I already have one printer in use, but when I had the chance to check out the Epson EcoTank L3550, I didn’t even think about how I would fit two printers in my tiny home workstation. However, I found out later that aside from its compact size and printing quality, there are many things to like about the Epson EcoTank L3550.
The Epson EcoTank L3550 measures only about (W x D x H) 375 x 347 x 179 mm and weighs 4.1 kg, which means you can carry it around the house without a problem. If it’s stationed in an office but needed in another room, just unplug it and bring it to where it is needed.
I thought that it’s important to note that the hardware is made from 30% recycled plastic. Epson also said that it uses 84% fewer consumables compared to ink cartridge models and over 80% recycled cardboard packaging. Simply put, it helps minimize your — and maybe your office’s — carbon footprint (that would be good in your sustainability report).
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It operates at 12W with a rated voltage of AC 220–240 V, so it would work perfectly in anyone’s home or office.
To test if it lives up to the promise of maximizing productivity, I immediately checked its speed, which is powered by PrecisionCore Printhead.
Featuring a 100-sheet rear paper tray, borderless photo printing (up to 10x15cm), and print speeds of up to 33 pages per minute in black and white and 20 pages in color for drafts. Regular printing is up to 15 ipm for BW and 8 ipm for color.
It delivered in text-only prints for both BW and color and just had a little hump, just a few seconds slower than claimed when I added some drawings or images. But it was so minimal you wouldn’t even notice it if I weren’t testing it and consciously checking the time.
The output tray can hold up to 30 sheets, while the paper tray capacity is 100 sheets. If you require large-volume printing, you don’t have to constantly look at it to check and just do other things while waiting for it to finish.
Scanning or copying
Those who are thinking of using it as some sort of copier can do so as it can scan 30 copies for maximum copies from standalone at 600 x 600 dpi maximum copy resolution. The flatbed scanner has an optical resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi and a maximum scan area of 216 x 297 mm. In grayscale, the L3550 is designed with 16-bit input, 8-bit output, and in color 48-bit input, 24-bit output.
The printer offers lower power consumption, thanks to its Epson Heat-Free Technology, which requires no heat during the ink ejection process. With a minimum droplet size of 3.3 pl, prints are assured of 4800 x 1200 dpi (with Variable-Sized Droplet Technology).
One letdown for me, at least in the printing process, is that it didn’t have automatic 2-sided printing. It would have been easier for large-volume prints such as brochures or even for review materials in school.
While I do not have two years to check if each set of ink bottles indeed has an ultra-high yield of up to 7,300 pages, I believe that it is worth checking out if you want to save on costs.
The Epson Smart Panel app, which can be downloaded easily, can save you time. You can just turn the power on and off at your seat or anywhere the proximity allows. This app helps you monitor whatever activity the printer is required to do at the moment.
The printer I used is already refilled with ink, but for your information, Epson’s ink bottles are designed with a unique bottle nozzle for spill-free and error-free refilling. The company ensures that every bottle is individually sealed to ensure the purity of ink and comes with a smart tip designed for mess-free refills.
Just one last note, I didn’t get to test the Photo Default printing which can do so for 10 x 15 cm size. Maybe depending on the elements of the photo, the Epson L3550 printer offers about 69 sec per photo with a border and 90 seconds per photo for borderless.
There is no denying, though, that the Epson EcoTank L3550 ink printer can be a perfect small space companion that performs low-intensity office or home tasks. If you are environmentally conscious, note that Epson is transitioning to 100% renewable electricity at all group sites worldwide and is consciously designing its products to be more sustainable to minimize e-waste.