EmailBest Reviewed
Multifunction Printers
- Multifunction printer with fax HP Photosmart Premium Fax C309 *Est. $200
- Compact MFP with fax Epson WorkForce 610 *Est. $150
- Best budget MFP, no fax Canon Pixma MP490 *Est. $80
- Best all-in-one printer for photos, no fax Canon Pixma MP990 *Est. $200
- Tabloid-sized MFP with fax Brother MFC-6490CW *Est. $275
- Monochrome laser all-in-one printer Brother MFC-7840W *Est. $275
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- Good photo prints
- 7.8-inch tilting LCD screen
- Compact, lightweight
- Wi-Fi, Ethernet options
- Fax built in
- Subpar text printing
- Poor build quality
- Reported software problems
- Small paper tray
Reviews generally say that the Epson Artisan 800 is a good choice as a multifunction inkjet printer for photo buffs, but that it's less appropriate for an office because document printing isn't great and the main paper tray holds just 120 pages. There's a 7.8-inch tilting touch screen for viewing and editing photos, along with both Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking capability, plus the usual for an all-in-one: a copier, fax and scanner. While the Epson Artisan 800 weighs just 32 pounds, some reviews say that's because there's too much plastic -- some even call it "flimsy." Some reviewers describe the software as "buggy." Among photocentric multifunction printers, reviews are generally best for the Canon Pixma MP990 (*Est. $200), especially if you print a lot of black-and-white photos.
We found the best reviews at PCMag.com and ConsumerReports.org. Both do a lot of testing and make it simple to see how a printer rates against others. We also found thorough, credible coverage at Macworld. Reviews at CNET and DigitalTrends.com are the harshest about the Epson Artisan 800's build quality. Most of the most negative owner reviews at Amazon.com are from people who received a defective unit.
Canon PIXMA MP990 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One Printer (3749B002)
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Our Sources
M. David Stone rates the Epson Artisan 800 as "very good" and says it'll suffice for light office use, although text quality is not as impressive as photo reproduction. It can print on discs, too, and can connect wirelessly.
Review: Epson Artisan 800, M. David Stone, Dec. 4, 2008
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
The Epson Artisan 800 is among the approximately 40 multifunction printers that ConsumerReports.org tests and lists in a rankings chart. There is also a brief review. However, a subscription is required to see the coverage.
Review: All-In-One Printer Ratings, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
3. CNET
Justin Yu's evaluation of the Epson Artisan 800 is a little harsher than most reviews. Yu says the Epson Artisan 800 is fast and provides good prints, but he also cites "poor build quality and error-prone software." More than 45 owner reviews here score it about the same overall.
Review: Epson Artisan 800, Justin Yu, Nov. 6, 2008
Macworld tests heavily (publishing those lab results) and awards the Epson Artisan 800 a score of four out of five. Reviewer James Galbraith likes the 7.8-inch touch screen and the photo prints, but he says the text prints and wireless scanning leave something to be desired.
Review: Review: Epson Artisan 800, James Galbraith, Oct. 30, 2008
DigitalTrends.com doesn't review enough printers to make the Editors' Choice award it gives the Epson Artisan 800 especially meaningful, but it's a competent review otherwise. Most of the review is complimentary, but text quality, flimsy plastic parts and expensive ink get panned.
Review: Epson Artisan 800 Review, Michael Brown, Jan. 13, 2009
6. About.com
About.com's Peter Piazza gives the Epson Artisan 800 4.5 out of five stars (he gives many printers the same score). Piazza says that there's good print quality, especially on photos, and that "its large and tiltable LCD made photo editing a snap." (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Epson Artisan 800 All-In-One InkJet Printer, Peter Piazza
7. Amazon.com
More than 175 owner reviews combine to give the Epson Artisan 800 a good overall score, with about one-third of the reviewers rating it below average. Most of the negative reviews concern units that were defective right out of the box, and several say the replacements were defective as well.
Review: Epson Artisan 800 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer, Contributors to Amazon.com
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