Epson EcoTank ET-2850: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Epson EcoTank ET-2850 right for you?

The ET-2850 is the duplexing step-up from the ET-2800 and is sold in nearly every market, which makes it one of the best-supported EcoTanks for drivers and ink. A closed front cassette, auto two-sided printing and a compact chassis suit home offices that churn through reports. Note that the same model uses 522 bottles in North America but 104 bottles in the UK and EU, so buy the ink for your region. Duplex jams on heavy stock and ink pad warnings after several years are the usual complaints.

Best for: Home offices that print double-sided documents every week

Setting up the Epson EcoTank ET-2850

Enable automatic two-sided printing in the driver after install; it ships disabled. Smart Panel can onboard the printer to a 2.4 GHz network in a couple of minutes, and the Wi-Fi Direct option on the LCD works for guests. Use plain 75-90 gsm paper in the cassette for duplex jobs and feed card stock through the rear slot instead.

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-2850 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 (US)
• Epson 104 Black (UK/EU)
• Epson 522/104 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