The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 inkjet printer boasts laser-like speeds, promising the performance busy businesses and home offices demand. But does this high-volume printer live up to the hype? We put the ET-5850 to the test to see if it’s worth the investment.
The EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is versatile but requires a lot of space.The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 offers versatility, but demands ample space.
Design and Build
The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is a substantial all-in-one printer, featuring two 250-sheet paper trays, a 50-sheet rear feed, and an automatic document feeder (ADF). The main tray holds standard paper, while the secondary tray accommodates photo paper and envelopes. The rear feed is perfect for specialty paper and thicker stock.
Resembling a heavy-duty laser printer, the ET-5850 is clearly designed to compete in that market segment. Its robust build is evident in its 39.2-pound weight, which while heavy for an inkjet, is comparable to many color laser printers. The printer measures 13.8 inches high, expanding to 18.1 inches with the rear feed extended. Its footprint is 16.7 inches wide by 19.7 inches deep, stretching to a considerable 32.4 inches deep with all trays fully extended.
The off-white body with black accents gives the ET-5850 a sleek appearance. Visible ink tanks, displaying actual ink colors, make it easy to monitor ink levels. A large, adjustable 4.3-inch color touchscreen simplifies navigation and control.
Printing Performance
Epson made the EcoTank Pro ET-5850 as fast as a laser printer, with better photo quality.The ET-5850 delivers laser-like speed with superior photo quality.
The ET-5850 achieves impressive print speeds of up to 25 pages per minute (ppm) for both color and black-and-white documents. Duplex printing is equally fast at 21 ppm. First-page print times are as low as 5.5 seconds, with no warm-up time required. A short wake-up time from sleep mode is easily managed with adjustable sleep timer settings.
Beyond speed, the ET-5850 delivers sharp text and vibrant colors, essential for professional documents and marketing materials. It excels at borderless photo printing, producing images with excellent color fidelity, sharp detail, and good dynamic range, even on plain paper.
EpsonImpressive print quality on both glossy and plain paper.
While dedicated photo printers with more ink colors may offer slightly better handling of high-contrast images and subtle shading, the ET-5850’s photo quality is remarkable for an all-in-one inkjet.
Features and Functionality
A convenient USB port allows easy walk-up printing at the EcoTank Pro ET-5850.Convenient walk-up printing via the front USB port.
The ET-5850 offers a comprehensive suite of features, including printing, scanning, copying, and faxing. A front USB port allows for convenient walk-up printing and scanning, while integrated cloud services provide additional flexibility. The high-quality ADF facilitates fast and efficient scanning and copying of multi-page documents.
The EcoTank Pro ET-5850 has a fast, high-quality ADF.The high-speed ADF simplifies document management.
Scan quality is excellent, with resolutions up to 1,200 dpi available from both the flatbed and ADF. Scanning speeds are also impressive, particularly for duplex color copies.
Software and Connectivity
The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 comes with two full sets of ink.Two full sets of ink provide exceptional value.
Setup is straightforward, taking approximately 30 minutes. The printer comes with two full sets of ink, providing thousands of pages worth of printing. While the initial fill only reaches about 75% capacity, this is normal due to ink used during the priming process. The Epson Smart Panel app offers a user-friendly mobile printing experience. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB.
Price and Value
Epson offers unlimited ink for EcoTank Pro ET-5850 for two years.Enjoy two years of unlimited ink with registration.
At $800, the ET-5850 represents a significant investment. However, the low cost per page, coupled with two years of unlimited ink with registration, makes it a cost-effective choice for high-volume printing.
Conclusion
The Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 is a powerful and versatile inkjet printer ideal for busy offices and demanding home users. While its size and price may be considerations, its speed, features, and ink efficiency make it a compelling option for those seeking a high-volume printing solution.
