Epson Stylus CX4800 All-in-One Printer, Copier, Scanner Reviews

• Pleasantly surprised, a very good value

  
  By A2WEW6XTU0L271 on 2005-11-19
  I am very pleased with this printer and I think it offers tremendous value.
  
  One of the first things I liked about this printer is that it prints at a normal speed with decent quality, which is sometimes hard to get when you are buying an entry level printer. The printer offers 5 levels of quality, although the draft mode is useless because the printouts are too light and dotty.
  
  The next level of printout (2nd out of 5 levels) is an enormous improvement from the draft mode and is actually quite good. In fact, I will probably use this mode exclusively other than when making photos. To print a full color web page on this mode takes less than 25 seconds, which is not bad.
  
  The highest quality mode on matte photo paper still prints at a decent speed with very good, bright, brilliant quality. I showed some people at work some tulip photos I took and they were really impressed with the quality and could not believe an entry level printer could do that.
  
  The manufacturer claims their ink is smudge resistant and resists water. Based on some crude tests I did, I would say that they have accomplished that goal in spades. I ran some color printouts under running water and the paper gave way without the ink running. This is important for those of you who want to make mailing labels and are concerned about exposure to the weather and also about the durability of the photos you print.
  
  I also like the fact that this printer comes with 4 separate ink cartridges (the full version) and that I can replace the colors as they run out. The HP inkjet I had before this used an all in one color cartridge and I always felt that I was wasting money because I am sure that 2 of the 3 colors still had life in them. With this printer, that is not an issue.
  
  This printer comes with software that has some excellent features. I've always had a problem in printing web pages because the right side always gets cut off, and I end up using landscape. This printer comes with the Epson Web-to-Page toolbar that will compress the image so that the web page fits in the portrait format. I have noticed that at times that a character might get cut off from the right, but overall this tool is very handy.
  
  The printer also allows you to make copies (color or black & white) without requiring you to turn on the computer.
  
  The printer comes with two memory card slots that can accommodate most types of camera memory cards. I was somewhat disappointed with this feature because you can not import the information on the card into your computer. In fact, the memory card feature is a stand alone device that doesn't use your computer. I was hoping to be able to import the images into my computer from the printer, but that is not possible.
  
  The way the card slot works is that it will print an index of all the images on that card, 30 thumbnails to a page. Below each thumbnail is a scantron type bubble form with (1)(2)(3) as your choices. You fill in each bubble that you want images of by choosing whether you want 1 to 3 copies of that image (hence the (1)(2)(3) choice). If you don't want a thumbnail, you don't feel in any bubbles. You then scan in the form, put some photo paper into the machine, and it will print the images you want.
  
  I personally feel this violates the whole reason why I use digital photos, I want to edit them first on the computer before printing them, so I probably will not use the card feature. For this reason, I lowered my rating on the printer to 4 stars instead of 5.
  
  Another thing I did not like is the photo software that came with the printer. It was stripped down and of little use (better off using whatever software that came with your digital camera of some other device).
  
  I have a basic gripe with all manufacturers who label their machines all in ones when they do not have a fax function. I agree with other people in that there needs to be an industry standard definition for an all in one device. The problem is that a fax machine requires a document feeder, which most machines do not have. On the downside, without a document feeder, you will be limited to letter sized scans (A4 is the largest). This printer will not scan legal size documents. I did not lower my rating for this because it is an entry level machine.
  
  Just so that you know, this printer replaced my high end HP D-135 all-in-one. I decided in the future to purchase entry level machines because you will end up with print heads needing replacement that are so costly that it's worth buying a new machine. With an entry level printer, I am not too worried if I have to replace it every 18 months to 2 years. I also use an HP LaserJet 4si for major print jobs too keep costs down (inkjets in general are expensive).
  
  
  

• Decent Printer

  
  By ATOJACQSQ8G25 on 2005-10-31
  I purchased this printer to replace an aging printer and seperate (equally aging) scanner. I am impressed up to this point, setup was extremely simple and the basic printing functions produce good-quality documents with no detectable problems.
  
  My only real frustration so far is the lack of documentation on setup and orientation for glossy 4X6 printing, I had to waste about 4 sheets in order to get the settings correct.
  
  The "Arcsoft Photoimpression 5" software is next to useless, it made horrible prints. Stick with whatever picture software you normally use, I printed directly from Windows XP and it looked fantastic in comparison.
  
