- Good document print quality
- Very fast at lower quality settings
- Cheap per-page ink costs
- Ethernet port for network sharing
- Mixed photo quality
- Auto duplexer sometimes jams
- Duplexer and highest-quality print settings are slow
- Fairly large and loud
Fast, cheap color document printing is the Epson B-510DN's strength. Reviews say it beats many color laser printers in this regard. Using the lower-quality default print settings, you'll spend about 1 cent per black-and-white page and 3.5 cents per color page (according to Epson's estimates) if you buy the biggest ink tanks. Black-text documents churn out at a rate of just under 20 pages per minute in two expert tests, and another source manages 18 pages per minute in black or color. More than one expert finds the B-510DN too big and loud to share a desk with, but that big chassis houses business-friendly features like an Ethernet port for network sharing, a 500-sheet paper cassette and a separate 150-sheet input tray (so you can keep two kinds of paper -- such as plain and letterhead -- loaded at the same time), and an automatic duplexer to print on both sides of the paper.
Testers say the duplexer works very slowly, and it repeatedly jams in one test. The other main drawback is photo printing: The B-510DN doesn't have a setting for glossy photo paper. You're supposed to use Epson's matte presentation paper, which looks and feels more like regular paper. Opinions vary on the resulting print quality -- some critics say it's true photo quality, while others find it adequate. One tester feeds in some glossy photo paper and says the results aren't as good as cheaper inkjets' -- although better than a color laser. Overall, the B-510DN remains a runner-up to less expensive printers like the office-oriented HP Officejet 6000 Wireless (*Est. $80).
Several reliable sources thoroughly test the Epson B-510DN, evaluating its print speed and quality (although they base print costs on Epson's estimates). PCMag.com, PC World, ComputerShopper.com, PrinterComparison.com and HardwareCentral.com publish comprehensive reviews.
| Epson B300, B310N, B500DN and B510DN Maintenance Box, Waste Ink Box, Maintenance Tank, Waste Ink Cartridge, Waste Ink Tank | |
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Our Sources
1. PCMag.com
It's extremely fast and extremely cheap to run (according to Epson's ink claims), making the Epson B-510DN a PCMag Editors' Choice. However, if you choose the higher-quality setting, prints will be slower and costlier. Photos are "true photo quality" on Epson's presentation matte paper, which looks and feels like plain paper -- "but you wouldn't know that if the photo were mounted in a frame behind glass," M. David Stone says.
Review: Epson B-510DN, M. David Stone, June 11, 2010
2. PC World
PC World names the Epson B-510DN one of its top five inkjet printers. Testers here agree with PCMag.com that the B-510DN "rivals color lasers with its high speed and low ink costs," and photos look good on Epson's matte paper.
Review: Epson B-510DN Business Color Inkjet Printer, Jon L. Jacobi and Melissa Riofrio, July 13, 2010
3. Computer Shopper
The Epson B-510DN is an Editors' Choice here, again thanks to its fast printing and low cost per page. David English says "printed text isn't quite laser-quality," however, and photos printed on photo paper don't look as good as other inkjets'.
Review: Epson B-510DN, David English, April 2010
4. PrinterComparison.com
Sarah Meyer finds some problems with the Epson B-510DN. She gets multiple paper jams while trying to use the auto duplexer, and photos don't look as good as cheaper inkjet printers'. Still, Meyer says the B-510DN's fast, cheap, good document printing may make it a good choice for some offices. She gives it 3 stars out of 5.
Review: Epson B-510DN Review, Sarah Meyer, Aug. 27, 2010
5. HardwareCentral.com
This reviewer is very impressed with the Epson B-510DN's print speed and low ink costs. Its draft-quality documents are quite readable, and even the next two higher quality levels are produced quickly, he says. Best-quality printing and duplex printing are slow, though. Eric Grevstad says the B-510DN printer "might not replace a color laser printer for your most critical client documents," but it's a great, cost-friendly choice for everyday printing.
Review: Printer Review: Epson B-510DN, Eric Grevstad, April 18, 2010
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