EmailBest Reviewed
Inkjet Printers
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- Budget inkjet printer with LCD HP Photosmart D7560 *Est. $150
- Best photo quality, but expensive Epson Stylus Photo 1400 *Est. $275
- Office inkjet printer with networking HP Officejet 6000 Wireless *Est. $90
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- Excellent glossy photos
- Great skin tones
- Very accurate colors
- Expensive replacement cartridges
- Complaints about defective cartridges
- Too costly to use as a text printer
- Mac users cite initial difficulties
Some reviews say the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 offers the best glossy photo prints of any inkjet printer at this price, probably due to the gloss-enhancer function. However, some experts say the R1900 should be used almost exclusively for photos because it's expensive to run. The eight pigment-ink cartridges cost about $13 each, and some users say they've had problems with defective replacements. Reviews say the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 delivers especially true skin tones due to an orange ink cartridge. While Macworld rates the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 highly, some Mac users at Amazon.com indicate compatibility problems initially. If you don't want to spend so much, the midprice Epson Stylus Photo 1400 (*Est. $275) also gets good reviews, though it lacks the special gloss enhancer.
We found the most helpful coverage at PCMag.com, CNET and Macworld, which test printers and assign them an overall score that helps readers make fast comparisons. There is good testing and detail at Shutterbug and at the website of Popular Photography magazine, although they don't do as well in offering buying advice. We found about 65 owner reviews at Amazon.com, and some indicate major problems finding replacement cartridges that work.
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While paper jams are called a problem, PCMag.com's thorough testing shows great results on photo prints and the result is a "very good" rating. Reviewer M. David Stone points out it's primarily a photo printer and should be used only as a backup for other purposes.
Review: Epson Stylus Photo R1900, M. David Stone, Feb. 13, 2008
2. CNET
CNET tests thoroughly and gives the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 a rating of "excellent," although about 20 owner reviews score it a bit lower. Reviewer Philip Ryan says even advanced photographers will be pleased with the reproduction, including good skin tones, but there's no memory-card reader.
Review: Epson Stylus Photo R1900, Philip Ryan, Jan. 6, 2008
Macworld does hands-on testing and assigns a numerical score (4.5 out of five). The review says the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 produces the best glossies on the market at this price and is fast as well.
Review: Review: Epson Stylus Photo R1900, Rick LePage, May 16, 2008
4. PopPhoto.com
Testing is thorough at PopPhoto.com, but there is no rating system that would let you see at a glance how competing products stack up. The bottom line is the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 delivers great prints, but the eight ink cartridges are about $13 each, which makes the printer expensive to run.
Review: Printer Test: Epson Stylus Photo R1900, Michael J. McNamara, May 21, 2008
Testing is thorough here, but there's no assignment of a numeric score or ranking to help you decide between printers. The key insight is that the orange cartridge helps a lot with skin tones.
Review: Epson's Stylus Photo R1900; Color Enthusiasts Take Note, John Blackford, Aug. 2008
6. Amazon.com
Although most of the approximately 65 owner reviews are positive, about a third express dissatisfaction. Mac owners cite compatibility issues, and some users say there are defects in some replacement cartridges.
Review: Epson R1900 Large Format Photo Printer, Contributors to Amazon.com, As of Oct. 2009
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