★★★★★ 5
4 years on - Still - A very good printer, if you can ignore its demands to update firmware
Style: WF-7840, Set: DUAL TRAY (500 sheets)/FAX/ADF/PRINT/COPY/SCAN
Summary:
It is an excellent printer (4.6 out of 5) if you don't mind its constant requirements to update the firmware, which I have not since the day I bought it. I have had this printer for over a year. It has printed close to 5,000 pages of different sizes, papers, colors and document types. As someone said in the other posts (a big thank you), firmware update is only to drive users to get Epson's proprietary ink cartridges. When the printer harasses me to update the firmware, I just keep on ignoring it. Epson does a good job to harass you both on the printer and computer - just ignore it.
Pros:
1. Only printer for <$500, which could print Ledger paper (11x17), which was a must for me. This thing prints beautiful and very crisp AutoCAD drawings. The lineweights and scales are phenomenal.
2. Excellent printing quality using stock and generic print cartridges. The printer can be really customized to get the right tones and textures for your print. Works very well with heavy stock papers and photo papers. I am yet to try any stickers, but I do not foresee any issues with it.
3. Good printing speed. It is not blazing like the commercial printers you find in the offices, but it is very fast for what it does.
4. Excellent connectivity. I had no issues with using either Ethernet or wireless. The printer can print on my Windows devices and Mac machine. I do not print from my phone, so cannot comment on that.
5. Heavy duty. The printer has printed approx. 5,000 pages so far without any troubles. I have not seen it overheat nor do any weird activities when it is printing.
Indifferent:
1. Scanning. While scanning quality is very good, the direct scan option is cumbersome. You cannot use the scan button on the printer to scan into the computer disk. You have to go to the computer and activate the scan software to perform scanning. This can be an issue, if you have a setup where your office is on one floor and the printer is on another, like I have in my home.
Cons:
1. Heavy. This thing is decently heavy and bulky. Don't try to keep on moving it or have it in your mobile office. Also, make sure to have a good sturdy and stable table. The printer twerks, jerks, sashays, parries.
2. Constant harassment to update the firmware. It can sometime be very annoying, but that's a small price to pay, if you get to ignore it. Look at the bigger picture.
Price:
When I bought it, the price was just below 3 bills, I understand it has gone up by half a bill (however, I am seeing the price going >$400 on some occasions). The new price of 3 and a half is not bad given the shape of the economy and supply chain issues. Also, the OEM cartridges (812) are cheaper at Staples than trying to Subscribe and Save here.
Bottom-line: A very good printer, if you ignore and disprove its petulance to update itself.
Update 3/23/2023 - I have had it now for over 2 years. The printer continues to print flawlessly and as of now has little under 10,000 pages printed of different sizes and paper weights. It still begs to update its firmware, which I have not done since its purchase. The only wishlist item I have for this printer is if it were to come with the Epson ink-tank.
Update 3/28/2024 - Three years into it I have, still not updated it. The printer continues the work. I have now printed about 12,000 pages. In December, after I replaced all my cartridges, it started missing colors' tones, textures, and locations. Did full printer head alignment and cleaning twice (instructions are clear on the printer screen under Settings-> Maintenance menu). Printed test pages, and now it is working flawlessly.
Update 3/20/2025 - Marks 4 years of running this printer. Definitely the least amount of pages printed annually - about 1,500. No firmware update performed and it still cries to update. Still running strong on both inks - generic and branded. There is a seller on eBay that offers XL cartridges for the colored ones too. Definitely worth giving a shot. If you are in a market for a prosumer printer consider this one in your list, if you can get it below $300.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2022
