PRINTING. The Epson EcoTank Expression ET-2550 prints using inkjet technology, which sprays liquid ink onto the paper from a moving head. Text printing is not a strong point, with noticeably fuzzy edges on letters. Text printing was reasonably fast, 8.3 pages per minute, costing 0.3 cents per page. It prints color graphics with some obvious defects, but OK for casual use, at 2.4 pages per minute, costing 1.2 cents per page. It prints Very Good photos on glossy paper that most people would be happy with. Unlike most color printers, it can't print borderless photos. The capacity of the main paper tray is 100 sheets, a typical size.
SCANNING and COPYING. Scanning performance was Good, but had a few noticeable flaws. It can scan or copy an area up to 11.3 x 8.2 inches (letter size). Copying performance was Very Good, suitable for most purposes.
CONTROLS and DISPLAY. The printer has a 1.5-inch (diagonal size) color display screen that can preview each image in a 1.3-inch window.
CONNECTIVITY and NETWORKING. The Epson EcoTank Expression ET-2550 has a memory-card reader for directly printing documents and images stored on an SD card. You can connect directly to a PC with a USB cable, or to your network router wirelessly with WiFi. There's a WiFi Auto-connect feature that makes it easy to link to your wireless router. Apple AirPrint is built in, to print wirelessly from Apple devices via your local network. You can also install Epson EcoTank's app on your smart phone or tablet, as another option for printing over your WiFi network. You can also print an email remotely by forwarding it directly to this printer.
COST OF OWNERSHIP AND INK. When this section was last updated, the printer's purchase price was about $280, expensive for an all-in-one inkjet printer. Printing uses up ink. Over time, as you print, the costs add up. This printer uses 4 tanks. When the ink runs low, you refill the tanks. The inks are sold in bottles. The Epson EcoTank ink bottles used in testing were the T6641, T6642, T6643 and T6644. At the time, their prices were all $13 each. We estimate the ink bottles to last an extraordinarily long time — around 8 years — following a typical printing schedule. After 2 years of typical use, we estimate the total cost to be $294, low for an inkjet. The estimated yearly cost is $7, also low for this printer type. So the 3-, 4- and 5-year estimates are $302, $309 and $316 respectively.
NOTE. The printer takes up a lot of space and might be more suitable for an office than a small desktop.
PRINTER FIRMWARE. Firmware is software that exists inside the printer. All models are evaluated using the latest firmware version available at the time of testing.
SOFTWARE. The collection of software accompanying the printer may include: the printer driver, printer applications, electronic user manual, (and for all-in-ones:) scanning, faxing, and OCR apps. These get installed on your personal computer. All models are evaluated with a Windows 10 PC using the latest version of printer driver and printer support apps available at the time of testing. The software version was 2.41.0.0.
ABOUT THE INK BOTTLES, SOFTWARE AND FIRMWARE. Our test results are valid only for the Epson EcoTank-brand ink bottles, and the software and firmware versions indicated. If your printer's software or firmware differ from the ones shown you either have an older or a newer version of these. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the printer's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware updates are downloadable directly to your printer via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable). You can check your printer's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by either (1) running the Epson EcoTank printer-update app installed on the PC, or (2) accessing the "Settings" section of the printer menu and navigating to the firmware update option. Consult the user manual or Epson EcoTank's website for further guidance. Try searching online.
