Epson Stylus NX430 - Color Inkjet Wi-fi Small-in-One

General, the Stylus NX430 is simple to set up (through either USB or Wi-Fi) and use. The primary installation is really a breeze, and also the touch-panel controls for the 2.5-inch LCD are simple to use (and uncommon on a $100 printer). Epson consists of its mature and competent Epson Scan software program, though the business seems unable to manipulate the Windows firewall so as to enable scanning to a Wi-Fi-attached Pc from the printer manage panel. You might have to add the exception for the Epson event manager your self. Many users may never realize that push-scanning is an choice. Mac users should download the occasion manager software and install it to add this capability. Push-scans via USB do not suffer from this problem.

Paper-handling features are minimal. A rear vertical feed holds 100 sheets of paper, along with a front output tray accommodates 30 sheets. As noted earlier, there is no automatic duplexing; on the Mac, there is not even support for manual duplexing (the Computer driver provides dialog boxes that walk you through the process of manual duplexing). The letter/A4-size scanner lacks an automatic document feeder, and the scanner lid telescopes about 0.5 inch--enough to deal with most magazines, but not most books. You'll also discover card slots for Secure Digital and Memory Stick formats.

Unfortunately, the Stylus NX430's speed doesn't fairly measure up to its print quality. Text and monochrome graphics print at a middling 4.8 pages per minute. Pictures printed to glossy stock are particularly slow: A half-page color photo prints to plain paper at an acceptable 2.85 ppm, however the same image prints to glossy paper at just 0.72 ppm. On the Mac platform, full-page color pictures print at only 0.28 ppm--slothful even by entry-level inkjet standards. Copies arrive in the same unhurried pace, but scans are reasonably fast.

The NX430's output is extremely great for the cost, and its space-saving style is an benefit in case your small or house workplace is fairly little (and if you are not a Mac user who requirements duplex assistance). Also, keep in mind to set the firewall exception for push-scanning. Affordable alternatives to this model consist of the Brother MFC-J430W and the Canon Pixma MX410.

Having a name like the epson stylus nx430 Small-in-One All-in-One Printer ($99 direct), you'd expect compactness to become a defining function of this multifunction printer (MFP), and indeed it can squeeze into spots where most printers couldn't fit. Its function set is clearly geared to house use instead of the home office, and it could also be a great fit in the tight quarters of a college dorm.