EpsonExpression Photo XP-970 A3 Multifunction Wireless Inkjet Printer

After years of loyal (some might say masochistic) service to the Canon printer empire, I finally broke free!Last week, I, a creature of habit, even bought another Canon. Oh, the foolish optimism! The WiFi setup, a task that I believe Canon engineers designed specifically for masochists and telekinetic wizards, proved utterly impossible. My router and the printer engaged in a silent, passive-aggressive standoff, refusing to acknowledge each other's existence despite my increasingly desperate pleas (and a few muttered expletives). Back to the seller it went, a monument to my fleeting hope for a wirelessly connected life.And then, like a beacon in the inky blackness of my printer-related despair, came the Epson XP-8700. What a revelation! I swear, the setup process was so easy, I thought I'd accidentally downloaded a self-installing spiritual guide. It practically set itself up while I was still trying to locate the power button. No wrestling with cryptic error messages, no consulting ancient online forums for a solution to a problem only five other people on Earth have ever encountered. Just… it worked. It connected to my WiFi faster than I can say "ink cartridge replacement."But wait, there's more! Not only did this printer spare me from a nervous breakdown, it also looks like it belongs in a sleek, minimalist art gallery, not my cluttered home office. Its compact design is a breath of fresh air compared to the blocky, utilitarian appearance of its predecessor. And the functionality? Oh, the functionality! The intuitive touchscreen is so user-friendly, even my technophobe dog could probably navigate it (if she had opposable thumbs, which, thankfully, she doesn't).This bad boy isn't just a pretty face. It prints photos that actually look like photos, not blurry approximations of them. The separate ink cartridges are a godsend – no more replacing an entire multi-color cartridge because I ran out of just one shade of blue! It has automatic duplex printing, saving trees and my sanity. And the front-loading paper tray? Pure genius! No more contorting myself to load paper from the back, feeling like I'm performing some kind of printer-based yoga pose. Plus, it's got a dedicated photo tray, so you don't have to swap out paper every time you want to print a masterpiece. And yes, it scans and copies with admirable speed and clarity – a true all-in-one champion.In conclusion, if you're teetering on the edge of printer-induced madness, do yourself a favor and buy the Epson XP-8700. It's not just a printer; it's a therapeutic experience. My blood pressure has plummeted, my WiFi is no longer an enigma, and I can finally print without wanting to throw something out the window. Bravo, Epson. Bravo!

UPDATE: Everything below, I stand by. However after using this printer for a few months now it is quite frustrating how slow it is, not slow in actual printing, but slow in getting ready to print, particularly discs. After using the Print CD software, and you press print it takes a while for the printer to realise you want to print something, then it starts making noises, presumably to move internal parts to allow CD printing. Only once it has stopped making noise can you push the CD tray in and then after another adjustment of some kind it will begin to print. From clicking print, to the start of the printing takes about 20 to 30 seconds, Ok so not an absolute age but something I think worth noting.This is an amazing printer, I must confess I am an Epson fan and have never owned any other brand. I bought this purely to print A3 photos and artwork, I own 2 other Epson A4 printers and they have served me well, so stuck with the brand.This is a very smart looking printer, very clean lines, not too big, in fact only about 3cms wider than my A4 but same height and depth. Wi-Fi is simple to set up, took about 3 minutes using push button (WPS) method. Print quality is exceptional, even borderless. The LCD screen is very clear and bright, and very easy to understand and navigate. The front automatically flips up when power is turned on, the paper outfeed tray is also automatic and comes out when needed. It has 3 paper feed trays, 1 at the rear and 2 in the front, this is very useful as you could keep different size papers in each tray, saving you the trouble of swapping paper, you could keep A4 in one tray and 6x4 photo paper in the other, the rear feed is primarily used for A3 although it adjusts to any size. You will need to tell the printer which tray you want to use via the print dialogue box that pops up on your PC (after installing the supplied software) Make sure you set correct paper size.The minor gripes. When printing onto A3 using the rear paper feed, you must wait until you have sent the job to the printer, before placing paper in the feed, you can not have paper already waiting in the feed tray, you can only print 1 at a time. You can choose to print more than 1 but you have to go through the same process as printing just one, ie wait until instructed to place paper in the rear feed, this sounds like a headache, but really is not too bad, just time consuming.The CD tray is not motorised as in my (older) A4 printer, possibly lack of room because of the 2 paper trays, this is a minor gripe really as slotting it in is extremely simple, the CD tray is stored below the paper trays at the front. Again not a major issue.Features I have not used yet are printing from SD card using the onboard slot. I have not used the Photo+, nor Photo+ tool, or Scansmart. All of these utilities are on the supplied installation disc.Overall an exceptional printer, smart looking, easy to operate, great features, excellent print quality. Highly recommended.

Whilst the Epson XP970 is very cheap for an A3 printer, it does print well. The compatable ink use is very good, two months on I am still using the inks I installed early Feb.There are a few glitches, when installing (Windows 11) use the CD to instal otherwise you might get a very basic Print Diolog. It is a bit of a pain having to load/unload paper from the front tray and remembering to put the print side, face down.I have printed on several paper types and thickness, all good. as is the CD print. The scanner and copier work well. The fwi-fi is very good for remote printing.Having to fibble with paper loading and a few things on the printers touch screen diolog soon wares off.