Epson EcoTank ET-2800: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Epson EcoTank ET-2800 right for you?

The ET-2800 is the current mainstream EcoTank for US and Canadian homes, replacing the hugely popular ET-2720 with a lower profile and a switch from 502 to 522 ink bottles. It is the right pick for a family that prints homework, forms and a few photos and wants to avoid cartridge costs, with roughly two years of ink included. It is not quick, there is no auto duplex, and the lightweight rear paper support tends to mis-feed if more than about 50 sheets are loaded. Owners who go idle for weeks should run a nozzle check before big jobs.

Best for: Families who print a lot and hate buying cartridges

Setting up the Epson EcoTank ET-2800

Use the 522 bottles, not 502: they look similar but the keys differ. The Smart Panel app handles Wi-Fi onboarding on a 2.4 GHz network and will also prompt for firmware updates. On a PC, download the combined driver package from epson.com/support, which installs ScanSmart, the updater and the printer driver together. The initial ink charge runs for about ten minutes and the tanks look lower afterwards; that is normal.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the ink bottles (fill each tank to the upper line), and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use Epson's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• Epson 522 Black
• Epson 522 Cyan/Magenta/Yellow ink bottles

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications