Printers aren’t exactly the most exciting bit of tech in the house, but when you actually need one, you really need it. School assignments, forms that still insist on being printed and signed, or the odd boarding pass — having a reliable printer on hand can save a lot of last-minute panic. The problem is, most cheap inkjets sting you later with cartridges that run dry after a handful of pages and cost almost as much as the printer itself.
That’s where Epson’s EcoTank line has been shaking things up, and the ET-2950 is one of the newest models to land in Australia. Instead of cartridges, it uses refillable ink tanks with bottles that give you thousands of pages before you need to think about topping up. It’s a simple little multifunction — print, scan, copy — but the promise is clear: spend a bit more upfront, save yourself money and hassle in the long run.
Unlike Epson’s higher-end EcoTanks, the ET-2950 keeps things simple. There’s no paper cassette hidden away underneath — instead it feeds from a rear tray that holds a modest stack of paper. The scanner is the same story: no fancy automatic document feeder, just a flatbed for one page at a time. On paper that sounds like a step down, but it actually makes sense for the target market. If you’re just printing the occasional school project, utility bill, or scanning the odd ID, you don’t need business-class hardware taking up space on your desk.
Design & Setup
The ET-2950 is compact and straightforward, which is exactly what most people want in a home printer. The refillable ink tanks are built into the front so you can see at a glance how much is left — no more running out mid-assignment because the cartridge decided to die. Around the side you’ll find a small colour screen with a simple button layout.
It’s not fancy, but it’s clear enough for picking modes and connecting to Wi-Fi without reaching for the manual. Unlike higher end models, this one doesn't support an Ethernet connection - it's pure WiFi - and while this is probably what most people will want, for some reason I kind of like having a printer on Ethernet instead. It makes no actual difference.. but hey, call me nostalgic.
Setup is painless. Fill the tanks with the included ink bottles (they’re keyed so you can’t mess it up), let the printer run through its priming process, and connect it to your home network. Epson’s Smart Panel app walks you through the whole thing, and once it’s up, you can print from laptops, phones, or tablets without fiddling around with cables. For the average household, it’s about as plug-and-play as a printer gets.
Everyday Use & Print Quality
Day to day, the ET-2950 does exactly what it says on the box. Black-and-white documents come out crisp and legible, whether it’s a text-heavy report or a quick recipe from your phone. Colour prints are vibrant enough for charts, school projects, or the occasional photo, though if you’re serious about photo printing on glossy paper you’ll want to look higher up the range.
Printing from your laptop, PC or mobile phone is easy enough - iOS support is native, but on Androids, you'll need to install a quick helper app so that the printer will show in your system print options. On the plus side, the Epson apps give you a few handy tools for resizing images, printing them in the middle of the page, or creating collages and stuff -- precisely the handy tools you'll need if you're the target audience: school students or light duty home printers.
For anything more fancy, honestly, a higher end model is going to do you more good, but for the basics, this is a perfect solution.
Speeds are decent for a home unit — not lightning fast, but quick enough that you’re not left pacing around the desk. Duplex printing is supported, which is a nice touch at this price, even if it slows down a bit when double-siding colour jobs. Scanning is sharp and clear, though of course limited to one page at a time. For the kind of light to medium use most households throw at a printer, it’s more than capable.
Running Costs & Value
The real selling point of the ET-2950 is the ink system. Instead of chewing through pricey cartridges, you get big bottles that last for thousands of pages. Out of the box you’re set for years of light home use before even thinking about a refill. And when you do need more, the replacement bottles are much cheaper per page than traditional cartridges — we’re talking cents, not dollars, for a stack of prints.
That makes a huge difference over time.
The upfront cost of the printer is higher than a bargain-bin inkjet, but those “cheap” printers sting you later with consumables. With an EcoTank like this, the maths flips around: you pay more at the start, but you’ll save money (and hassle) every time you hit print. For a busy family or anyone working from home, that’s a very easy trade to justify.
This is honestly a welcome change. Yes you can buy a basic inkjet from Officeworks or JB HiFi for close to $100 ... such as this one from HP which is just $49 somehow ... but you'll get absolutely reamed when it comes to replacement ink. A black ink will cost you $50 something (more than the printer), and a colour pack will cost $60+.
With the EcoTank, a black bottle of ink costs $40, and the colour bottles (there's three) are $20 each. The advantage here is .. you only refill what you actually need, and the bottles last SIGNIFICANTLY longer than little ink carts.
I've had an older EcoTank for years ... and despite regular use, it still hasn't gone through the original ink refill. I've got a drawer with new ink bottles just in case, but I wonder if I'll use them before the printer itself falls apart due to advanced age.
Verdict
The Epson EcoTank ET-2950 isn’t trying to be a powerhouse office printer — and that’s exactly why it works. It keeps the design simple, the footprint small, and the running costs low. You don’t get extras like an automatic document feeder or a hidden paper cassette, but for the target market — families, students, and anyone who just needs reliable printing and scanning without fuss — it hits the mark.
Print quality is more than good enough for everyday documents and school projects, the included ink will keep you going for ages, and when you do top up, it won’t cost the earth. Yes, the initial price is steeper than a throwaway inkjet, but the long-term savings and ease of use make it a smart buy. If you want a no-nonsense home printer that just gets on with the job, the ET-2950 is a solid pick.
Availability & Where to Buy in Australia
The Epson EcoTank ET-2950 is fairly easy to track down through local retailers. Pricing generally sits in the mid-$400s to just under $500, depending on the store:
- InkStation – around $489
- Arrow Computers – about $449 (listed as low stock)
- OzToner – close to $499, sometimes bundled with bonus ink
- Printer Supermarket – listed at $496.38
- Officeworks – stock varies, but expect it to land around the $499 mark
- JB Hi-Fi – availability can change, but pricing is usually similar to Officeworks
So whichever way you go, you’re looking at roughly the same ballpark, with the occasional online deal shaving a few dollars off.
Yes, obviously a printer at $499 ish is a lot more expensive than a $49 cheap jobby from Officeworks, but that doesn't have a scanner or duplex printing. For a rough equivalent, you're looking at $200 ish, but your ink costs will be higher. If you actually plan to print fairly regularly, this is definitely a way to go - not to mention that Epson printers are built to last. Cheaper printers may well fall apart much quicker.
At the end of the day, you’re not going to see wild price swings on the ET-2950 — EcoTanks tend to hold their value pretty firmly. You might save a few dollars shopping around online, but the real value is in the long-term running costs, not the upfront discount. If you’re after a no-fuss home printer that won’t bleed you dry on ink, this one’s worth picking up at whatever your local store is asking.
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