The modern landscape is rapidly changing. Whether it’s the rise in freelancing and home offices, or the demands of small businesses and startups, there’s a growing need for versatile and efficient printing solutions. These users often face constraints – be it budget, space, or the need for a device that can handle a variety of tasks. This is where all-in-one printers like the EPSON EcoTank L5590 come into play, offering a range of functionalities in a single unit.

Epson’s EcoTank lineup has long been recognized for addressing these concerns with its refillable ink tank system. This design promises lower running costs and reduced waste, appealing to both cost-conscious home users and businesses looking to optimize their spending. The EPSON EcoTank L5590 is the latest all-in-one printer in this series, offering not just printing, but also scanning, copying, and faxing capabilities. Key features include high-speed printing (15/8 ipm for black/colour), a high page yield to minimize downtime, and a comprehensive set of connectivity options for seamless integration into any workflow.

In this review, we will thoroughly examine the EPSON EcoTank L5590 to determine if its core features and multiple functions live up to expectations. We’ll assess its performance, efficiency, and overall value, ultimately aiming to answer the crucial question: Is this all-in-one printer a worthwhile investment for homes and businesses seeking a reliable and economical printing solution?

Design

The EPSON EcoTank L5590 is designed with practicality and user-centricity at its core, prioritizing ease of use and efficiency. Its dimensions (375mm wide, 237mm tall, and 347mm deep) allow it to fit comfortably in a variety of settings. Whether it’s tucked away on a bookshelf, neatly placed on a work desk, or sitting on a small cabinet, the L5590’s footprint doesn’t demand excessive space.

One of the standout design features is the inclusion of an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF). This significantly streamlines the scanning and copying of multi-page documents, a boon for productivity in busy home or office environments. The ADF also supports duplex scanning, further enhancing efficiency by enabling the scanning of both sides of a document automatically.

Epson has also paid close attention to the ergonomics of the L5590 to enhance the user experience. The control panel is intuitively laid out, and the 1.44-inch color LCD screen simplifies navigation and operation, reducing the learning curve for new users.

Refilling the ink tanks, a hallmark of the EcoTank series, has been designed for convenience and cleanliness. The ink bottles are engineered to prevent spills, and the tanks are easily accessible from the front, minimising the need to move the printer or open multiple covers. This thoughtful design touch simplifies maintenance and reduces downtime.

Ultimately, Epson deserves credit for putting considerable thought into the design of the L5590. It’s clear that the focus is on enabling the printer to seamlessly integrate into the user’s workflow, rather than requiring the user to adapt to the printer’s limitations.

Hardware

The EPSON EcoTank L5590 is constructed with a focus on durability and functionality, incorporating robust materials designed to withstand regular use in both home and office environments.

At the heart of the L5590 is the PrecisionCore Printhead, a key differentiator that sets it apart from conventional thermal inkjet printers. Unlike traditional printheads that use heat to eject ink, PrecisionCore technology employs a high-density print chip that precisely ejects ink droplets. This results in faster printing speeds of up to 15 ipm for black and 8 ipm for colour prints, as well as improved accuracy and durability.

The L5590 also features an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) with a capacity of 30 sheets, enabling efficient scanning and copying of multi-page documents. This significantly streamlines workflows, saving time and effort.

In terms of connectivity, the L5590 offers a range of options to suit various needs. It supports USB 2.0 for a traditional wired connection, as well as Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g/n for wireless networking. Wi-Fi Direct allows for direct connection to mobile devices without requiring a router, and Ethernet provides a stable wired network connection.

Specifications

Printing Technology	RGB liquid crystal shutter projection system
Maximum Resolution	0.62-inch
Print Speed (Black/Colour)	Full HD (1080p)
Scanner Type	Laser Diode
Optical Resolution	20,000 hours (Normal/Quiet)
Fax Function	30″ to 150″
Connectivity	1,000 lm/1,000 lm
LCD Screen	Over 5,000,000:1
Dimensions	5W x2 + Passive Radiator
Weight	1 (HDCP 2.3, ARC Supported)
ADF Capacity	Built-in, 30 pages
Retail Price (RM)	RM1,299.00
Retail Price (USD)	USD$500.00

 

User Experience

The EPSON EcoTank L5590 offers multiple ways to interact with the printer, each with its own set of strengths and weaknesses.

LCD Screen

The L5590 incorporates a 1.44-inch color LCD screen to facilitate direct operation of the printer. This screen allows users to perform initial setup, configure network settings, and execute basic functions such as copying and scanning. However, the setup process itself, when done through the LCD screen, can be tedious. Navigating through the various options and inputting information using the physical buttons can be time-consuming and cumbersome. The interface is generally responsive, exhibiting minimal lag or delays as you navigate through the menus for other functions. However, the display is not touch-enabled, which means you must rely on physical buttons for all interactions beyond the initial setup. While this button-driven system is functional, it can feel somewhat outdated compared to the more intuitive touch interfaces found on many modern devices. For instance, inputting text or scrolling through lists requires repetitive button presses, which some users might find tedious.