  I have scanned some papers as well, and I like the software-based auto-detection, it saves me quite a bit of time when I an scanning multiple pages.
  
  All in all I would say getting a decent quality printer with card readers (SD/XD/SM,CF) and pictbridge support for this kind of price really is a good deal. We generally are light users and don't require a great deal of "finesse" from our printer, so I would say if you are a light-duty user and looking for a decent budget multifunction unit, this could be a good fit.
  
  
  
  

• broken out of the box

  
  By AV3F0O7H9LSZG on 2005-09-24
  This unit was easy to install and works well, but when I tried to print with it (and this was using Epson's Premium Glossy Photo Paper and setting the printer for "Best Photo") the result was an image that was sharp and clear yet entirely faded. There was no strength to the colors at all. Epson service told me to run the standard nozzle cleaning / head cleaning utilities which used up half the ink the thing came with and it still will only print these totally unnaceptable faded images. So Epson decides that this printer has a "hardware problem" and they're sending me another (in 7 to 10 days) along with labels for me to mail my brand spanking new and thoroughly useless printer back to them. And, joy of all joys, they've put a $120 lien on my bank account. I scanned a photo and the scan was excellent, very clear, very fast ...and ofcourse when I printed it the image was faded.
  This gets two stars instead of one for the scanner which functions well enough, and who knows, maybe the next brand new CX4800 I get will actually work.
  
  

• Disposable printer

  
  By AFRNB9LDSXNVY on 2006-07-07
  Based on my experience, this is a disposable product. My Epson CX4600 lasted about a year. It was always a little touchy and difficult to deal with, but usually I could get it to work, at least until a few days ago when I ran out of black ink. I replaced the cartridge, but still it wouldn't print in black. I ran several print head cleaning cycles (which burns through ALL your ink cartridges)and when it still didn't work, I tried another black cartridge...and then another. Finally I called Epson and they gave me a customer "loyalty" website where I could go to buy a new Epson printer at a discount. They said the print head had gone bad and that it cost more to repair than to buy a new printer. Given that Epson's best solution is to sell you new printer, you need to look at this printer as disposable. My $100 got me about a year's worth of use...plus the $60+ I wasted in ink trying to get the printer to work. Worst of all is that Epson has to know this is a problem. Otherwise they wouldn't have a customer "loyalty" website to direct you to when their product fails. I appreciate the thought, but they really need to fix the problem and develop a print head that lasts longer than a year.
  
  
  
  
  

• Look no further, it is the All in One Entry Level Wonder with a few aces up its sleeve

  
  By AEFQIY7BA053O on 2006-06-02
  Look no further, it is the All in One Entry Level Wonder with a few aces up its sleeve
  
  I just bought this printer the other day and I am already blown away by its ability and photo quality. Initially, before actually hooking up this device to my computer via USB cable (which is NOT included, A to B plug), I experimented with its copy photo ability. I wasn't expecting much, just some half-donkey copies of my photos. I expected typical entry-level inkjet color quality. And that is exactly what I got on regular Epson Premium Bright White paper on its 'plain paper setting'.
  
  Then I noticed that this product comes with 10 Premium Glossy Photo 4 x 6 sheets. I decided to experiment further. I wasn't prepared for the result as it blew me away. I put a 4 x 6 photo onto the scanner bed and followed the 'Copying a photo' instructions provided in the Quick Guide. It told me to place the copy mode on 'photo paper', 4 x 6 size and 'fit to page' (if I wanted a borderless photo). Still hesitant and not expecting much as I've dealt with entry level ink jet printers in the past, I hit the 'Start Color Copy' button. Within minutes, a beautifully duplicated 4 X 6 print emerged from the tray. I was absolutely amazed with the quality and noticed very little subtle differences. It was if I had a double of this print made from the store. Whats more, some of the colors in the fabric of my shirt seemed more vivid than the original. I was blown away by its quality on glossy photo paper. Every little detail of the original perfectly duplicated with a few subtle differences. Some of the details (the text on a shopping bag, the tiles of the street) lost some of their clarity but it is hardly noticeable unless closely examined. Consider it a nearly flawless duplicate.
  
  I wasn't expecting this from an All in One entry level printer. However, Epson was always known for its photo quality attributes and they have not filtered their skills for this All in one. It is all here. The photo copy feature is great for making your own doubles if you are tired of having the store make doubles of all of your shots, even the ones that were either poorly developed or shot. This way, it is up to you to select the primo photos that you would like duplicated.
  
