Epson Expression Premium XP-7100
MSRP $239.99
“Epson’s Expression Premium XP-7100 delivers unbelievable pictures on par with far more costly fashions.”
Professionals
- Glorious picture printer
- Quick shade prints
- Compact dimension
- Low value
- Thumb drive and SD card help
Cons
- Excessive cost-per-page for shade
- 300 dpi cell scans
- Envelope printing failed
Epson’s Expression Premium XP-7100 is an all-in-one printer that’s optimized for pictures, however sale costs place it within the funds class. At $150, we puzzled simply how good a photograph printer it’s. We additionally examined its pace, ease of use, and the long-term prices of this cartridge-based printer to seek out out if it gives sufficient high quality and worth.
Design
The XP-7100’s black shade matches its premium aspirations and would slot in properly in a house picture studio. Dwelling printers which can be meant for informal use are sometimes white to mix in with the decor extra simply.
I don’t thoughts the textured black prime, and the shiny faceted corners look good. It’s additionally compact, notably for an all-in-one printer that features an computerized doc feeder (ADF). It stands simply 8.1 inches tall with the ADF panel open for scanning. To entry the flatbed scanner, it is advisable raise the lid.
The footprint is 15.24 inches vast by 14.5 inches lengthy when the trays are closed. Epson gave the Expression Premium XP-7100 a intelligent computerized output tray that extends when printing. The massive 4.3-inch shade touchscreen panel mechanically tilts up on the similar time. That will increase the size to 23.5 inches.
There’s a USB port on the entrance for straightforward walk-up printing and scanning through a thumb drive. Its reminiscence card slot accepts SD, SDHC, SDXC, and microSD with an adapter.
The primary paper tray tucks below the underside and is remarkably skinny for such a multifunctional mechanism. It’s utterly detachable, holds 100 sheets of paper as much as 14 inches lengthy, has a built-in picture tray, and features a holder to print immediately on CDs and DVDs. Envelopes and specialty paper load on the rear.
Epson packed a ton of performance right into a small house. The query is whether or not high quality and pace are adequate with this compact design.
Printing efficiency
In testing, the output of the Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 was spectacular. I examined borderless full-page printing, 4×6 picture printing, and plain paper printing of quite a lot of photos. Shade constancy is superb, with detailed photographs on picture paper and respectable high quality even on plain paper.
It’s no shock that Epson is aware of the best way to construct an awesome picture printer, however I wrongly assumed there might be some tradeoff in high quality at such a low value. The Expression Premium XP-7100 makes use of a five-color Claria Premium ink system that’s practically a match for Epson’s six-color selection.
Knowledgeable photographer would possibly discover the distinction, nevertheless it was a problem for my eyes to detect the marginally higher shade constancy of Epson’s EcoTank ET-8500, a six-color premium picture printer. That’s a way more costly printer, however the ink tank financial savings would add up over time for a heavy person.
Naturally, black-and-white printing is crisp as effectively. Monochrome prints are quick at 15.8 pages per minute, and double-sided printing is supported. Shade doesn’t lag too far behind, rolling via 11 pages in a minute.
For those who’re brief on time, don’t be afraid to attempt “draft mode” pictures. Footage printed in draft lose slightly element however look virtually as good as regular print high quality, which is sort of indistinguishable from very best quality.
When printing a number of copies, it’s price checking if the draft mode is nice sufficient because it saves ink and prints a lot quicker. Actually, I doubt I might ever select the highest quality with such lovely picture prints in the usual setting. A 4×6 is completed in simply 12 seconds and appears nice.
The compact paper feed appears dependable, however two 4×6 picture papers have been pulled via at a time. This didn’t have an effect on printing and might be due to increased humidity and the inherent stickiness of picture paper. The envelope check is the one place the Expression Premium XP-7100 let me down. I merely couldn’t get an envelope to print accurately after three tries. If I discover a resolution, I’ll replace this text.
This isn’t a super workplace printer; it’s a photograph printer. If you’d like pace and dependable doc, label, and envelope printing, a laser printer is commonly a better option than an inkjet. Total, print pace and high quality have been among the many finest regardless of the envelope problem.
