- Scanner Type: Color flatbed, automatic two-sided ADF
- 15 ISO ppm black, 9.3 ISO ppm color
- 2-sided ISO ppm: 7.4 blk/5.4clr
- 500-sheet paper capacity
- Low ink cost, Voltage: 100v - 120v
I have been using HP printers almost exclusively for over 20 years but my last three HP Printers have been getting progressively worse my last one the HP 6500A was an absolute piece of junk and I am pretty sure it will be my LAST HP product. After a few weeks of research on what printer to move to and considering several Canon, Brother and Epson products I decided that the Epson 845 was probably the printer for me and boy was I RIGHT! I''ve had this printer for a little over 6 weeks and this printer is AMAZING. I paid $199 and see it for $159 now...after using it I''d gladly pay $299.
Highpoints:
Speedy this printer is much faster than the HP 6500 and the L7500 that I had before.
Print Quality I never print photos so I can''t comment on that but for business (I work from home) it is great for Powerpoint presentations and contracts. The 2 sided printing is remarkably easy to use and actually works, something that never happened on the HP 6500.
Wireless I have a home office. I and my family all use this printer. I use it for work, my kids for school and college work. This printer joined my wifi nework effortlessly and has given me 0 trouble. Amazingly simpler than my previous HPs and it "warms up" in a fraction of the time my previous HP printers needed.
Mac Compatible I have 5 Macs that use this printer. Using HP products I had just accepted that getting printer drivers working on a Mac required carrying the printer around the house and plugging the printer into the Mac that needed to access it was just part of the "setup process". The Epson 845 was UNBELIEVABLY SIMPLE. All of my Macs (2 iMacs, Macbook Pro, 2 Macbook Airs) all saw the printer on my Wifi network and immediately started working with the printer. I have NEVER had a printer work so well with my Apple Products. It is both Snow Leopard AND Lion compatible.
Screen The instrument panel is amazing. It''s HUGE, easy to see, very intuitive and actually folds away when not in use.
Copier Awesome! My HPs always made "dark" copies this one is almost perfect reproduction. Huge upgrade.
Low Points:
I only have a few items I''d improve on not really complaints but nothing is "perfect"
It''s Big This is not a petite printer. I''m not sure how much they could shrink it and keep all the features but it is full figured.
The paper trays and paper guides feel flimsy. The printer is very light despite it''s size but I am worried that I might break one of these trays or the paper guide that catches the paper as it comes out of the printer if I''m not careful. Hasn''t happened but it does worry me. Not sure what you do if this happens.
Bottom line for a home / office printer, especially one shared wirelessly between multiple users this printer is an absolute DREAM! HP I''m never coming back.
UPDATE 18 June 2012
Still using and still LOVE this printer. It''s been over 8 months and the Epson is still the best printer I''ve used in years. Reading other reviews and comments people have sent me there do seem to be two other "weak points" on this printer that I did not note above. I have NOT seen these issues but others are commenting on them. The weak points are 1) I guess you can''t scan without hooking it to your computer with a cable. I don''t do this I use a small Fuji Scansnap for receipts and such and an Epson V500 for photos. But if scanning is big for you this may be an issue. 2) Printing Pictures. Again I have NEVER done this. I send my pictures out to a service for printing (I use Apple) so I have no idea if it is a good photo printer or not.
PROs I just can''t get over how well this printer works wirelessly. I would have thrown my HPs out years ago if I knew life could be this simple! I have NEVER had to reenter my wifi passwords or network settings. I did it once and that was it. Also my niece and some of my daughter''s friends have needed to print here. It was incredibly simple for them to find, install the driver, and print from my printer once I gave them my wifi password.
Bottom Line I would buy this pinter again in a heartbeat!
Buy Epson WorkForce 845 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer (C11CB92201) Now
I obtained this printer to replace my Canon PIXMA MP460 All-In-One Photo Printer (1449B002), which worked well enough, but didn''t have faxing capabilities or other advanced features (such as networking).Networking:
The WorkForce 845 is a solid all-in-one device. Not only can it network (give multiple computers the ability to connect to it at the same time), but there are two different ways to do so. Ethernet (plugs directly into your router), and Wi-Fi (can wireless connect to the router to avoid lengthy/messy cords)--there is also the traditional USB option (which is generally used to hookup one computer). In an office environment, the capability to network is invaluable.