  This printer doesn't stop there. Afterall, it is a All in one. For my next experiment I connected the printer to my computer via USB 2.0 after purchasing a A to B plug USB cable. I installed the very easy-to-use software and after minutes I was on my way to scanning photos. I placed the same photo that I duplicated earlier using the photo copy feature and scanned the photo using Paint Shop Pro 9 (not included, although basic scanning and photo software is). The image acquired rather well with its 1200 x 2400 dpi resolution (a very decent quality which should exceed your basic photo needs). I then opted for the one-step photo fix in Paint Shop Pro which fixed some of the color and contrast level issues that existed in the original print, not from the scan. I even touched up some of the blemishes using the clone stamp, crop and other various photo tools. I then adjusted some of the print settings such as selecting 'landscape', 4 x 6 size, premium glossy paper, fit to page, borderless, best photo quality settings and others.
  
  The end result is nothing shy of amazing as the altered print came out better than the original. The color and contrast levels are superb and captured the photo shop image perfectly. As I said, the end result is a 'fixed' photo that came out better than the original on a premium glossy 4 x 6 print. With Adobe Photo Shop or Paint Shop Pro (I have both), your possibilities are endless. With that software and this printer, you just turned a little home project into a professional lab. Alter, adjust, fix, and all those 'abilities and tools' you would pay a professional to do are now in your hands.
  
  Okay so we just touched on two of its many abilities. We can almost assume that if its photo copy abilities are remarkable so will the 'everyday' b & w copies such school or work related documents. But let us not just assume, let's test the waters. I just tested its basic color copies ability by copying a magazine ad on basic 'paper' settings and this product ceases to amaze me as not only did it scan perfectly but the print is rather vivid considering the basic settings and the paper that was used (premium white). I'm to assume from previous results, that If I used photo paper settings and glossy or matte photo paper that the image (magazine ad) would have duplicated perfectly.
  
  Let's try a basic b & w copy. Considering I am in the military, I will use my 'orders to the desert' to experiment. I am happy to announce that the black and white copy was made perfectly, in fact better than most of your office copy machines. For double-sided copies, you simply just put the other side up in the tray. You can make up to 9 copies using this machine on basic settings. For more, read the manual as it tells you how to configure it for more copies.
  
  What is more is that I could place a whole 'Wired' magazine cover on its flatbed scanner which is bigger than you avg magazine or paper size. I could nearly place a whole rolling stone cover on the bed. Point being is that flat bed scanner offers plenty of room to scan photos, regular size documents and even larger magazine pages.
  
  What else does this printer do: What cannot it not? It can also print every-day documents from your computer perfectly and with its many various print settings, it is up to you if you would like to sacrafice ink for quality. Furthermore, it has built card reader that supports every memory card format known to man. An adapter is required for some of the more uncommon formats. But all your common formats are covered right off the bat. You can also plug your camera directly into the printer via the USB port in the front and print your photos that way. This is truly an all in one printer that will exceed your photo quality expectations for an entry level device. All for a reasonable price.
  
  If you are thinking of a getting a printer and a scanner and want superb photo quality prints at an entry level price, look no further.
  
  
• DO NOT BUY THIS PRINTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  By A1W3CP03O2FWGW on 2006-10-31
  I have had this printer for about a year now. It was wonderful at first. Not fast, but good enough quality for what I needed. Then I started buying Ink cartridges. The ink doesn't last long at all. I got real irritated at how quickly the ink seemed to magically drain. It has a black ink cartridge, but unless you dig deep in the preferences, you find out that it uses all the ink cartridges, including black, to make a black and white page. So, even if you using only black your color cartridges will drain also. It turns out that there is a class-action lawsuit regarding this printer. The ink cartridges actually never run out. Once they get below a certain percentage, they will stop your print job until you replace whatever ink cartridge it thinks is empty. The problem was bad enough that Epson lost the suit. (or at least settled) I got a whopping $45.00 certificate at the Epson Store. I bought ink, but it, of course, did not last long. This printer has been a monumental money drain. I tried refilling the cartridges. I paid a $100 for a kit specifically for this printer. But the ink drains quicker and I am constantly having to "clean" the heads. Everytime I do a print job, I have to clean the heads two or three times then it works for a while and then runs out of ink again. I have never been more frustrated with a printer in all my life. It has cost me more time and money than any printer I have ever owned. I normally like Epson, but this printer is forcing me to think twice about a company that would build a monster such as this one.
  
