All-in-one convenience (Epson Stylus SX600FW)

Member Name: tanyatigerlily

Product:	Epson Stylus SX600FW
Date:	16/08/09 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wireless connection to our iMac

Disadvantages: Quality of photo printing, can only put one page at a time in the feeder tray

Last year my husband and I invested in an Apple iMac and part of the deal included a discount price on the Epson Stylus SX600FW. As it was the best option for WiFi connection to our iMac we made the decision to buy it, even though at about £130 it was considerably more expensive than the other printers on offer. Its wireless function to the iMac (which is in another room) is brilliant and we have never had any problems with the connection. We have the Epson connected up to our PC using the wired connection. The convenience of being able to print from both computers is great. As a multi-purpose printer the Epson is very good. It functions as a printer, scanner, fax and photocopier. All its functions work brilliantly except for photo printing. It is advertised as a good photo printer and you get a sample pack of photo paper when you buy the printer. I have tried printing photographs twice and both times the quality was shockingly bad. It might be that I do not have the printer on the correct settings, but I would expect its factory settings to be good. This little problem does not really bother me as I did not buy the printer for printing photographs.
In general the Epson is a stylish, black printer which is quite bulky due to all its functions. The pull-out tray at the front is a bit flimsy and tends to get stuck when pulling it in and out. One other area where the printer falls short is the feeder tray for the fax. It works beautifully when you feed in 1 page at a time, but feeds through 2 - 3 pages at the same time if you have a pile of documents to fax. One of the best features of the printer is that the control panel on the front can be pulled forward and angled for a better view. The buttons are clearly marked and easy to use. It also has a nice, clear LCD screen on the front control panel.
Depending on usage, the 4 ink cartridges seem to last a very long time. I have only recently needed to replace 2 of the cartridges for the first time in almost a year (the other 2 colours are on their last legs). The Epson will tell you when to replace the cartridges and it is very easy to do. To replace the cartridges it is best to buy a bulk pack with all 4 cartridges for about £36.
When we bought the Epson we initially had some difficulty getting it all connected up and working, but after trial and error we managed to get everything working smoothly and have never looked back.
PS. The quick rating bar graph below insisted that it wanted a battery life rating! As with other printers, this one simple plugs into the wall socket.

Summary: A great printer with a variety of features which gets used daily in our house

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