As a designer’s printer, it’s easy to see how the
XP-860 fits into a studio, or even a bedroom. It’s a
handy size, and it looks fantastic, from an outwards-
sliding display panel when you’re using the machine,
to the LCD screen itself. It’s built for convenience too:
photographers can plug their SD cards straight into
the printer, and iOS and Google device users can print
with AirPlay and Google Cloud Print respectively.
But it’s as much about the substance as the style:
the XP-860 is immensely powerful, thanks in part to
the cartridge set-up. It’s relatively quiet, it’s quick, and
the only drawback about the actual printer itself is
that it’s difficult to get the paper tray in and out. It’s
probably the only time that the XP-860 feels like it
could do with being a little more spacious.
The only other factor that may detract from the
beauty and power of this printer, is the price. Running six
ink cartridges might be the cost of quality, but a £250
price tag might put you off investing in one.
Take the 300-dpi scanner into consideration
though, and you have not just a printer, but a hub
for connecting real world art with the digital. If
you’re going to spend that amount of money on
top drawer printer, you can’t get much more for
your money than with the XP-860. It’s an
impressive printer for its size, and one that’s
certainly keeping up with technology.Features:9/10
Ease of use:9/10
Qualityofresults:9/10
Value for money:6/10VERDICT
FINAL SCORE:9/10
OTHER OPTIONS
ON THE MARKET:MULTIPACK
6COLOURS
24XL CLARIAPHOTO HD INK
At £77, you might be put off from purchasing
such a large quantity of ink in one go, such as
the Multipack 6-Colours 24XL Claria Photo HD
ink. Epson claims that the XL packs can save
you up to 25%, so it may seem like the sensible
option, but is it really worth it?
If you’re looking to put the impressive six-ink
printing capabilities of the XP-860 to work, then
this pack of cartridges is perhaps the best place
to start; it’s recommended by Epson themselves
who claim “photos printed with Claria Photo HD
Ink will last up to 300 years in a photo album.”
While it’s hard to argue with that particular
boast, the fact is that Claria ink is far superior to
most of its competitors, and not just because it’s
been developed specifically to print from Epson
printers, but because it delivers smooth, glossy
results, and the extra two colours allow for
greater precision when it comes to light shades,
as well as a better overall print. Claria ink is a
great luxury should you wish to splash out.EPSON EXPRESSION PHOTO
XP820 PRINTER
£200
The XP-820 is almost a smaller sibling to the XP-860.
It’s very similar in style and build – they both measure
and weigh exactly the same amount – only it’s not
designed specifically for photo printing, like the
XP-860: it only has five inks and not six. For £50 less,
the XP-820 might seem like a stepping stone option
for anyone looking to try out a good quality printer
before moving onto a better one.CANON SELPHY CP910 COMPACT
PHOTO PRINTER
£82
More designed for Instagram than photography, the
SELPHY is a postard-sized competitor to the Epson
XP series. It doubles up as its own Wi-Fi port, has its
own app for ease of printing, and creates top-quality
prints: it’s also significantly smaller in stature than
the XP printers, and quite a lot cheaper too.HP OFFICEJET 150
£300
Sleek, small and extremely powerful, the Officejet
150 is a printer/scanner combo that’s designed to be
used on the go. The Officejet is, as the name may
imply, an inkjet printer that’s comfortable in colour
and monochrome. The only drawbacks from its
extremely impressive features are that it doesn’t have
integrated Airplay and it can’t print double-sided.