Epson Smart Panel App

For a more contemporary and streamlined experience, users can opt to control the printer through the Epson Smart Panel app on their smartphone or tablet. This app is designed with a focus on simplicity, providing an intuitive way to manage printing, scanning, and copying tasks remotely. The app’s clean and straightforward layout contributes to its ease of use. However, its visual design could benefit from a refresh to bring it in line with current aesthetic trends.

During our review, we observed that the initial setup process using the Epson Smart Panel app could be a bit temperamental. In some instances, settings did not transfer to the printer on the first attempt, necessitating repeated tries. Nevertheless, once the printer was successfully configured, the app delivered a smooth and convenient user experience. Printing documents and photos from the app is a breeze, and Epson has thoughtfully included basic photo editing tools, enabling users to make quick adjustments to images before printing.

Performance

The EPSON EcoTank L5590 is designed to be a versatile workhorse, and its performance generally aligns with this intent. The printer is claimed to have a capacity of 5,900 pages print capacity for colour prints and a 6,600-page capacity for monochrome prints. While we weren’t able to test these claims to ensure that we don’t waste resources, the claims are lofty ones. During our review period, we did print maps for Dungeons and Dragons and even documents. These amounted to roughly 200 pages, and we didn’t make much of a dent in the ink capacity.

Printing

Epson advertises the L5590 as having a fast print speed of 15 ipm (black) and 8 ipm (colour). It’s important to clarify the difference between “ipm” and “ppm.” While both measure print speed, “ipm” (images per minute) typically refers to measuring the speed of printing a single-sided page, while “ppm” (pages per minute) can sometimes refer to single-sided or double-sided printing.

In our tests, we observed slightly different results. We clocked the printer at 2 seconds per page for monochrome prints and 3.2 seconds per page for colour prints. This translates to 30 ppm for monochrome and approximately 18.75 ppm for colour. While our monochrome print speed significantly exceeds Epson’s claim, our colour print speed also surpasses it.

Beyond speed, the L5590 delivers impressive text quality. Printed text is remarkably sharp and well-defined, even at smaller font sizes, ensuring excellent readability for professional documents. The level of text clarity is so refined that the only tangible improvement would be achieved by using a laser printer, which is known for its crisp text output.

When it comes to graphics and image reproduction, the L5590 performs admirably, producing colour documents and graphics with good vibrancy and clarity. However, photo printing exhibits a slight compromise in sharpness. While colours are generally accurate, photo prints lack the intricate detail and sharpness that dedicated photo printers often provide. This characteristic was consistent in both monochrome and colour photo prints. It’s important to note that our photo printing evaluations were conducted using standard paper; employing specialised photo paper might yield enhanced results, though this was not included in our testing protocol.

Scanning

The L5590 also offers robust scanning capabilities. Our tests recorded scanning speeds of 12 seconds per page for monochrome documents and 17 seconds per page for colour documents.

The inclusion of an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) significantly enhances the scanning of multi-page documents, streamlining the workflow for large volumes of paperwork. This is further complemented by the ADF’s duplex scanning functionality, which automatically scans both sides of a page.

Scanned images are captured with a high level of detail, thanks to the scanner’s optical resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi. While this resolution is more than sufficient for the majority of scanning tasks, it’s worth noting that such a high resolution is typically required only for specialized applications like scanning images for billboard-sized prints. For everyday scanning needs, the L5590 provides more than adequate clarity and detail.

An Impressive Entry to the EcoTank Lineup that Enters a Market Full of Alternatives but Delivers on Performance at a Price

So, where does the EPSON EcoTank L5590 land? It’s definitely a strong contender, especially if you’re running a small business or startup and need a printer that can handle a heavy workload without constant ink cartridge changes. It’s built for efficiency, and it largely delivers on that. We saw some pretty impressive print speeds in our tests, even a bit faster than Epson’s claims, which is always a nice surprise. The ADF is a lifesaver for scanning stacks of documents, and the connectivity options give you flexibility in how you want to work.

But, and there’s always a “but,” it’s not the cheapest option out there. You’re paying a premium upfront for the EcoTank system, with the promise of saving money on ink down the road. Plus, while it’s generally user-friendly, the LCD screen feels a little old-school, and getting the app set up can be a bit fiddly at times. And if you’re a big photo printer, you might find the quality a bit lacking compared to dedicated photo printers.

Bottom line: If you need a reliable workhorse for everyday office tasks and are willing to invest a bit more upfront, the L5590 is worth considering. But if you’re on a tight budget or prioritise top-notch photo prints, it’s worth shopping around.