Epson ink cartridges are known for producing high quality text and vibrant photos, but with so many cartridges to choose from, how do you know which cartridge is the right fit? In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about Epson\u00ae ink!\u00a0 We\u2019ll review the types of cartridges Epson sells, the pros and cons of\u00a0 printing with their popular EcoTank printer series, and show you some easy troubleshooting tips too so you can get the most out of your Epson printer.<\/p>\n
Epson printers use individual ink cartridges, which means each cartridge is filled with a specific ink color. This is unlike HP’s tricolor cartridges that contain three ink colors in one cartridge. Most printers require a set of black, cyan, magenta and yellow cartridges but if you own a photo printer, your might need a couple of additional cartridges like light cyan or light magenta.\u00a0 Essentially each cartridge is a plastic tank that\u2019s filled with ink.\u00a0 On the end of the cartridge you will find a gold chip that communicates with the printer to track ink levels so you know when it\u2019s time for a replacement.\u00a0 When the cartridge is installed into the printer, it works with a fixed printhead inside the machine to create a print.<\/p>\n
Epson ink cartridges are offered in either a standard yield or high yield \/ XL cartridge size.\u00a0 Frequent printer users are better off printing with a high yield cartridge.\u00a0 Because they are filled with more ink, they offer more prints and provide a better a long term value.\u00a0 Standard cartridges are less expensive but will run out of ink faster. \u00a0No matter which size you go with, the cartridge will install the exact same way in your printer.\u00a0 In fact, the physical cartridge size is the same regardless of the yield \u2013 the only difference is the amount of ink inside the cartridge.<\/p>\n
To illustrate the cost savings of standard and high yield ink, we\u2019ll compare the page yield and price of the Epson 702 ink cartridge series.\u00a0 Epson printers that work with this series can use either Epson 702 standard yield or 702XL high yield ink cartridges.\u00a0 Even though the Epson 702 standard yield is cheaper, it has a higher cost per page due to the limited volume of ink that\u2019s inside.\u00a0 The high yield on the other hand, is a more expensive but you get more value from it because it prints more pages at a lower operating cost.<\/p>\n
| Cartridge Series<\/th> | OEM Price*<\/th> | Page Yield<\/th> | Cost Per Page<\/th><\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epson 702 Standard Yield Black<\/td> | $19.99 <\/td> | 350 Pages<\/td> | 5.7 cents<\/td> <\/tr>\n |
| Epson 702XL High Yield Black<\/td> | $39.99 <\/td> | 1,100 Pages<\/td> | 3.6 cents<\/td> <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n |