Epson Stylus CX4200 Inkjet Printer

I like this printer. It scans well, copies well, print quality is very good, and its relatively quick. I like that the ink doesnt run when wet and that each of the 4 colors has its own cartridge, so you dont have to replace all colors when only one color is out. I had a CX6400 which lasted 3 years and then just gave out. The CX4200 is one year old now, and there have been no problems.

I use it for genearl use. Printing and scanning and it has served me well for 6 years and going.

For years I used Epson printers, but the CX4200 was a chosen as a home/office solution. Was I wrong. Epson, in its greed, requires the use of color even when most printing is black and white. They also placed a chip in the cartridge that stops the printer when the chip is removed, shaken and reiniserted. Even if there is ink remaining. NEVER BUY EPSON.

I like this printer most of the time, but Ive become upset with one very poor design flaw: black-and-white printing is disabled unless the color ink cartridges have ink in them. As their website says, Q: Can the printer still print if an ink cartridge is expended or not installed? A: No. The printer will not operate if any cartridge is expended or removed. Its best to always have extra cartridges on hand. With this bizarre design, not only is it best to have extra cartridges on hand, but necessary. If you run out of any color ink, you can no longer print in black and white--very inconvenient.

The printing only works when ALL the ink cartridges have ink - including pages that only require black ink. Here is how I found out: I just got a great deal on black ink for the Epson CX5400 that was clearence priced at Staples. I even bought an extra cartridge. After installing the black ink and then trying to print out a text document, I found out that the Epson company wasnt going to let me print text (black ink only) documents unless I also buy the cyan and magenta ink cartridges too. What a screw over! So I threw the Epson Stylus CX5400 in the garbage and will NEVER buy from Epson again.

I dont know what to say - but Ive bought Epson printers in the past and have good fortune with them. This one however - as other reviewers stated needs all 4 colors to be filled for it to work at all. You can only buy the cartridges from Epson now since they sued all the after marketers. A typcial price for all four colors cost over $50 now. I would not even by this printer dirt cheap - I plan to throw mine away and get another brand.

Mine just self-destructed. It sucked a piece of paper into itself, made a death whine, blinked its lights furiously, and died. I cant get the paper out. Also, all the other bad things you have heard are true.

I cannot recommend this printer. I second the reviews where one is not allowed to print B&W without 3 other functioning cartridges. My most serious problem is that after about a year of routine use, replacing cartridges when empty, etc, the heads on our printer are now clogged. They do not unclog with the head cleaning procedure because the darn thing is convinced its cartridges are empty. They are most certainly NOT empty, as we had just purchased a whole new set of cartridges. Arrrrgh! If I cannot get this printer to work pretty soon Im gonna unplug it and put it in the trash.

This is my second one. The first one lasted about 10 years, but it is not used everyday.

I like everything about this printer. Ive bought several for home and office use. I like the flat bed scanner, and ease of use. I dont use it for photos as it really uses a lot of ink. I like that I can use the copier feature for black or color - even if the computer is turned off.