Extra ink colours are what separate a photo printer from an office one.
Verdict
A standard all-in-one uses four inks and prints perfectly acceptable snapshots. A photo printer adds extra inks, typically greys and additional colours, which is what produces smooth skies, neutral black and white and deeper colour. Buy the all-in-one for documents and occasional photos; buy the photo printer if you print images you intend to frame.
| Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 | Epson EcoTank ET-2800 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ink colours | Six, including grey | Four |
| Black and white photos | Neutral, smooth | Can show colour casts |
| Gradients and skies | Smooth | Can band |
| Document printing | Yes | Yes |
| Paper handling | Thicker photo stock | Standard |
| Price | Much higher | Much lower |
You print photographs you care about. The additional grey inks are the specific reason black and white prints look neutral rather than tinted, and the extra colours smooth the gradients that four-ink printers band.
Check Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 on Amazon
You mostly print documents and want photos to look good on the wall of the fridge rather than in a frame. A four-ink tank printer produces genuinely decent snapshots for a fraction of the cost.
Check Epson EcoTank ET-2800 on Amazon
More than most people expect. A mid-range printer on good photo paper beats an excellent printer on cheap paper. Match the paper profile to the printer settings, since printing a glossy image with plain paper settings wastes ink and looks flat.
Screens are backlit and usually far brighter than reflected print. Calibrating the display and soft-proofing helps, but a simpler fix is to reduce screen brightness toward paper-like levels before judging an edit.
For small volumes usually not, once you include paper, ink and failed prints. Home printing wins on control and immediacy rather than cost, which is worth being honest about before buying a photo printer.
Comparison based on published manufacturer specifications and the general consensus of owner reports. We have not tested these units side by side. Confirm current prices and specifications before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
For specific machines, see our Epson SureColor P900 review and our Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 review on the dedicated photo printer side, and our EcoTank ET-8550 review for the all-in-one that does both adequately.