The ET-2980’s affordable ink is its standout feature, but it lacks additional functionalities. This isn’t a negative aspect, as the cost-effective ink makes the printer worthwhile on its own. However, its paper handling is only appropriate for light to medium printing tasks and very minimal scanning, even by typical home or office standards.
When it comes to printing, the ET-2980 is equipped with a single rear paper tray that holds up to 100 sheets, supports automatic duplex printing (two-sided), and accommodates legal-size paper. To minimize the need for paper refills to once a week, the tray capacity allows for a maximum of around 400 pages monthly. Epson suggests a maximum monthly yield of 800 pages, which equals about 40 pages per day (assuming 20 working days in a month), fitting if you predominantly print in duplex mode, counting each side of the sheet as one page. It’s worth mentioning that the company claims the printer includes enough ink to last up to three years, based on a reference of printing 125 pages monthly, or slightly more than six pages daily on average.
(Credit: M. David Stone)
For scanning and copying, the device can only accommodate A4 or US letter-size pages, which need to be placed manually on the 8.5-by-11.7-inch flatbed. This can become cumbersome if you have numerous documents longer than one or two pages, particularly for duplex documents. However, for users who rarely scan or copy, the flatbed can be quite handy for those occasional instances when it’s needed, especially for scanning just a few pages.
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Setting up the printer is standard for an ink tank model. The ET-2980 is compact, measuring 7.4 by 14.8 by 13.7 inches and weighing only 11.5 pounds, making it easy to unpack and position. The bottles for the cyan, yellow, magenta, and black inks are uniquely designed to prevent mixing them up. Once the inks are in place, the 1.44-inch front panel LCD will guide you through a semi-automated alignment process: you’ll print an alignment page, place it on the scanner, and then scan it to complete the setup.
(Credit: M. David Stone)
Installing the software is a breeze. Just follow the Quick Start guide to visit the Epson website, then download the suggested software package. The installation process is mostly automated and requires little more than selecting between USB or Wi-Fi for connectivity. For mobile printing and scanning, you can also download the Epson Smart Panel app on your iOS or Android device. This app can connect through your network if you’ve linked the printer to it, or via Wi-Fi Direct.
Additionally, if you connect the printer to a Wi-Fi enabled network, you can utilize Epson Connect, which allows printing over the internet from anywhere.
(Credit: M. David Stone)
According to Epson, the ET-2980 includes enough ink for approximately 6,600 standard monochrome pages and 5,500 standard four-color pages. After that, the cost of ink per page will be about 0.26 cents for monochrome and 0.95 cents for color, based on the stated yields and current prices. When comparing printer prices, it’s essential to consider both the initial cost and the operating costs, as pointed out in our guide on how to save money when buying a printer, which emphasizes evaluating the total cost of ownership rather than just focusing on one aspect.
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