Ink vs. Toner alternatives:
Speaking of an office environment, EPSON boasts that this printer is a great alternative to laser printers. At the time of this review, it looks like ink replacements will cost around $70 (color and black). On a HP Laserjet CM1415FNW, the full toner kit currently costs $254.99. I did come across a third-party toner set for $84.90 (Remanufactured, I believe) which is closer to the price range of the WorkForce 845''s inkjet cartridges. Though met with mixed reviews, the cheaper toner for the HP boasts 2,000 pages for black and 1,300 for color. Whereas the black cartridge for the WorkForce reports a maximum yield of 940 pages with each color cartridge lasting up to 755 pages. Doing the math, the cheaper toner goes further than the inkjet, so the 40% printing savings could be considered a bit skewed when comparing all options. It also means you need to replace the cartridges sooner, which, in a larger office environment, can be a pain.
Something else to consider is that ink smudges when wet, toner does not.
In line with annoyances are inkjet printer heads. One of the reasons I previously bought the Canon Pixma MP460 was because the heads were built into the ink cartridges. That way, if they went bad, I just needed to replace the ink. As a former IT Professional (at a 50+ employee office), I replaced way too many EPSONs because the heads went bad. Unfortunately, like them, the WorkForce 845 has the heads built into the printer, not the cartridges, so the life of the printer is a slight concern for me (with the current cost of printers, it''s not worth paying to have them repaired).
Paper handling:
There are two paper trays. They hold a combined 500 sheets--way more than my old Canon Pixma MP460. You can see how much paper is in each tray without opening them, which is nice.
The size paper that the top tray can hold is LTR, A4, 8x10", A5, 5x7", 4x6" (Photo Paper), 3.5x5", and No.10 & C6 (Envelopes). The bottom tray (tray 2) can only hold LTR, A4, and B5. There''s no manual feed for printer paper, but there''s a manual feed for faxing, copying, and scanning. The size paper allowed for the feed is A4 and LTR/LGL. I like how the feed flap can be closed to keep the dust out when not in use (and it makes the printer look sharp, too).
Printing Photos:
There was no photo printing software included on the install CD (like the Canon Pixma MP460 had). With Microsoft Window''s default picture viewer being very limited [when it comes to printing options], a third-party program is a must (particularly when printing a 4x6 borderless photograph). After hitting up Google, I found where to download EPSON''s "Easy Photo Print" software and installed it (for free--though, it would have been nice for them to have included this on the CD). Unfortunately, after installing, I was only given the option to print in A4 and Letter on the WorkForce 845, not 4x6. So I gave up on that software and went to Photoshop.
Photoshop allowed me to select the first tray (which is the only tray that can hold 4x6 photo paper--I set tray 2 as the default and loaded it with standard 8.5x11 so that my normal printing wouldn''t conflict with my photo printing) and I was able to print borderless without any hiccups. That said, doing one image at a time in Photoshop is way too tedious (and not everyone has a copy of the $700 program. I''m sure there are other free software options out there that would work (like, perhaps, Picasa), but by this time I was done installing programs).
Plugging in devices to the printer:
That, and, I found an even easier way to print photos to the WorkForce 845. Taking a chance, I plugged in my MyTouch 4G phone directly to the USB port [on the printer] thinking that it was long shot for the two devices to speak the same language. Surprisingly, they did! The WorkForce 845 detected the photos on my phone right away. From there it let me select which ones I wanted to print (it actually showed me the full, color photo on the printer screen, too), as well as provided me with some proofing options such as fix red-eye, sharpness, saturation, contrast and brightness. Once I had the image how I wanted it, I simply clicked the print button and presto, it printed on the Photo Paper.
By bypassing the PC, it saved the need for extra software. You can also plug in a Digital Camera, Flash Drive or SD card. Pretty slick. (There are options for xD, MS PRO, and CF too.)
Included Software:
It comes with the drivers (of course), and ABBY FineReader for quick scanning and saving to Word, PDF, Excel, direct to email, etc., which also has an OCR feature (for converting images/scans to editable type). There''s also a FAX utility, Event Manager, and software for quick and easy scanning. You will, however, want another program for printing photos from a computer (as mentioned above).
