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Epson Stylus Photo R1900

*Est. $300

Reviewed

May 2011

by ConsumerSearch

Pros

Excellent glossy photos
Great skin tones
Very accurate colors
Prints up to 13 inches by 44 inches

Cons

Expensive replacement cartridges
Early complaints of defective cartridges
Too costly to use as a text printer
Mac users cite initial difficulties

Where to Buy

for $499.99

Our Analysis
Specs
110 Amazon Reviews

Some reviews say the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 -- recently replaced by the very similar Epson Stylus Photo R2000 -- 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; early user reviews reported problems with defective replacements, but recent reviews don't mention these problems. Reviews say the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 delivers especially true skin tones due to an orange ink cartridge. It accepts roll paper as well as cut sheets and can print borderless photos up to 13 inches by 44 inches. While Macworld rates the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 highly, some Mac users at Amazon.com indicate compatibility problems initially. If you can afford to spend more, the Canon Pixma Pro9000 Mark II (Discontinued) impresses experts even more with its professional-quality photos.

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 90 owner reviews at Amazon.com.

Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II Inkjet Photo Printer (3295B002)

from Amazon.com

New: $499.99

Average Customer Review:

Where To Buy

Epson Stylus Photo R1900 Large Format Photo Printer (C11C698201)
(110 reviews) Buy new: $299.99 4 New from $499.99

Our Sources

1. PCMag.com

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 more than 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

3. Macworld

Macworld does hands-on testing and assigns a numerical score (4.5 out of 5). 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, Dec. 16, 2008

5. Shutterbug.com

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 90 owner reviews here are positive, about a third express dissatisfaction with the Epson Stylus Photo R1900. Several of these are older complaints about defective replacement ink cartridges in 2008.

Review: Epson Stylus Photo R1900 Large Format Photo Printer (C11C698201), Contributors to Amazon.com

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