The Epson EcoTank ET-3850 is an all-in-one inkjet printer with a supertank that works with Epson’s T502 ink. It can connect via Wi-Fi, USB, or Ethernet. It works with Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service, and the Epson Smart Panel mobile app can be used with it. It has an automatic feeder, but it doesn’t support scanning on both sides or work as a fax machine. It has a 250-sheet input tray and can automatically print on both sides of a page.
1. Design
The Epson EcoTank ET-3850 seems to be put together pretty well. The body feels sturdy, but the automatic document feeder on top feels thin and flimsy, and it makes noise when moved. The design is pretty user-friendly, as the ink tanks and paper jams are easy to get to.
The main complaint is that the scanner’s lid doesn’t have a dampener, so it will slam shut if you don’t raise it slowly and make sure it’s locked. Also, it’s hard to lock the lid in that open position.
Like most inkjet printers, the printheads on the Epson EcoTank ET-3850 can get clogged up if you don’t use it for a while. There are a few built-in maintenance functions, like printhead cleaning, power cleaning, printhead alignment, and nozzle check, that can be used to fix any problems with clogging or print quality.
There is also a paper guide cleaning feature that helps get rid of dust that could get in the way of prints as they move through the paper feeders. Most clogging problems can be fixed by cleaning the printhead, but you may have to do it more than once to get good results.
There is a maintenance box that collects the ink that is flushed out when the printhead is cleaned. You will need to replace this box at some point. In the menu, there is a feature that lets you know when the maintenance box is full.
The ink tanks give you a lot of prints, so you won’t have to refill the ink very often. You just need to keep an eye on the ink levels and make sure they don’t get too low. If you do, air bubbles can get into the tubes and damage the printer. It’s easy to fill the tank; just lift the scanner to get to the cover of the ink tank.
For paper jams, you can get to the sheet rollers through a panel on the back of the printer or by lifting the cover of the automatic feeder. The paper tray can hold 250 sheets, which is a pretty good amount, so you probably won’t have to fill it up too often.
The screen on the Epson ET-3850 is fine. Whether you’re sitting or standing, it’s easy to see, and you can also tilt the front panel to see better. From the side, though, it’s hard to tell. It’s not touch-sensitive and doesn’t have a numeric keypad, so you have to use the arrow keys to enter passwords to connect the printer to Wi-Fi.
2. Document
The quality of color documents that are printed is good. Text is easy to read, and colors look good, even though they are grainy. As you can see in the header of the sample document, there is sometimes a purple tint when you print. You can see finer details, but not as well as when you only print in black and white.
Documents in black and white look great when they are printed. Text looks clear and has all of its finer parts. But the colors look grainy, and there are a few small vertical bands.
3. Photo
The Epson ET-3850 is not good at getting colors right. Most colors, especially blues and greens, look wrong on it, and grays have a purple tint. This level of accuracy is fine for printing the occasional casual photo, since printed photos still look pretty natural, but it’s not great for professional work that needs exact color reproduction.
4. Mobile apps and connectivity
The Epson Smart Panel app for phones can do a lot of different things. You can use the app to print, copy, scan (using the camera on your phone or a scanner), and do maintenance tasks like checking the nozzles or cleaning the printhead. Through the app, you can also buy new ink.
The iOS version of the app can’t directly print Microsoft Office files because it doesn’t show the document correctly and instead shows a mobile version of the print.
All View
The Epson EcoTank ET-3850 is, all things considered, a good printer. Even compared to other supertanks in its class, its ink tank can print a very large number of pages, making it one of the best choices for high-volume printing. It also has a wider range of colors than other printers of the same type, but the photos it makes are very grainy.
The Epson EcoTank ET-3850 is a great printer for small offices or for use at home. It makes high-quality documents, and its ink tank can print a huge number of black or color pages, which is great for offices that print a lot. It prints black documents pretty quickly, but color documents take a long time. Also, it doesn’t let you scan on both sides at once, so you’ll have to do that by hand.