Conclusion:
Overall, I''m quite happy with this printer. It has all the features I want and looks good too. I particularly like how the display is touch sensitive and can swivel up for ease of use. Installing the software was fairly simple and it even checks the Internet to see if there''s a new firmware update (which there was in my case, and it installed it for me). I do worry about the longevity (as mentioned due to the printer heads), but the price is low enough that I can just replace it if need be (technically, it''s the price of ink, not hardware, that ultimately defines overall cost). I''m not entirely convinced that an inkjet alternative is better than using a toner-based printer, but, that said, I do think this printer is a great option for home offices (or very small business). Midsized to large business should really look into something higher-end.
Read Best Reviews of Epson WorkForce 845 Wireless All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer (C11CB92201) Here
Epson WorkForce 845 Hands-on-ReviewI just purchased and setup an Epson Workforce 845, and couldn''t be happier with its speed, features, and overall value. In fact, I was surprised by the price on Amazon.com-only $199.95 when I purchased it--because I''m sure I paid more last year for the previous model Epson Workforce 840. That Workforce 840 quickly became the main inkjet printer in my home office, replacing two printers from HP and Canon that were once wired via USB to separate computers, and always running out of ink or needing cleaning. In addition to similar speed and high capacity paper trays and ink cartridges shared by the 840 and 845, wireless connectivity is another key reason I purchased the new 845, which has even more wireless features. With the 840, I was able to "cut the cords" at home, and since then my three teenagers and wife have been printing out their homework and email on the 840 using everything from their laptops to their iPhones.
This time, I got the Workforce 845 just to handle my projects in my office--although when my kids find out they can send me print jobs via the internet using the new Epson Connect feature I''m sure that''s what they''ll do when we run out of paper or ink on the home Workforce 840. Since I''m running a new service business in my area, I needed a printer like the Workforce 845 to print up lots of flyers, handouts, and mailings. Without a doubt, the incredibly fast printing speeds on the Workforce 845 and its dual paper trays (with up to 500 sheet capacity) are going to save me time, while its duplex printing capability will save me money on paper supplies.
Ok, I admit I''m one of those guys that stick flyers and coupons in your mailbox, in store windows, and on your car''s windshield. In my line of work, doing so brings helps to bring in a lot of business, and that''s one of the reasons I specifically chose the Workforce models and their DuraBrite inks. There''s nothing worse than watching my outdoor flyers turn to unreadable, abstract art when it rains--which I often experienced with flyers I made with my old HP and Canon printers. But the black and color inks on posters and flyers made with the Workforce 840 and 845 appear to be waterproof, and even a hard rain doesn''t wreck them. More likely the rainwater will cause the paper to degrade long before the inks.
As for print quality, even at its fast default settings, text is very readable on Workforce 845, with high contrast and good detail. I rarely use it to make photo prints, but occasionally family members use it to make prints directly from their digital camera memory cards on glossy 4x6 paper or on plain paper (the memory card slots handle every type of card we have except for the micro-SD cards in our camera phones, which require an SD adapter). The large 3.5-inch color preview monitor on the printer also makes it easy to adjust photos before printing, or select menu items, quality controls, and utility settings. And unlike full-page photo prints made on plain paper with other brands I''ve owned, the Epson prints are instant dry, and don''t buckle up the paper with extra moisture.
Other features that I''ve found to be well above average on the Workforce 845 are its fast, full-featured flatbed scanner (which rivals many stand-alone scanners for speed, quality, and advanced controls--but doesn''t ship with film holders!) and its related copy speed and quality. The auto document feeder has never jammed on the 840, and it appears to be the exact same mechanism on the 845. The fact that I can operate the printer, scanner, copier, and even the fax from a wifi-connected computer is also pretty amazing.
With the 840''s wifi, I also found it easy to print email and other documents from my iPad 2, but was bummed that I couldn''t do the same with my Droid Incredible phone. Now the latest versions of Epson''s free iPrint app is available for both Apple and Droid operating systems. These allow you to adjust and crop photos if desired, while Epson''s Email Print lets you use any wireless computer, phone, or tablet to send documents and photos to the printer''s Internet address.
