14
Editor’s Choice Awards
01732 759725 –
Epson EcoTank printers
Slash the cost of printing
by two-thirds
Editor’s Choice:
Business Info
What we liked:
• purpose-built, refillable ink tank
• ultra-low cost per page
• compact design
• long lasting – 4k pages (mono)
or 6.5k (colour) on one fill
• wireless connectivity
Soon after the launch of its RIPS
devices for managed print services,
Epson introduced a new purchasing
model for UK consumers that, like
RIPS, makes use of extremely high
capacity ink supplies to minimise
the need for refills and reduce the
cost of printing.
Epson’s new EcoTank printer is the
first of its kind in the UK (although it
is well established in Eastern Europe).
It features refillable tanks rather than
ink cartridges, a bold move that could
herald the demise of the traditional print
cartridge. There are two cartridge-free
models available – the L355 which
costs £249.99 and the L555 priced at
£329.99 – both of which, says Epson,
have the capacity to hold up to two years
worth of ink – although this will last
many users much longer. As the tanks are
transparent, it’s really easy to keep an eye
on the ink levels.
The new EcoTank range goes against
the grain in the UK printer market by
replacing the traditional razor/razor
blade model of subsidised hardware
and expensive consumables with a true
hardware price and a very low cost per
page due to the printer’s extra large ink
tanks. Both of the new printers contain
enough ink for 4,000 mono pages and
6,500 colour pages i.e. as much as 55
individual ink cartridges. The purpose-
built ink tank is fully integrated into the
printer, avoiding the mess or hassle often
associated with non-genuine refills and
third-party ink tank systems.
The purchase price covers the cost of the
hardware and a full supply of ink that the
customer empties into ink tanks housed on
the side of the printer. Because hardware
prices aren’t subsidised, customers will
pay more upfront but much less in the
long-term. Replacement ink bottles can be
bought for just £7.99 each, which works
out at a fraction of a penny per page.
Epson UK Product Manager Simon
Hanly said: “One of the messages we have
is that you end up saving 65% compared to
buying any other Top 10 European printer
plus the equivalent amount of ink.”
He added: “The L355 costs £250. To
buy any European Top 10 model and the
equivalent amount of ink would add up to
about £750.”
Hanly adds that economical printing is
not the only reason why EcoTank is such
a compelling offering for consumers fed
up with high cartridge costs and regular
cartridge changes.
“It’s not just the cost,” he said. “It’s the
hassle of running out of ink at inappropriate
times, when you are trying to finish a piece
of work and having to replace the cartridge.
EcoTank customers love the idea that they
can fill the printer up with ink and leave it
alone for at least two years.”
Ideal for
home offices
and small offices, the
multifunctional devices offer print, copy and
scan functionality (the L555 also features a
fax function), Wi-Fi connectivity and come
with two extra bottles of black ink.
Print speeds of 9 pages per minute (ppm)
in black and 4.5ppm in colour can boost
office productivity, while the multi-copy
function allows users to copy one page up
to 20 times in a single go, making it ideal
for quickly creating documents for meetings.
In addition, Epson iPrint enables printing
wirelessly from smartphones and tablet PCs
within the office.
