Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Review

Of the top photo printers capable of producing 13" wide images, the Epson Expression has the smallest footprint. This machine uses piezo dot, on-demand inkjet technology to produce multiple drop sizes that produce rich colors in a broad dynamic range combined with its six-color ink palette. Thanks to the LCD screen, setup is easy, too. Considering all these features, the quality of its prints, and a competitive price point, it's no wonder we're so impressed with this machine.

Color Prints

The Epson Expression produces some of the better color photographs that we observed during our testing. This printer exhibited these outcomes across both high and low-cost papers and in all but the largest print formats. The exception was seen in the 13" x 19" format, where skin tones were noticeably off. Yet, the resolution rendered by this machine is well above average for the class, and our appraisal of this printer was quite high.

Black and White Prints

While the Epson Expression's color prints left us few complaints, the black and white renderings presented some problems. First, the best results were seen on the more expensive, high-quality paper. Even when using the best paper, our photographers noticed some streaking in larger, dark areas of the images, and some banding in the middle gray tones.

Additionally, the prints tended towards a sepia hue that, while not unpleasant, did not match the original. That said, the grayscale gradients were smooth, and the resolution was quite good by comparison to all but the highest-end models. Despite these shortcomings, we were quite pleased with what this relatively low-priced machine could achieve.

Print Capabilities

The Expression falls into what we call the full-size model category because of its physical proportions and the wide range of print dimensions and material it can accommodate.

While we are not going to list all the materials that this machine will print on, suffice it to say that it covers everything from plain printer paper to high-end glossy photo paper, as well as adhesive-backed sticker paper (the kind of paper popular with instant cameras) and iron-on transfer sheets for making t-shirts. Additionally, this machine can print on photo sheets ranging in size from 4" x 6" to 13" x 44", making large panoramic renderings possible.

We also looked at printing speed and the capacity of the paper tray. The Expression did not fail to impress. This machine will kick out a 4" x 6" color photo in just 36 seconds — way quicker than most printers. Additionally, it can hold up to 50 sheets of photo paper. These two features make photo album printing more manageable.

Operating Costs

The Epson Expression will set you back around $0.45 per photo. The national photo developer that we used for comparison costs $0.33 per print to put this in context. However, we should say that we weren't all that impressed with the quality of those prints.

Set-up

As desktop printers go, this was one of the easier machines to get going. However, we did have some issues with our computer disconnecting from the printer post-setup, a problem that was not observed with any of the other photo printers we tested.

This printer requires you to download a driver, which is software that converts the image on the computer to a format that the printer can use. This step is not uncommon for home printers. Epson hosts a page to facilitate this process, and it was easy to navigate. This printer does have a relatively long initialization phase, but it was not complicated. More importantly, the first prints came out looking pretty good.

Should You Buy the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000?

This machine is a fantastic value. Compared to the other full-size machines, it does have some shortcomings, but the cost reduction compensates for them. The only scenario in which this machine would not be seen as a good value is if it is more printer than you require. This printer is a great tool for expanding your printing capabilities without breaking the bank.

What Other Photo Printers Should You Consider?