Choosing a wide-format printer or plotter usually comes down to one question: do you need an office workhorse that can occasionally print 13x19 pages, or a true 44-inch machine for large rolls? The four Epson options here span from $149.99 to $480, and the gap between them is not just price-it's the kind of printing each one was built for.
Quick take: The WorkForce Pro WF-7840 is the office all-in-one to choose for print/copy/scan/fax and auto two-sided output. The EcoTank ET-15000 is the stronger fit for cartridge-free color printing. If you need true 44-inch output, the used Stylus Pro 9880 printers are the ones that get there-the 4-cartridge version has more ink and sheet/roll flexibility, while the 3-cartridge version is the stripped-down entry.
Price comparison
| Product | Listed Price | Price Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 (Certified Refurbished) | USD 149.99 | |
| Epson EcoTank ET-15000 (Certified Refurbished) | USD 439.99 | |
| Epson Stylus Pro 9880 with 3 Ink Cartridges | USD 400.00 | |
| Epson Stylus Pro 9880 with 4 Ink Cartridges | USD 480.00 |
Decision matrix
| If you need | Closest match |
|---|---|
| A do-it-all office machine with print, copy, scan, and fax | Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 |
| Cartridge-free color printing with refillable ink tanks | Epson EcoTank ET-15000 |
| Large-format output at a lower entry price | Epson Stylus Pro 9880 with 3 Ink Cartridges |
| Large-format output with more included ink and sheet/roll flexibility | Epson Stylus Pro 9880 with 4 Ink Cartridges |
Product notes
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840 (Certified Refurbished)
The WorkForce Pro WF-7840 is the office all-in-one of this group. It has auto two-sided printing, a 4.3-inch color touchscreen, and wide-format output up to 13x19. The 50-sheet rear tray plus 500-sheet paper capacity keep longer jobs moving. Speed is also a differentiator: 16 ISO pages per minute in black and 9 in color. The model is the lowest-priced wide-format all-in-one in this group. The trade-off is that it is a certified refurbished unit, not new, and it cannot go beyond 13-inch paper, so true plotter-size output is out of reach. That combination makes it a true multi-function office hub.
Epson EcoTank ET-15000 (Certified Refurbished)
The EcoTank ET-15000 does the same wide-format trick through its rear-feed tray, but it replaces cartridges with large refillable ink tanks. You also get scanning up to 8.5x14 through the automatic document feeder, a 2.7-inch color touchscreen, and voice-activated printing. This setup is aimed at offices that print a lot of color and want lower-cost replacement ink bottles instead of swapping cartridges. The obvious limitation is speed: 7 ISO pages per minute in black and 5 in color, which is slower than the WF-7840. It is also certified refurbished and sits at the upper end of this price range. That trade-off is easier to accept if your color volume is high.
Epson Stylus Pro 9880 with 3 Ink Cartridges
For a true 44-inch printer, the used Stylus Pro 9880 with 3 ink cartridges is the lower-priced entry. It is currently set up for roll-fed use, uses the eight-color UltraChrome K3 ink system with Vivid Magenta, and prints up to 2880x1440 dpi. That gives you the full print width for a lower price than the 4-cartridge version. The catch? This unit has been sitting unused for over a year, may need print-head maintenance, comes with only three cartridges, and has a broken hinge on the ink-slot cover. It turns on, but there is no guarantee how well it works, so expect some hands-on troubleshooting. This is the right route when 44-inch width is a requirement.
Epson Stylus Pro 9880 with 4 Ink Cartridges
This version adds a more complete ink set-Vivid Magenta, Light Magenta, Vivid Light Magenta, and Magenta-and a sheet-fed setup that can also be fed rolls. It uses the same UltraChrome K3 print engine as the 3-cartridge version. The trade-off is condition: the control screen shows a service error notice, and the ink-slot cover hinge is broken. It does turn on and run, and the wheels work well, but the service code suggests you may need to diagnose the machine. If you want the most ink included and the flexibility to feed sheets or rolls, this is the version to choose. It is the more complete large-format package in this group.
Final recommendation
For a straightforward office/copy/scan/fax machine with wide-format capability, the WorkForce Pro WF-7840 is the practical pick. If you prefer refillable ink and lower per-page ink costs, the EcoTank ET-15000 is the better fit. For true large-format roll-fed output, the Stylus Pro 9880 with 4 ink cartridges is the better option when you want more included ink and sheet/roll flexibility; the 3-cartridge version makes sense when you want to keep the entry cost down and can handle maintenance.
