Review: Epson Expression Premium XP-800 Small-in-One Printer
The $279 (as of 11/16/2012) Epson Expression Premium XP-800 Small-in-one Printer, hereinafter referred to as the XP-800 for all of our sakes, is a very competent, full-featured inkjet multifunction printer (MFP). It can copy, fax, scan, and print on specially coated optical media as well as paper. Print quality is exceptional. It will handle your small- and home-office chores with aplomb--and a bit of cash: Ink costs are on the high side.
Physically, the XP-800 is smaller than the average MFP, at 15.4 inches wide by 13.3 inches deep by 7.5 inches tall when all doors and trays are closed. It's colored a sparkly midnight blue that looks different depending on the angle from which you view it. Said control panel, with its 3.5-inch touchscreen display, is well thought-out, though it would be nice to have all the contextually lit buttons on one side. As it stands, you must occasionally jump to the other side of the display. Generally speaking, however, the XP-800 is quite easy to use.
Setting up the XP-800 is also easy. We used Wi-Fi, but there's ethernet and USB connectivity as well. The software is Epson's usual competent bundle, with scanning support. Epson also offers an array of apps for printing from iOS and Android devices, as well as via email. Alas, while there's a setup sheet, the user's guide is available online only, so you'll need an Internet connection to view it. Why Epson won't put a version on the installation CD (and hasn’t for years) remains a mystery.
The XP-800 has great paper handling, but middling capacity. It automatically prints in duplex, and it scans two-sided as well using the 30-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF). However, the bottom-mounted main paper tray holds only 100 sheets, and that's a tight squeeze. A 30-sheet photo tray is integrated into the bottom tray, and a rear feed can be used for one-offs and legal-sized paper. A caddy stored underneath the unit is used to feed printable optical media, using a slot above the front 50-sheet output tray. Additionally, there's a USB/PictBridge port and, behind a small door, very well-marked card slots for Compact Flash, Memory Stick, and Secure Digital media.
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