Epson Stylus Photo R800 Inkjet Printer

I bought this printer about 4 1/2 years ago. It has always been able to provide me with high-quality prints.

I read some reviews here 4 1/2 years ago, one of the reasons I bought it.

I also read some of the more recent reviews here, which is the reason I am writing a review.

1. When I bought it I knew I should be using the Epson high quality paper, which will make a glossy print. That's what I wanted and that is what I got. Some of the more recent reviewers must be using other paper. When I used other paper, which others had given me, for example, the print quality ranged from dreadful to poor. That is what I expected, and what I got.

2. The paper has never jammed for me in 4 1/2 years.

3. The ink is expensive, but the prints don't seem to be fading at all, and still look great.

4. Although I could get cheaper prints at the camera shop or drug store, etc., the convenience of not having to drive anywhere to get them is worth something, too. I also found that even when I used the same printer at a retailer, the colors were not always balanced from one day to the next. I don't have that problem with my R800.

5. I have only had to run the cleaning utility about twice a year. This is because I frequently do not use the printer for a month or more, and then I use it a lot (meaning between 10-100 pictures).

6. But I am going digital. Rather than print everything, I bought an ASUS eee901 notebook. Instead of carrying prints of everything, I now have everything on the notebook. Sure, sometimes I still want some prints, but I don't always have to have a print of every picture I take.

7. On my new PC with VISTA, Epson could have done a better job of explaining that the "firewire" feature no longer works in VISTA. However, the USB connection does work. If I had known that it would have saved me about 90 minutes of frustration trying to get the firewire connection to work. As soon as I switched to a USB cable, VISTA installed the new drivers, and all was well.

When my R800 works it's awesome, but that's rarely the case. Wether it's having to change the ink cartridges every other day or the paper jamming or just not loading for 90% of the print jobs. Very frustrating printer to own.

I haven't been able to get the Print CD capability to work on my printer yet, which is the entire reason I bought it in the first place. I've been talking to Epson technical support, but they can't seem to figure it out. I'm waiting for another CD tray to arrive to see if that's the problem, but it's been over a week now. Meanwhile, my project is on hold because I can't print the CDs.

Broke down out of warranty, cost another $105 to find out that it could not be fixed. Junked it.

I bought this printer when it was new so I paid full list for it.
After having it for 2 years.. I have manged to get less that twenty images printed on it.
Paper loading is imposable, when you do get it to print it
eats ink like crazy.
It always seems to need "cleaning" i.e. I want you push a button that empties your print cartridges at a frightening rate.
My total cost of ownership for this pile of poo with the purchase price,
ink replacements and printer repairs has been over $900.00.
For that I've only been able to print 15 images.
I just a few moments ago disconnected this thing from my computer
and later today I'm going to beat it into a flat pile of plastic and metal, look for the vid on youtube. Don't buy this printer you'll be sorry. I'll never buy an epson printer again.