Epson ET-8550 review: premium A3+ photo printing at a rare low price

Is the Epson EcoTank ET-8550 worth buying? Yes — if you want premium A3+ photo printing and low running costs, the £584.99 price makes it much more attractive than its £779.99 RRP. It’s rated 4.1/5 from 505 reviews, has sold 200+ last month, and the current price is the all-time lowest, which matters for a printer this expensive.

First impressions: a serious creative printer, not a basic home model

The ET-8550 is built for people who print more than the occasional document. Epson has packed in a 6-colour ink system, A3+ support, a 10.9cm touchscreen, wireless connectivity, double-sided printing, and a rear paper feed. That combination makes it much more flexible than a standard inkjet, especially for photo work and creative projects.

The design focus is clear from the feature set: this is meant to handle photos, artwork, and mixed media, not just office pages. The fact that it can also copy and scan adds practicality, while the front paper trays and rear tray help it adapt to different media types.

What does the ET-8550 do well?

The headline feature is the 6-colour Claria ET Premium ink system, which Epson says produces high-quality, long-lasting photos up to A3+ size plus strong black-and-white output. That extra colour depth is one of the main reasons people buy a printer like this instead of a cheaper all-purpose model.

Running costs are another major strength. Epson claims you can print up to 2,300 high-quality photos with one set of ink bottles, which is the kind of figure that makes an EcoTank model appealing to frequent printers. If you print often, the upfront price starts to make more sense because the ink tank system is designed to reduce ongoing spend.

Connectivity is also well covered. With Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Ethernet, it should fit easily into a home setup, and the Epson Smart Panel app adds control from a phone or tablet for printing, copying, setup, and troubleshooting. That’s a useful quality-of-life feature for families or creators who don’t want to stay tied to a desktop.

How does it perform for creative work?

For photo printing and mixed-media projects, the ET-8550 looks properly equipped. The A3+ rear tray and artistic media compatibility are important because they give you more room to experiment with photo paper and suitable CDs/DVDs, which is not something every printer in this price range can do. The inclusion of double-sided printing also helps when you need to produce booklets, handouts, or presentation materials.

Epson’s Micro Piezo heat-free technology is another plus, with the company highlighting consistent high-speed printing and reduced energy consumption. That doesn’t guarantee perfect output for every user, but it does suggest a printer designed for reliability and efficiency rather than flashy specs alone.

Is the build and feature set worth the money?

At £584.99, the ET-8550 is still a premium purchase, but it’s currently 25% off the £779.99 RRP, and the price data says it sits 9% below the average of £641.02. That is a meaningful discount for a printer that has reached an all-time low. Against that backdrop, the value proposition is much stronger than it would be at full price.

The main caveat is that this is a specialist machine. If you only print occasionally, the upfront cost is hard to justify. But if you want a printer for photos, creative work, and larger-format output, the ET-8550’s feature mix is more compelling than many cheaper alternatives.

How does it compare to alternatives?

Compared with the lower-cost items in the competitive data, the ET-8550 is in a completely different class. The A-SUB Sublimation Paper A4 at £13.99 and the Cricut EasyPress Mat at £18.89 are accessories, not printers, so they don’t compete on function. The Brother LS14S Metal Chassis Sewing Machine at £99.00 shows how far above general hobby tools this printer sits in price and purpose.

That comparison matters because the ET-8550 is not trying to be cheap; it’s trying to be capable. If your priority is photo output, A3+ support, and ink efficiency, the Epson offers a far more advanced tool than entry-level creative gear. If your priority is simple document printing, it is probably overkill.

The main warning

The biggest downside is the high upfront cost. Even at the current low price, £584.99 is a serious outlay, and the printer only makes sense if you’ll use its photo and A3+ features often enough to justify it. Also, the 4.1/5 rating is good rather than exceptional, which suggests some buyers have had real frustrations alongside the praise.

Bottom line: the Epson EcoTank ET-8550 is best for serious home creators, photographers, and anyone who wants A3+ photo printing with lower ink costs. If you only need a basic printer, look elsewhere; if you want a feature-rich creative printer and can use it regularly, this is a strong buy at its current all-time-low price.