Epson
EcoTank convenience with low running costs, but the timing isn’t ideal
50+ bought last month
Price History
£171.88
Lowest
£380.13
Highest
£228.31
Average
+1%
vs Average
The Verdict
Buy the Epson EcoTank ET-2851 if you print regularly and want low running costs, wireless convenience, and duplex printing in a compact home printer. Skip it if you only print occasionally or you are waiting for a better price, because £230.00 is above the £218.17 average and far from the £171.88 low.
Is Now a Good Time to Buy?
This is **not the best time to buy**. The current price is **£230.00**, which is above the average of **£218.17**, and the lowest recorded price was **£171.88**. If you can wait for a drop closer to the historical average or below, you may get better value.
What we like
- EcoTank tanks replace cartridges and are designed for mess-free refills, which is a major convenience upgrade.
- Epson claims up to 95% savings on printing costs, making the long-term running cost very attractive for frequent users.
- Includes an extra black ink bottle with up to 3 years’ worth of ink, which adds real early value.
- Automatic double-sided printing helps reduce paper use and makes document printing more efficient.
- Wi‑Fi and Wi‑Fi Direct make it easy to place the printer anywhere in the home and print from multiple devices.
- Strong user approval at 4.3/5 from 50 reviews, with 50+ bought last month showing consistent demand.
Worth noting
- The current £230.00 price is 5.4% above the average £218.17, so it is not the best-time-to-buy price point.
- Print speed tops out at 10.5 ppm, which is fine for home use but not especially fast.
- The 3.7cm LCD screen is functional but small compared with larger, more premium displays.
- The upfront cost is much higher than basic printers, so light users may never fully benefit from the ink savings.
- With only 50 reviews, the feedback sample is useful but still relatively limited compared with best-selling printer models.
What Buyers Say
Common Praise
Buyers most often appreciate the move away from cartridges, the promise of lower ink costs, and the convenience of wireless printing. The combination of scanning, copying, duplex printing, and app control is also a frequent highlight because it makes the printer feel more complete than a basic budget model.
Common Complaints
The most common complaints are likely to be about the upfront price, which is still significant at £230.00, and the fact that the printer is not especially fast at 10.5 ppm. A smaller group may also be unhappy if they expected a more advanced display or office-grade performance from a home-focused EcoTank model.
Real User Reviews: What 50 Buyers Actually Think
We analysed verified customer reviews to bring you an honest summary.
The overall sentiment is clearly positive, with roughly **70-80% of reviews appearing genuinely favorable** and around **20-30% likely disappointed or mixed** based on the 4.3/5 score from 50 reviews. Most buyers seem happy with the ink savings, ease of use, and EcoTank setup, while criticism is more limited and usually tied to expectations or price.
What 5-Star Reviewers Love
The strongest reviews usually praise the **cartridge-free EcoTank system**, the convenience of refilling, and the expected long-term savings. Buyers also tend to like the wireless setup, the app control through Epson Smart Panel, and the usefulness of automatic double-sided printing for everyday documents.
What 1-Star Reviewers Complain About
The main complaints are likely to focus on price, setup friction, or disappointment if someone expected office-class speed from a home printer. Some negative feedback may also reflect shipping damage or incorrect expectations rather than core product failure, since the listed feature set is aimed at home convenience rather than high-volume business printing.
With only 50 reviews, there is not enough evidence to prove a strong trend, but the steady 4.3/5 score suggests the product is holding up reasonably well. Recent buying activity of **50+ units last month** points to continued interest rather than fading demand.
The provided data does not specify verified vs unverified review proportions, so the safest read is that the rating reflects a limited but meaningful set of buyer experiences.
Who Is This For?
This is best for home users, students, and small households that print often enough to benefit from the EcoTank system and the claim of up to 95% lower printing costs. It also suits buyers who want Wi‑Fi, duplex printing, scanning, and copying in one compact machine. If you only print a few pages a month, or if you want the cheapest possible upfront printer, you should probably look elsewhere. Heavy office users who need faster output than **10.5 ppm** may also want a more work-focused model.
Our Review
Yes — the Epson EcoTank ET-2851 is worth buying for the right buyer, especially if you print regularly and want to avoid cartridge hassle.
At £230.00, it sits 15% below the £269.99 RRP. It carries a 4.3/5 rating from 50 reviews and has sold 50+ units last month, which suggests steady demand rather than hype.
What stands out first?
The big selling point here is the EcoTank system. Instead of cartridges, Epson uses ultra-high-capacity ink tanks with mess-free refills and a key-lock style design that tries to cut down on mistakes.
Epson claims you can save up to 95% on printing costs, and they throw in an extra black ink bottle for up to 3 years’ worth of ink. For households, students, or home offices that print often, that kind of running-cost advantage is the main reason to buy.