  
  
• Great home/office printer-not for photos!
  By A3GGJTJL20HNKY on 2005-12-28
  This is my second Epson printer. My first was the CX4600, which I "broke" myself. I chose this one because 1) I was familiar with the product, 2) I got a great deal! 3)A good product for basic use- I use it once or twice daily.
  Pros: This is a great product for anyone who prints, scans or copys on a daily or weekly basis. You can set the settings for your own use. I use this mainly for school/office purposes. Black and white or color charts are great! If you don't need to purchase the Epson Dura Brite cart.-made for photo use, then you can get some great prices at other places- I do this - 75% off!!
  Cons: The ink cartriges can get very expensive if you use this for a photo printer- but it does produces great pictures with the Dura ink frim Epson-Dura does not run! But, I think going to the local photo kiosk is cheaper.
  If you are considering this for a photo printer, please keep looking- it is not for you! If you want a good printer with the option of photo printing occasionally, this might be for you!!
  
  
• Does the Job Well
  By AQBRMBQ99ESI7 on 2006-04-11
  I own way too many printers, scanners, faxes, copiers and all-in-ones. Some work magnificently well and others are a real pain. This one is a delight.
  
  The printer gives good quality. Especially nice are the differentiated color cartridges. I don't have to through out lots of perfectly good (and expensive) ink just because one of the colors is out. This is certainly not the fastest printer in the world but it is reasonably quick and does a good job.
  
  As far as copying goes, it does the job as well as an ink jet can. Again, the quality is not a problem and it is reasonably fast. I don't have much call to use this machine for copying but it has been used that way occasionally when it has been handy.
  
  The scanner feature is what I really bought this for. It does a superb job and the drivers it is shipped with are easy to use. The results are good as well. The scanning capabilities make this item worthwhile for me even without the combination features.
  
  This one is a keeper.
  
  
  
• Avoid this Printer
  By A3SMR1MOS4M6V2 on 2006-04-24
  There are two problems with this printer and the other Epson CX models. First, the printer will not operate if any ink cartridge is empty. If the black cartridge is full, and any other cartridge is empty it will not operate even if you want to print in black only.
  
  Second, these models have a tendency to clog from ink residue if you don't run cleaning cycles after each use, which exhaust your ink supply. This is a complete waste of ink and an expensive maintenance issue.
  
  
  
• 5 stars for a different reason
  By A1OJQAKJDAVKZS on 2006-06-02
  I was in the middle of looking at inexpensive printers and my curiosity was piqued by the poor reviews for the cx4800.
  I am on my second cx4800 as my husband's office assistant "borrowed" my first one last summer and I never saw it again. Right after Thanksgiving I bought a new one which I use inside my home with my laptop. I also have a cx5400 that is over 3 years old. As well as a refurbished Epson Photo 1280 I was lucky enough to find on this very site last summer. Both the latter live out in my studio space.
  I LOVE all of my Epson products. I never use Epson ink with any of them(BIG ripoff)and I put both the 2 cx's through a daily pounding. I have been through other name brand printers and scanners, but nothing I have used could hold up under the work load. So what is the deal with this NEW inability to use only black if one becomes low on 1 or all 3 colors? Is this something that the '06 models are doing? I had to ask because I do the very thing others have been unable to do all the time. Only with my 2 all-in-ones, of course.
  I also run every imaginable type of paper and canvas through even the 4800 when I need to print finished artwork "tests" before I make the final run(s) on the 1280.
  Both my original cx's came bundled with other pc products. And even though I had to buy the replacement 4800 and the 1280, in my absolutely techno-phobic opinion, the ease of use, wonderful saturation of color(even with the 4800!)and when "all else fails"... easy to read instructions; the prices on all of their products remain very reasonable.
  I hope I didn't just happen to acquire the last 3 that actually work!
  
  
  
  
  
• Shame on Epson
  By AXJNW4YWSONDD on 2006-06-20
  I bought a similar model, the CX4600, a little over a year ago and it will no longer print, no doubt due to one of the maladies noted in the reviews. Emails back and forth to Epson achieved nothing. Servicing it is pointless since it would cost more that the cost of the printer to have anyone begin to look at it. So it's off to the landfill. What are we doing to our planet with all the planned obsolescence in the computer hardware industry?
  