Particular options
The Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 is an all-in-one printer that may function a scanner and shade copier. Printing and copying are glorious, however scanning is its weak spot, at the very least the way in which I take advantage of a scanner.
When scanning to a cell gadget, I wanted the Epson iPrint app. That is an older app, and it solely helps as much as 300 dots per inch (dpi), which doesn’t present sufficient high quality for those who crop in on a scan. For those who scan to a USB thumb drive, an SD card, or a pc, there’s an choice for 600 dpi decision.
The thumb drive and reminiscence card choices are vital for me since my laptop isn’t close to the printer. The dearth of high-resolution scanning within the app looks like an oversight. Epson maintains the iPrint app, and the most recent replace was only a few weeks in the past. Maybe a repair for increased scanning density will are available in a future replace.
For a low-profile printer, Epson gave the Expression Premium XP-7100 a pleasant doc feeder. The ADF carried out effectively, rapidly and reliably scanning a number of double-sided pages. It could deal with 30 pages at a time. The flatbed scanner is fast and easy to make use of, making copies straightforward.
Software program and compatibility
With the Epson Expression Premium XP-7100, setup begins with putting in the ink cartridges and aligning the print heads. That’s fairly normal for inkjet printers, although some make use of the scanner to automate and pace up the alignment course of.
Epson’s documentation cautions that it’s best to gently shake the biggest cartridge, which is black, earlier than set up. It’s a element that’s simply missed and will trigger printing issues.
Since this can be a picture printer, there are 5 varieties of ink, together with the same old cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. There’s additionally a photograph black which works higher when printing photos.
Epson features a plastic bag to retailer the ink caps that have to be eliminated. It may be messy, so roll up your sleeves earlier than beginning.
After set up, the printer takes a couple of minutes to organize the ink cartridge. The subsequent step was connecting to Wi-Fi. Epson doesn’t point out a cell app in its fast begin information, so I linked manually. Since my printer is upstairs, I used my router’s longer-range 2.4GHz band.
Connecting through a Mac or Home windows PC is simple and easy. You’ll want to put in Epson apps to entry each function, however for printing, you need to use system software program.
From an iPhone, you’ll be able to print with out an app. On Android, I put in the Epson Print Enabler, which serves as a driver. To make use of the scanner, I found I wanted the Epson iPrint app. It additionally gives extra management over printing. Actually, the printer handles paperwork and photos effortlessly, so that you solely want the app for scanning and monitoring ink ranges out of your telephone.
Worth
The Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 retails for $240, however sale costs are nearer to $150 in a number of retailers. That makes the upfront price very low for such a high-quality picture printer and all-in-one gadget.
Lengthy-term ink prices are literally a very powerful consideration for cartridge-based inkjet printers. A four-pack of the colour cartridges prices $48.29, good for about 300 shade paperwork. That makes shade print price as a lot as 16 cents per web page.
Epson says 4 high-capacity shade cartridges final for about 650 pages. That involves $75.96, decreasing the price of a median shade doc to 12 cents. That’s higher, however nonetheless costly.
Black-and-white printing prices between 4 and 5 cents per web page, however as a photograph printer, I wouldn’t use a lot black ink.
Is that this the printer for you?
Epson’s Expression Premium XP-7100 can print lovely pictures rapidly and handles most monochrome printing duties effectively. Scanning and copying with the flatbed and doc feeder works effectively with a thumb drive, reminiscence card, and laptop.
If it is advisable do medium to high-volume picture printing, the Expression Premium XP-7100 will get costly in a rush since Epson’s Premium Claria ink cartridges are comparatively pricey for low-yield ink cartridges that require 4 to print in shade and one for monochrome.
The printer is thoughtfully designed and well-made however has some tough edges in terms of printing envelopes and scanning to a cell gadget.
Total, I used to be impressed with the print high quality, however I want the fee per web page was decrease. It’s an awesome alternative for a images fanatic who desires to often print their finest photos to share with family and friends. If you wish to print in shade each day or make numerous shade copies, one other picture printer would possibly fit your wants higher.