Epson Stylus Photo RX500

The print quality is not too bad but I had to remortgage my house to afford the ink. I would recomend looking at printers with cheaper ink!

The model I write about here is I think now out of production but there are several other models of very similar usability from this manufacturer, all with similar performance qualities. Most of these other models also use the same range of cartidges (5 single colours and a black)

Other models in the range are all known as STYLUS Photo - R200, R300, RX600, RX620, RX640 etc.

I write about this printer with some serious reservation.

Yes it has given me very good service even though throughout the time I have used it I have always used compatible inks.

Before I go into the main usable qualities of this machine I have to say that after some time of use this machine totally packed in on me and I found on the internet the solution to reset it and get it up and running as if it was new.

It has been said that these machines are built complete with an end of life chip in them and after a number of running hours they need to be reset(I found this to be very true)

Right the machine performs very well in printing tasks from mono printing to colour photo printing (even using compatible inks)(Although I do recommend that you use the very best photo paper you can get hold of and make sure the printer is set up for the correct paper too)

If you find that your printer at anytime will not respond to a printing request then before you do anything or make any changes to you computer, restart your computer with it atached and switched on.

The built in scanner I have no problems with at all and the software that came with the product is adequate but you may well have a preference for another piece of software that can be used in association with this model.

A tip is: If your printer (And that goes for most printers)is kept or stored in a warm room then from time to time put a test page through it to keep the print heads from drying out.

The card reader is great, and the print quality, when it works.

Yesterday, I was supplied with my third printer, since Xmas.

Therefore I do not recommend Epson Stylus Photo RX500.

This machine is expensive to run and consumes ink by the gallon but, worst of all, as far as I am aware the cartridges cannot be recycled. See the small print on most cartridge recycling facilities - NOT Epson. Epson website does, however, offer a recycling service via any of their 'Epson Express' centres - just try and find one!As a small business who endeavour to be as environmentally friendly as humanly possible, this printer counter-acts all our other efforts. It is being replaced, this week, and I would not recommend it to anyone who is even slightly conscious of their impact on the environment.

Very happy with the RX500 it has been a reliable printer that is so easy to use. I love the one button print, scan and copy functions. The contact sheet print selection if you are just using memory cards and not connected to a PC is fantastic. I use this printer in the office and out at events for instant prints from my camera. Very good, very cheap to run. Never had a problem yet.

When it's good it's very, very good but when it's bad it's horrid. My RX500 has produced excellent results but at a cost - very thirsty on ink and prone to all sorts of problems ranging from being over-sensitive to the way paper is fed into it to producing a variety of blemishes on the finished product. Relevant Epson support is non-existent.

When we bought it we were looking for a good quality printer that would not cost us an arm and a leg in ink. We bought it at Staples and I feel let down. I would not recommend this printer to anyone. I don't think I would buy an Epson again either. I heard good things about Epson and this printer has not done a thing for us.

This Epson Stylus Photo RX500 is not what I call a user friendly printer. It seems to have a mind of its own.

I bought the Epson Stylus Photo RX500 multifunction printer for my father, but I found it hard to use. My own Epson printer, which is an ancient Stylus Colour 860, warns you against using the head cleaning function as it wastes ink. The RX500 does this every time it starts up, whether or not the heads need cleaning - there is progress for you!

I love the Epson Stylus Photo RX500 printer - if it were not for the cost of the ink, and the rate at which it is used up. Even printing black ink only on economy setting, the ink is 20% low after only a month of minimal use! Unreal! My former Epson (6 years old) did not use nearly this much ink! If you have lots of pictures to do, it will become very expensive. I feel a little burned by Epson at the ongoing expense of using the printer. I would look elsewhere. My next printer may not be an Epson.