  
• Excellent printer, great features
  By A18W9FHCJMQF04 on 2006-07-23
  I got this printer free from Epson after my cx4600 (slightly older version) developed print head issues. [Note to any users/reviewers that are commenting on the cx4600 - the 4600 has an issue with the print heads stopping to recognize new ink. Though Epson wouldn't tell me straight out that it's known and all over, they offered me either a discount on a new one or to ship mine back to be fixed. (My warranty was long over) Turns out they took my printer (at their expense!) and shipped me a brand new cx4800. This one does NOT seem to have any of the ink issues, and I'm thrilled with it.]
  
  We love the scanner, the printer, the copier, the four inks... all of it! To fax, I scan to my computer and use Windows fax software to send. It's an extra step, but I knew I was getting into that when I chose this line over the others. I don't regret it, because I love the rest of this printer. The card slot is great - I don't use it much because my camera connects easily to my computer, but my sister's been using the slot a lot when she wanted to print pictures off a camera that's not installed in my computer. I'm pretty sure she got them through the printer and into the computer, edited etc, and then printed - but don't take my word for it becauase I didn't watch closely enough.
  
  All in all... despite a rough patch with the CX4600, I'm very very happy with this machine.
  
  
• Very Disappointed
  By AT4I3I2FKIFLJ on 2006-03-02
  I bought the CX 4600 (the predecessor to the 4800) a year ago and now it won't work at all. I did everything the instruction manual told me to do to test the ink cartridges, including buying all new cartidges (for about $65) and now it doesn't print at all. I called the customer service center at Epson (which was NOT a toll free call) and was told my warranty had expired so it would be $9.95 for any sort of assistance, except that I could send a question via email (on their website). I did this and then was told to call for service. I basically have spent around $200 for the printer and ink and only made about 30 copies before it died. A local computer repair store told me it was likely an ink pump that would cost as much to replace as a new printer. I live in a dry climate and the local computer repair store told me these "cheap" printers die out quickly if they're not used regularly and that I should buy an HP instead. I would really suggest you NOT buy this printer - I'm very disappointed and out $200...
  
  
• This printer is a wolf in sheep's clothing....
  By A3SPA1NLWW4KCB on 2006-05-01
  I saw this printer and liked it. I know that Epsons have a reputation for high print quality, and I wanted a good printer and scanner. I didn't have problems with it at first, not until now. My first black ink cartridge ran out. Not surprising; I like to use B&W only to save color ink. But, after a few printouts of the second B& W cartridge I have a big problem: this printer will not print unless ALL cartridges have ink in them. One of the reasons I wanted an epson is that I liked the idea of separate cartridges. I thought this would SAVE me money and ink by only requiring me to replace empty cartridges. But, when the printer runs, every time, even if only black ink is used, it uses color ink. And, it subtracts it on a counter which is attached to the chip attached to the cartridge. This means I cannot trick the printer into thinking I replaced the ink, because the ink level is stored on the cartridge itself. This means with my new, second, almost entirely full black cartridge, I cannot print, PERIOD, until ALL colored ink cartridges are replaced. Not only does it make me mad that I can't use my black ink unless I spend [...](US) on color cartridges, the last time I printed in color, my cartridges were nearly half full. Not to mention, I have also had problems with ink clogs, which seem to be common with the CX line. This thing is a [...] Save your money, or buy an HP or other product. :-P
  
  The scanner does work well, and can go straight to PDF; I wouldn't recommend it for large documents, though, as there is no way to add a new page after the PDF is compiled without rescanning all pages of the document.
  
  
• Not top notch
  By AYUUO2GCLMY29 on 2006-01-09
  This is a printer to use mostly as a black & white. The color prints out well but don't use for photos. The ink runs out quickly. Copying photos doesn't work, the colors blend into each other and you don't get a clear image. It's an ok little printer. For me, it's just a 4th printer I have in my bedroom. I'm spoiled and I want to print from whatever room I'm in. So it works well as an extra printer but if you want it for a main printer...try to find a different one. The HP printers are very good.
  
