Epson Stylus Photo R2000

Bottom Line

A ComputerShopper.com and PCMag.com Editors' Choice, as well as Reviewed.com's 2012 Printer of the Year, this pro model is a value in its class. All-in-one and compact printers cost less, but artists and photographers will appreciate the R2000's color capability and performance. And if you're comfortable in this price point, you'll get your money's worth. Comparatively, the Epson Stylus Photo R3000 does better in a few areas, but you'll spend about $100 more.

Ease Of Use

Fun to experiment with paper and media options. Setting up the Epson Stylus Photo R2000 with an easy-to-use software installation file is no big deal. Reviewers suggest installing Epson's electronic manual on your computer for easy access to training and maintenance tips, and for learning to use the printer to its fullest potential.

PrinterInfo.com calls the R2000 "well-endowed" because it can print on tons of media, including almost any paper size, CDs, DVDs and canvas. The paper tray can hold up to 120 sheets, depending on thickness. A remarkable variety of print options gives you an affordable way to play with premium papers and media, although ComputerShopper.com says you may need to wait up to 24 hours for a printed DVD to completely dry.

The R2000 has seven individual ink cartridges: cyan, magenta, yellow, matte black, orange, black and gloss optimizer. This means you'll spend less money in the long run by not having to replace an entire tri-color cartridge when you're out of only magenta, for example.

Don't just install the software and toss the disc in a drawer, reviewers say. There are many things to explore, including a program for printing on CDs and DVDs. Personalizing media with a relevant picture is much more fun than just scrawling "Sam's 3^rd Birthday" in black ink on a white label.

Design

Small, but not portable. You really won't be able to print much on the R2000 without getting on your computer. There are no controls or screen on the printer itself, but this doesn't impede its functionality. While on-printer functions are limited to power, changing ink, Wi-Fi, spooling and document retrieval, ComputerShopper.com says the six buttons on the front are a bit confusing. There's a front-loaded tray for CDs and thicker paper, and a separate top-fed feeder guide for art papers. Included is a roll paper adapter that allows printing of banners and panoramas.

The R2000's lack of media card slots is disappointing, but you can work around this with a card reader. It does, however, have a parallel, Ethernet, USB and PictBridge ports. It's not meant to be a take-as-you-go printer, so this shouldn't be too much of an issue if you print from your computer.

Performance

Photos are meant to last. Editors at PrinterInfo.com and PCMag.com exhaustively test photo quality and rate the R2000 higher than the Canon Pixma MX882 (*Est. $180) , but it doesn't quite measure up to the Epson R2880 (*Est. $600) or R3000 (*Est. $640) , or the HP B8850 (*Est. $800) . To achieve best results, reviews say, don't futz with the recommended color profile; the R2000 struggles a little with blues. If you use recommended Epson papers, dark-storage photos should last 160 to 300 years, and 52 to 80 years for photos exposed to the elements.

PrinterInfo.com and PCMag.com clock the R2000 at 42 seconds and 53 seconds per 4-by-6 photo, respectively. Prints on larger surfaces take longer, matching the Epson R2880 and R3000. The R2000 is faster the HP B8850, but slower than the Canon Pixma MX882. ConsumerReports.org cites this printer's price as a negative, including photo printing costs that are rather steep at 50 cents per 4-by-6 print and more than 7 cents per page of printed text.

Networking support is suitable for a modern office, although the Epson Stylus Photo R2000 isn't as versatile as the R3000. A wireless card allows printing over a shared network, but there's no Bluetooth connectivity, which is typical of a desktop photo printer.