The only features I''d like to see improved (besides including film holders for the flatbed as mentioned) are the size and capacity of the ink cartridges. I think a printer destined for office use, and sporting a 500 sheet tray, should come with larger capacity ink cartridges than the Extra-high capacity cartridges available for the 845. That way I''d get a break on ink costs over time. But I''ve got to give Epson credit for including a set of the Extra-High Capacity 127 inks in the printer box, and not skimping on the normal capacity 126 inks or even partially-filled starter inks like those found in other manufacturer''s printer boxes.
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After my HP OfficeJet died after 6 1/2 years, I began doing an in-depth analysis of all mid-range All-In-Ones multi-function printers that met my wish list. There was a tie between the Epson Workforce 875, the Canon Pixma line of AIO''s, and the HP AIO''s. I decided to go with the Epson because of the features, the reviews, and the price. It''s only been 4 hours but I''ve decided to return it.The first thing I noticed when I played with the print settings is that the Fast Economy and Economy print quality is so poor that you have to print in Normal mode just to have text you can actually read. On those 1st two modes, the print came out jagged and letters weren''t filled in all the way. I even changed out the paper to see if it printed any better it didn''t.
I then downloaded the Epson i-Print app for my iPhone and printed a picture taken with my new iPhone. I put premium glossy photo paper in the printer and printed five different ways and the pictures came out muddy and with horizontal and vertical lines. There''s no way it could compare to the prints I order from an online digital print company like Shutterfly.
Epson online support advises that users running Mac OS X 10.6 or 10.7 that wish to use the SCAN BUTTON on the front of the printer MUST connect to the printer with a USB cable. The whole entire Epson Scan software does NOT work with Mac OS X 10.6 or 10.7. (I guess it defeats the whole idea of wireless scanning). Furthermore, the ABBEY FineReader software that is included that converts scanned documents to Editable Text (OCR) is not supported on Mac OS X 10.7 either, contrary to the manufacturer''s representations.
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The Epson WorkForce 845 is an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier/fax machine that is suitable for small offices and home businesses. It''s priced right for that market segment and is a fine printer for most tasks that can be thrown at it.Set-up of this printer is nearly painless. It is actually more of a struggle getting the printer out of the box than it is to configure it for use. Once out of the box and on th desk, it requires removing the packing tape (in place to protect the printer during shipping), plugging in the ink cartridges and then waiting the requisite 5 minutes while it primes the cartridges. After this process completes, load the drivers, connect the printer at the right time and then it''s ready to go.
My first order of business was to print a test page and it dutifully cranked out a very clean, crisp print of the Epson test page. There is no banding, no smears and no disjoint lines as I have seen on older Stylus models. This is a big plus right out of the box.
Epson has adopted a standard touch screen model for manipulating their all-in-one printers and this one is no different. Switching between the different modes requires a light tap on the LCD screen to move from printing to copying to scanning, and everything is very logical and straightforward. One thing that surprised me is the printer''s ability to generate ruled papers such as wide ruled classroom paper and even graph paper. It even has the ability to generate note paper with a watermarked image. This is a nice feature, though it''s not one I will personally use.
Print quality is good. As I mentioned above there is no banding and no jagged lines. Photo print resolution is excellent as well, producing frame-suitable prints.
One of the really excellent features of this printer is the ability to connect wirelessly to a network, which makes setting up the printer anywhere very simple. Entering the security key on the screen is a minor inconvenience but it is not absurdly hard.
The printer does a very nice job of duplex printing. It is fast and it''s automatic, not requiring manual intervention.
One thing that has surprised me about this printer, however, is that the print speed is not exceptional. The test page itself took roughly 5-10 seconds to print which may not seem like a lot of time but is noticeably slower than some other printers with which I have worked. It is likely not going to be a show-stopper issue, but it is worth noting. Copy speeds are slower than print speeds as expected but are not unreasonable.
Epson includes the extra-high-capacity cartridges in the box with the printer. This is excellent. Most printers come with "starter" ink packs which don''t last long. From what I can ascertain from Epson''s specs, these should be good for about 500 pages. Time will tell.
The document feeder works well. It is nice to be able to put pages on top of the printer, hit the copy button and have the printer automate the whole process of feeding, copying and collating.
The Epson WorkForce 845 is a nice all-in-one device. It has reasonable print speeds, the output is quality and the list of features is impressive. This one costs a little more than the entry-level printer you''d find at the local electronics store but the features and print quality outweigh that price difference. If you''re looking for a midrange all-in-one, this is a good one to consider.
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