  
• i will never buy an epson printer again!
  By A2OBP128Z9FWSK on 2006-01-26
  My epson cx4800 printer has already been replaced once under warranty and now the print heads have dried out yet again (if not used for a couple days...) the problem is that if the colored inks are running low, you cannot perform the head cleaning task. My black ink is full, yet here I sit not able to print documents. Also, as I try to print numerous documents in hopes of clearing out the heads, I watch the ink monitor going down, down, down, even though not a drop of ink is leaving the heads...hummmm. scam, I think so! It will not even print on "black ink only" b/c the colored inks are "running low" (even though this is an artifically induced condition caused by the ink monitor). I am convinced that this is the biggest scam going and I will not ever buy an epson printer again. I am not even going to buy colored inks to try and repair b/c I don't want to reward epson for this unscrupulous scam by giving more of my $. Consumers need to demand from epson that they get their money's worth from the ink cartridges as they are causing every epson owned to buy just one more cartridge in hopes of fixing this situation.
  
  
• Feel Like Gambling? Buy This Printer.
  By A3SRVTYI153YYL on 2006-03-08
  I just threw away an Epson CX5400, which is very similar to this CX4800. It stopped printing due to a design defect - an ink clog that occurs in a tube that is very difficult to fix. The bottom line is, it will last 1-2 years if you're lucky. Whereas an HP or Canon will last for many years longer.
  
  If you don't believe me, see the reviews for the CX5400, which has been out longer and has had time to accumulate a lot of reviews.
  
  
• Good value for the money, but lingering long-term doubts
  By ASDFYMJ1MTPE7 on 2006-02-24
  I've had my CX4800 for two months now and I am pretty satisfied with it. The output quality is pretty good at the second lowest setting, and it does not seem to waste ink. My printing needs are light to moderate, and I have yet to replace a cartridge. The 4800 is faster and quieter than my old Epson C86, but not much larger. I've used the scanner several times and it does a very good job, although the software does not provide extensive controls. Other reviewers incorrectly state that the card readers can't be used to move files to and from the computer--they definitely can. I've uploaded and downloaded pictures to SD cards just by going to the appropriate removable drive icon in Windows.
  
  My one lingering concern, and the reason I don't award five stars to the CX4800, is the open question of long-term reliability. As other reviewers have noted, the print head technology used by Epson in the CX4800 (where the print head is part of the printer, and you only swap out the ink cartridges) often leads to clogged or damaged print heads within a year or two of use. I already experienced this problem with my one-year-old C86 (which forced me to upgrade to the 4800), and my parents are having the same issue with their CX4600 (the 4800's predecessor). I've heard that swapping cartridges very quickly can minimize the problem, but won't remove the risk entirely. I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. If this printer fails within the next two years, I probably will steer clear of Epson printers in the future.
  
  
• Worst printer I've ever owned
  By A2BKAZ9GZKPR17 on 2006-10-07
  I have had dozens of printers and this is easily the worst. The ink cartridges dry out after about 2 day of not printing, the print quality is fair at best, and I've had more problems with the drivers than I can remember. Stay away from this one.
  
  
• This is a lousy printer
  By A1W2I1XJLOGZBV on 2007-01-19
  We were a little disappointed when we bought this because it was a good deal slower than our old hp, but it seemed all right for awhile. Then it ran out of ink. Ever since, it has been one huge headache. After we replaced the black cartridge, it has periodically left white streaks that make the page unreadable. Troubleshooter said to clean the printheads, so we did. Repeatedly. We still had the problem, and head cleaning uses up all your ink.
  
  Speaking of ink, that is the biggest ripoff of this printer. The separate cartridges supposedly save you money, since you only replace the one that's out, but our colors ALL ran out on the same print job. Can you say IMPOSSIBLE???? We have discovered that these cartridges have a "smart" chip that tells the computer when the ink is low. It was still printing very blackly, and we weren't using ANY colored ink, but suddenly the whole thing shuts down, and you can't print at all, because the "smart" chip has decided it's out of color. We couldn't print until we got new cartridges.
  
  I am really disappointed that a company like Epson would stoop so low as to purposely engineer a product that costs its customers money, time, and frustration, but that's exactly what it's looking like to me.
  
  Today we went and bought three color cartridges so that we could complete our _black and white print_ job, and now it won't print readably at all--just streaks. We have spent a good bit of time with tech support, but it doesn't sound as if we're ever going to get any satisfaction. None of them have a clue.
  
  We are wishing like crazy we'd bought another hp, and not given in to the siren song of separate ink cartridges and wasted our money on this one!
  
