064 per color page—a mere fraction of the cost per page associated with competing cartridge models, where $0.10 or more per color page is common. Early reviews and ongoing user feedback confirm that, unless your usage pattern is extremely atypical (heavy-duty photo printing, or infrequent use that risks ink drying out), the cost savings will add up quickly.
This low consumables cost is especially attractive for families with school-age children or households with frequent document needs. Those who only print occasionally are also spared the frustrating “empty cartridge” scenario common to lower-end inkjets serving mostly as glorified scanners between print runs.
Strengths: Where the ET-2820 Excels
- Exceptionally Low Running Costs: Ink bottle refills deliver outstanding page yields and per-page costs unrivaled by cartridge competitors.
- Well-Balanced Output Quality: Text and graphics are clear and vibrant for most home and school needs; photo quality is more than acceptable unless you require gallery-level prints.
- Easy Setup and Operation: Guided setup, clear controls, and good software support make installation painless, even for less technically-minded users.
- Solid Wireless Support: Strong integration with mobile devices, PCs, and popular wireless standards (Wi-Fi Direct, AirPrint, Epson Connect).
- All-in-One Versatility: Includes scanning and copying without significant compromises; good for typical home/office multitasking.
Weaknesses and Potential Risks
- Slower Print Speeds: Color and mixed jobs lag behind some competitors; not ideal for large or time-sensitive print runs.
- No Auto Duplex Printing: All double-sided tasks require manual intervention, which can be tedious for frequent users.
- Basic Paper and Connectivity Options: No Ethernet or external storage support; input/output trays are simple and lack advanced handling features.
- Photo Print Depth: True photography enthusiasts will miss the nuance, richness, and depth available from premium, photo-centric models.
- Limited Physical Interface: The control panel’s small screen and absence of a true touchscreen make some operations slower than on pricier rivals.
Real-World User Feedback and Reliability
Owners of the EcoTank ET-2820 (and its near-identical U.S. sibling, the ET-2800) consistently praise its economy and the straightforward maintenance required. Refilling tanks is mess-free, and bottles are designed to only fit their respective color slots, minimizing the chance of mistakes. The opaque window on the tank gives a quick visual readout of remaining ink. Common complaints rarely relate to reliability or major hardware flaws, but rather to the lack of convenience features—particularly when users attempt to treat the printer as a high-volume workhorse, which it simply isn’t built to be.A minority of users, as with any inkjet, have reported issues with ink drying out after very long periods of inactivity—something that applies to virtually all inkjet designs. Epson’s risk-mitigating advice is to run a print or head cleaning cycle at least once a month if the printer is used sporadically.
The EcoTank ET-2820 in the Market
As of its latest update, the ET-2820 is priced at around £249.99 in the UK and $229.99 in the U.S. for the ET-2800 variant, and, while technically succeeded by newer models, it remains highly competitive in both feature set and long-term cost savings. For comparison, many canonical cartridge-based all-in-ones in the same price bracket offer far fewer prints per consumable and no refillable tank option—a decisive disadvantage as ink prices continue to rise.EcoTank’s nearest competition tends to come from Canon’s MegaTank and HP’s Smart Tank ranges, both of which use similar refillable systems but with varying yields and differing quality trade-offs. Overall, reviews indicate the Epson edges ahead in per-page costs and is generally regarded as less temperamental in day-to-day use.
Who Should—and Shouldn’t—Buy the ET-2820?
This printer is exceptionally well-suited to:- Families with regular, moderate printing needs—particularly those with children in school.
- Home office users prioritizing cost control and reliability over higher-end features or blazing speed.
- Students or remote workers who need scanning/copying in addition to basic print jobs.
- Anyone fed up with the constant replacement of tiny, expensive cartridges.
- High-volume users who require rapid print turnover or regularly handle very large documents.
- Photography enthusiasts seeking pro-grade prints.
- Offices or homes where advanced networking, larger format printing, or multi-page scanning are daily requirements.
Critical Verdict: Small Sacrifices, Big Savings
All told, the Epson EcoTank ET-2820 stands as one of the most compelling budget-friendly all-in-one inkjets currently available. Its greatest strength—ridiculously cheap running costs—comfortably outweighs its relatively minor gripes around speed and advanced feature omissions for the vast majority of home users. Those seeking the absolute lowest price of entry or the fanciest touchscreen might look elsewhere, but anyone with an eye toward long-term value and hassle-free printing will struggle to find a better practical choice at this price point.As with any device, context is everything. The Epson EcoTank ET-2820 may not impress in an office comparison against high-speed laser models, but for its intended audience—households, students, and light office tasks—it’s a masterclass in giving users exactly what they need (and no more) at a price that’s a genuine relief in today’s refill-averse market. Just be mindful of its modest speed, manual duplex limitation, and the basic interface—minor tradeoffs in an otherwise impressive equation that lets you print what you want, when you want, at a fraction of the old cartridge cost.
Source: PC Guide Epson EcoTank ET-2820 review: cheap and cost-effective for home printing