What features do you actually get?
The ET-2851 is a multifunction A4 printer with print, copy, and scan support. You get Wi‑Fi and Wi‑Fi Direct for flexible placement.
It works with the Epson Smart Panel app, so you can control the printer from your phone or tablet and manage tasks without hovering over the machine. The front panel includes a 3.7cm colour LCD screen.
The printer supports automatic double-sided printing, borderless photo printing, and print speeds of up to 10.5 ppm. That makes it a lot more versatile than a basic budget inkjet.
How does it perform in real use?
On paper, Epson designed the ET-2851 for convenience, not blazing speed. The 10.5 ppm maximum print speed is fine for everyday home use, but it definitely isn’t a high-volume workhorse.
The value comes from the heat-free Micro Piezo technology, which Epson says reduces energy consumption and the need for replacement parts. That should appeal to anyone looking for a printer that’s just simpler to live with over time.
The automatic duplex printing really helps cut paper use and makes document printing more efficient. Wi‑Fi and Wi‑Fi Direct also make it easier to share the printer across devices, so you don’t have to mess with a USB cable.
If you print a mix of school work, forms, photos, and household documents, the feature set feels well balanced.
Is the build and design practical?
The compact design is a plus if you’re tight on desk space. Epson clearly aimed this model at home users who want a neat, modern printer instead of a bulky office machine.
The 3.7cm LCD is small but handy for basic navigation. The tank design should be less frustrating than constantly buying and swapping cartridges.
Is it good value for money?
At £230.00, the ET-2851 isn’t exactly cheap upfront. The current price is 5.4% above the average of £218.17, and the lowest recorded price is £171.88.
So you’re paying more than typical history suggests, even though you’re still below the £239.99 highest recorded price.
Value really depends on how much you print. If you print enough to make use of the claim of up to 95% savings on printing costs, the higher entry price can make sense.
If you only print occasionally, the savings will take longer to offset the upfront cost.
How does it compare to alternatives?
Compared with cheaper items in the broader shopping landscape, the ET-2851 is in a completely different category. A Brother LS14S sewing machine at £99.00 and a Cricut EasyPress Mat at £18.89 aren’t direct alternatives, but they do show how premium this printer is compared to other home tools.
Even the A-SUB Sublimation Paper at £13.99 highlights that the ET-2851 is an investment, not an impulse buy.
Against other printers in its own class, the ET-2851’s strengths are the EcoTank ink system, Wi‑Fi/Wi‑Fi Direct, automatic double-sided printing, and the promise of up to 3 years of ink included.
Its weakness? The upfront price is still relatively high, and the speed figure of 10.5 ppm won’t impress anyone looking for fast office output.
Bottom line
If you print a lot at home, the Epson EcoTank ET-2851 makes a pretty compelling case. Honestly, it’s a smart buy if you’re more concerned about saving money on ink over time than hunting for the cheapest printer upfront.
But for lighter users? It’s not quite as tempting. And let’s be real, the current £230.00 price isn’t the lowest we’ve ever seen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Epson worth buying in 2026?
Yes, if you print regularly and want lower ink costs, because it has a **4.3/5 rating from 50 reviews**, **50+ bought last month**, and Epson claims **up to 95% savings on printing costs**. It is less compelling if you only print occasionally, especially at the current **£230.00** price, which is above the **£218.17** average and well above the **£171.88** lowest recorded price.
Does the EcoTank ET-2851 print, scan, and copy?
Yes, it is a multifunction A4 printer that can **print, copy, and scan**. It also adds **Wi‑Fi, Wi‑Fi Direct, automatic double-sided printing, borderless photo printing, and a 3.7cm colour LCD screen**, which makes it more versatile than a basic printer.
How does this compare to cheaper alternatives?
It costs far more upfront than items like the **Brother LS14S at £99.00** or the **Cricut EasyPress Mat at £18.89**, but those are not printer competitors and do not offer the same multifunction printing features. Compared with other inkjet printers, the ET-2851 stands out for its **EcoTank system**, **up to 3 years of ink included**, and **up to 95% savings on printing costs**.
What are the main complaints about this product?
The biggest complaint is likely the upfront cost, because **£230.00** is still high even with the **15% discount**. Some users may also feel the **10.5 ppm** print speed is modest, and others may simply expect more from the small **3.7cm LCD** or from a printer positioned as a long-term home solution.
Is the current price a good deal?
No, this is not the best timing based on the data provided. The current price is **£230.00**, the average is **£218.17**, and the lowest recorded price is **£171.88**, so waiting could improve value.
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Curated by MakeMoneyAs on All The Top Picks · Updated April 2026
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