Epson Artisan 725 Ink Cartridges

Epson 725 Printer Review

Compact, versatile, and efficient, the Epson Artisan 725 is an inkjet all-in-one machine that can wirelessly handle various office tasks as well as personal photo printing needs. Considering the high level of quality this device can create, it is surprising how quickly it can deliver a finished document or image. Faster than most photo printers in its class, a full-color 4x6 inch picture takes only about 10 seconds to print. However, standard office documents are printed at a rate that is below average, at about 9 ISO pages per minute.

Besides its ability to scan, print and copy, the 725 offers a number of features that can be accessed without a computer. Images can be loaded directly to the printer through the PictBridge port (for connection to a digital camera) or memory card slots. Those images can not only be previewed on the 2.5" touchscreen LCD, but also enhanced, cropped or resized. Additional PC-free capabilities include printing passport pictures and creating stationery, greeting cards and graph paper. Scanned images can also be converted to coloring book pages, which is a unique feature.

There are six Epson 725 ink cartridges that are used in this unit, which includes cyan, magenta, yellow, black, light magenta, and light cyan printer ink. Standard inkjet printers have only four colors, so the addition of the light cyan and light magenta Artisan 725 ink expands the color gamut, thus improving the detail and accuracy of photos. In fact, the Hi-Definition dye-based Epson 725 ink is designed to be resistant to fading and smudging and can last for over 100 years.

There are two printer ink options for replacements: standard capacity Artisan 725 ink cartridges yield about 450 pages and high-capacity versions can yield up to 545 pages. Depending on the volume of printing and the complexity of the photos being produced, replacements could be needed fairly often. Fortunately, some third-party vendors have created compatible Epson 725 ink to keep costs to a minimum.

The 725 can be shared over a wireless network or a wired network through the ethernet interface. A USB port is also available for standard connection. There is one main input tray that can hold up to 120 sheets (or 10 envelopes) as well as a special photo tray that can hold up to 20 pieces of photo paper. The output tray can hold about 30 documents. Additionally, there is a slot for printing DVDs and CDs.

With its versatile printing options, a touchscreen control panel and great photo quality, the Epson 725 is a perfect fit for home use. Though its print speeds for standard documents can be a bit slow, it is an affordable and simple machine to operate.