  Take my advice and DON'T buy one. We've heard that there's been a lawsuit over this printer, and I believe it was appropriate!
  
  
• Outstanding Value for the Money
  By A1NBHCUKKG7WX3 on 2006-02-07
  This is my second EPSON printer. My first lasted a faithful seven years, and by a mistake of my own it broke. Knowing how reliable EPSON printers were I did my homework and settled on this model. What a dream machine!! In less than an hour, setup was complete and I was scanning, copying, and printing like a pro. This machine is super easy to set up. The quality of the print for an inkjet is wonderful! I hope this one last as long as my first. I have already fell in love with it:) Very highly recommended!!
  
  
• I wish there was a -5 stars for any epson printer
  By AH29DEC3539X on 2006-02-19
  I am never buying an Epson again! I have had an Epson printer from the first time I bought one, the last one I purshased was like 7 years ago and finally I could not find ink cartridges so I went to buy a new one thinking that since the last one was great I should have no problems, think again! they claim a rebate buy they give you a debit card that if you don't use quick it drains the funds immediatelly! The ink costs just as much as the printer and they go fast very small and then 15 days after the warranty expired...the damn thing broke, besides their costumer service is awful, they don't have a free 1800 number and they take forever to tell you that there is nothing they can do so you have to take it to their repair service.....trust me, do not buy an epson...buy other brands instead, this company is going down
  
  
• Don't Buy Epson CX (perhaps just avoid EPSON)
  By A1H13730K98RQ8 on 2006-04-30
  I bought my EPSON STYLUS CX1500 ALL-in-ONE inkjet printer exactly 18 months ago(one and a half year) and now it CANNOT print, scan, photocopy, and the WORST of all, it does NOT allow me to replace the nearly empty color ink cartridge. The Black ink cartridge is still 80% full and the color ink cartridge is about 20-30% full. I have read other people' reviews on EPSON printer and my CX1500 has the same problem.
  
  EPSON printer does not work if one of the cartridge is low in ink. Since the BLACK ink cartridge is at the outter end of the print head, the print head MIGHT still automatically move to ink replacement position when I press the Ink button to replace an empty Black Ink cartridge. But in this case, the color ink cartridge is low in ink. After ignoring the pop up screen message of ink replacement several times and after using the sub-standard EPSON printer for 18 months, the CX1500 now simply stops functioning. The red light of Ink button is always ON (not flashing)and other LED light are off when I start the printer. I press the INK button for about 20 seconds, the print head still has no movement.
  
  The CX1500 costs hk$788 and the EPSON Technical support person told me it would cost HK$550 to repair the printer. I would not have purchased this EPSON printer if I had not been in a hurry to replace my HP printer(it worked well for 4 years) and if the Fortress Guy had not said so many good things about this printer (Oh yes, Fortress is Not good as well). I knew HP was good and I thought EPSON printers were good as well. I was willing to buy a quality printer even though the price was a bit higher. Now I have to buy another one and I don't have much to spend at the moment. :-(
  
  If you still believe in an EPSON, go for it, but be prepared to buy another one after a year or so. I just don't understand how can a EPSON printer last for 7 years.
  
  
  
  
• AVOID EPSON PRINTERS! THEY SUCK!!!
  By A1YG9IU3C33EZ0 on 2007-01-31
  This is the second Epson all in one printer we've owned. We owned HP deskjets until purchasing our first Epson. We needed the scan feature, and thought it would be cool to have a new printer so we opted for our first all in one from Epson. Well it worked fine out of the box, then the ink ran out. We replaced the cartridges and the printer wouldn't print. We cleaned the heads several times only to use up the ink, and it still wouldn't print. So we bought more ink, and had the same problem.
  
  Finally in desperation, I searched the net to find out Epson is known for having clogged ink nozzles. So I contacted Epson, and after dealing with the run around and telling them how we bought 3 sets of their ink and nothing fixed our problem, they finally gave in a agreed to send us a new CX4800.
  
  Well it worked until we replaced the ink, and now we are faced with the same scenario as the first printer. I'm so MAD, I will NEVER BUY ANOTHER Epson printer, NEVER! Consider yourself warned.
  
