Epson EcoTank ET-2980 Review (2026): Honest Pros, Cons & Who It's Really For
Last Updated:Heads up: this post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, Castle Ink may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend printers we have personally researched and that have strong, long-running owner feedback on Amazon. Pricing and availability change frequently — always check the current price on Amazon before buying.
How we evaluate printers: This review is based on Castle Ink's printer ranking methodology, which weighs aggregated customer reviews, professional review cross-checks, total cost of ownership, and specs/feature fit. Read our full ranking and recommendation methodology.
Quick verdict
The Epson EcoTank ET-2980 is a step up from Epson's entry-level tank printers, adding automatic two-sided printing and a noticeably faster engine while keeping the same refillable, cartridge-free ink system. With up to three years of included ink and strong owner ratings, it's one of the best all-around tank printers for households that print a real volume of documents and photos and want auto-duplex without paying for an automatic document feeder they may not need.
→ Check the current price of the Epson EcoTank ET-2980 on Amazon
At a glance
- Price: Around $269.99
- Rating: 4.2/5 from hundreds of Amazon ratings, with 65% five-star
- Functions: Print, scan, copy
- Print speed: Up to 15 ppm black, 8 ppm color
- Paper capacity: 100-sheet single tray
- Duplex: Automatic two-sided printing
- Cartridges: Cartridge-free EcoTank system, refillable ink bottles (up to 6,600 pages black / 5,500 color per set)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB, AirPrint
Who this printer is for
- Households that print a genuine volume of documents and want automatic duplex printing to save paper.
- Anyone upgrading from an older or entry-level EcoTank model and wanting a faster, more capable machine.
- Buyers who want tank-printer economics with up to three years of ink included, minimizing ongoing costs for years.
What people love about it
- Setup and initial ink filling are described as straightforward, especially when using the Epson Smart Panel phone app.
- Print quality is consistently rated highly, including deeper, more solid blacks than some earlier Epson tank models.
- Noticeably quieter operation than comparable HP and Canon tank printers, according to several owners who switched brands.
- Automatic duplex printing works reliably for most owners and is a genuine time-saver over manual flipping.
What buyers complain about
- The 1.44-inch display is small and considered a weak point compared to competing tank printers with larger screens.
- Some owners report the printer periodically drops off Wi-Fi and needs reconnecting, particularly on networks using WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode.
- A handful of owners reported paper jams during their first attempts at duplex printing.
- No automatic document feeder, so multi-page scans and copies are done one sheet at a time.
Cheaper alternative: Epson EcoTank ET-2800
If automatic duplex printing isn't essential, our Epson EcoTank ET-2800 review covers a very similar tank printer for about $70 less, minus the auto-duplex and slightly slower print engine.
Upgrade pick: Brother MFC-J4335DW
If you need an automatic document feeder and fax in addition to duplex printing, our Brother MFC-J4335DW review covers a full home-office 4-in-1 for a comparable price, though it uses cartridges rather than a refillable tank.
Ink costs: what you're really saving
The ET-2980 ships with enough ink for up to three years of average printing (about 6,600 black-and-white pages or 5,500 color pages per replacement bottle set). Replacement 502-series EcoTank bottle sets typically run $35–$50 for a full four-color set, which works out to a small fraction of a cent per page — among the lowest ongoing costs of any printer in this review series.
Setup tips that prevent the most common complaints
Use the Epson Smart Panel app for setup rather than relying solely on the printed instructions, since it walks through Wi-Fi pairing more reliably. If your router uses mixed WPA2/WPA3 security, try switching to WPA2-only for the printer's network if you experience repeated disconnects. When trying duplex printing for the first time, use plain paper rather than heavier cardstock or photo paper until you're familiar with how the printer feeds pages, to avoid early jams.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Epson EcoTank ET-2980 support automatic duplex printing?
Yes, automatic two-sided printing is built in, which is one of the main upgrades over Epson's entry-level ET-2800.
How much ink comes included in the box?
Epson estimates up to three years of ink for average print volumes, based on roughly 6,600 black-and-white or 5,500 color pages from the included bottle set.
Does it have an automatic document feeder?
No, it uses a flatbed scanner only, so multi-page scans and copies must be done one sheet at a time.
Is genuine Epson ink required?
Epson recommends genuine 502-series EcoFit ink bottles and warns that non-genuine ink may cause damage not covered under warranty.
Bottom line
The Epson EcoTank ET-2980 is a well-rounded step up in the EcoTank lineup, adding auto-duplex and a faster engine while keeping the low ongoing ink costs that make tank printers worthwhile. It's a strong pick for document-heavy households that don't need a document feeder or fax.
→ Check the current price of the Epson EcoTank ET-2980 on Amazon
Heads up: this post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, Castle Ink may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend printers we have personally researched and that have strong, long-running owner feedback on Amazon. Pricing and availability change frequently — always check the current price on Amazon before buying.