Shopping Guide: Multi-Function Printers

Epson Printers

The new Epson range has yet again come in with a slight delay in relation to the competition. Apart from a new ink delivery formula, the improvements in comparison with the previous generation are not that obvious at the moment. The arrival of the eight color Stylus Photo 8, with a red and blue cartridge, will soon bring it back into the race for new initiatives.

C44

$49 (59€)

As with other Epson printers, the default quality is very disappointing. It is even often less good than the draft mode produced by Canon and HP models. So you almost always have to improve the quality manually by one notch, which reduces the speed still further, something you really didn't need. Epson really needs to take a look at this.

C64

$59 (99€)

This is the replacement for the C62, which the C64 closely resembles, although it has adopted separate ink cartridges instead of the previous single blocks. It is not very expensive to buy, and the cost per page is average. The speed isn't exactly grease lightning, but is adequate for regular use. Unfortunately, like the rest of the Stylus Color range, the default mode is very disappointing. It is essential to push up the default resolution by one notch if the documents are for circulation, which reduces the rate of output.

C84

$99 (199€)

The ink delivery formula is new, but the principle remains the same as for the previous C82: quality or speed, you have to make the choice. As with the earlier c82, and as on all Epson printers, if any of the cartridges are empty, the yellow, for instance, it must be replaced because the printer will just stop working, even if the document to be printed is in black text. The C84 nevertheless has an advantage over other printers in that the ink dries immediately and appears to be waterproof. Documents printed can be passed from hand to hand and will not bleed or smear.