  
• Don't Buy Epson
  By A35N4ZS6YBBVPM on 2006-03-26
  Epson printers have a design defect that causes them to fail between 6 and 18 months. Just read the reviews for other Epson printers. When you call customer support they will offer to repair it, even though the warranty may be up. After buying a box and the packing to protect the printer, you will be out another $10. Do yourself a favor, look elswhere unless you don't mind being without a printer for 6-10 weeks.
  
  
• Junky crap except for scanning
  By A3GYFVHF8WRWNN on 2006-04-22
  Save your money. I printed a photo (non epson paper) and it came out like a blob. they say use epson printer paper but come on, i had a zillion $$ worth of HP. that was problem 1. from there, I printed some normal documents. after printing regular maybe 8 or 10 times, everything started coming out pink. A copy, a printed b/w document, you name it. I ran the ink cleaning program that tech support said to do. it sucked up 20% of my ink just on the test. now the printing seems ok with B&W but i still have to go drop a wad on epson paper to see if photos will print. The good news is that it is only $100 or so printer. The bad news is that I am running at about $10-$12/per page of printed text b/c the stupid thing has not worked correctly but a few times. I shyed away from HP (I have owned several HP's) b/c the reviews said they are having paper feeder problems. This is just an ink hog and calibrating the machine every 10 pages plus buying expensive paper is just a joke (and now I will have to buy more ink). The tech said if the color continues to act up, calibrate again but cautioned me that it would suck out alot more ink. I will give it a few more tries and then it is off to Good Will with this junker. I will lick my wounds and buy an HP from Costco so at least I know I can return it. Save your money. Epson is terrible. HP may have problems too but I have never had any like these and don't have to buy ink very often. More junk for the land fills.
  
  
• You Could Do Worse!
  By A1V1X6VFGPJEWJ on 2006-01-31
  Recently, I chose to buy this printer when my HP Deskjet began acting flakey after many years of faithful service. I'm not sorry I bought it . . . it fits my general applications well. In the past, I've mostly gone with HP equipment (as the old saying goes, "No one ever got fired for buying an HP for the office!") and I was satisfied with their performance, until lately. After doing a bit of research -- and after looking at the line of individual pieces of equipment stacked in my home-office (i.e., fax, copier, printer, etc, etc.) -- I decided on the Epson Stylus CX4800 All-In-One. Though I'm still getting "comfortable" with the machine, I'm surprised at the results, (I think the individual ink cartridges help make a difference over my previous HP equipment.) Used properly, the printer and Epson software exceed my expectations. For the price, it's a darn good value. Of course, you can't compare this machine to -- or expect it to produce the same results as -- specialized machines costing hundreds of dollars more, in spite of what you see in TV commercials. Keep in mind that this is an "all-in-one" device and as such there is some very minor trade-off between each role the device plays. But, this machine does a very nice job for the price class and kind of device it is. If you expect superior photographic printouts of camera-ready quality, you might want to consider specialized equipment built for that purpose. Looking for a good, inexpensive, all around printing device? You could do worse than this machine!
  
  
• Great Machine
  By AOFC2FVKWJJMC on 2006-02-02
  It does all it says it will do, is intuitive and easy to use. The print quality is excellent; my wife and I like it!
  
  
• it'll last for a year
  By A1URDC8A5PP9PR on 2006-04-04
  I bought the CX4600 and it lasted one year to the day, just after spending $60 on new ink cartidges.
  
  
• cheap, works fine, but it is annoying.
  By A2SIPYGHXKDRPR on 2006-05-10
  This printer is fine. It's cheap and scans. What more could you want for the price. I am annoyed that if one of the color cartridges runs out of ink I cannot print in black and white, but it's working. My last HP stopped working after a couple of years. My original Epson was fantastic. I guess I just need to get comfortable with the idea of buying a new printer every two years?
  
  

• Final Draft 7 Professional Scriptwriting Win/Mac
• PDF Converter Professional 5.0
• Epson Magenta Ink Cartridge (T060320)
• Epson Color Multi-pack Ink Cartridges (TO60520)
• Epson Cyan Ink Cartridge (T060220)

• Epson Color Multi-pack Ink Cartridges (TO60520)
• Epson Black Ink Cartridge (T060120)
• 10-Packs Compatible Inkjet Cartridges For Epson STYLUS C88 / CX3800 / CX3810 / CX4200 / CX4800 / CX5800F / CX7800
• Cp Technologies USB2.0 To Ide Adapter with Power
• Epson Stylus CX8400 Color All-in-One Printer