Setting up my home office was a journey of a thousand small decisions. The desk, the chair, the monitor—each piece was chosen to create a space of productivity. But the final, and perhaps most critical, piece of the puzzle was the printer. I wasn’t just looking for a machine to spit out documents. I needed a command center: a device that could print proposals, scan receipts, copy invoices, and even fax the occasional contract without complaining. The old days of having a separate device for each task were long gone; space and sanity are premium commodities. The alternative, a basic printer without these functions, meant constant trips to a copy shop, interrupting workflow and adding unnecessary costs. The search was on for an affordable, all-in-one solution that promised to do everything. This is the exact niche the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer aims to fill, but as we discovered, promises and performance can be two very different things.
- Professional-Quality Home Office Printing — Epson’s leading-edge PrecisionCore technology delivers sharp text and vibrant colour graphics at fast speeds
- Our Fastest WorkForce Printer for Home Offices — Plus, a 150-sheet paper tray for convenient paper handling
What to Consider Before Buying an All-in-One Inkjet Printer
An inkjet printer is more than just an item on your desk; it’s a key solution for bridging the digital and physical worlds. For students, freelancers, and small business owners, it’s an indispensable tool for producing everything from term papers and vibrant presentations to marketing materials and professional invoices. The primary benefit of an all-in-one model is consolidation. It saves space, reduces cable clutter, and simplifies your workflow by integrating printing, scanning, copying, and often faxing into a single, cohesive unit. This integration is crucial for anyone looking to maximize efficiency in a compact home office environment.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing a diverse set of daily tasks—printing multi-page reports, digitizing documents for archiving, and making quick copies. They value convenience and features like an automatic document feeder (ADF) and two-sided printing. However, this type of printer might not be suitable for those who print hundreds of pages daily, as the cost-per-page with cartridges can become prohibitive. It’s also not for the photo enthusiast who needs gallery-quality prints, as dedicated photo printers offer superior color depth and media handling. For high-volume users, a laser printer or a cartridge-free “supertank” inkjet model might be a more economical long-term choice.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: An “all-in-one” can still be a sizeable machine. Measure your intended space carefully, accounting for not just the printer’s footprint (50.3 x 41.7 x 25.4 cm for this model) but also the clearance needed for the paper trays, scanner lid, and rear access for clearing jams. A printer that’s too large for its space becomes an obstacle rather than a tool.
- Capacity/Performance: Look beyond the initial price and examine the specifications that impact daily use. Print speed, measured in pages per minute (ppm), tells you how quickly it handles jobs. Paper tray capacity (the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer holds 150 sheets) dictates how often you’ll need to refill it. For scanning, an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) is a non-negotiable feature for multi-page documents.
- Materials & Durability: Most home office printers are constructed from plastic. While this keeps them lightweight, the quality can vary. We look for sturdy trays, a smoothly operating scanner lid, and responsive buttons. User feedback often reveals weak points, such as flimsy covers or rollers that wear out quickly, which can turn a functional device into a frustrating piece of hardware.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: A printer should simplify your work, not add to it. Consider the user interface—is it an intuitive touchscreen or a confusing array of buttons? How simple is the wireless setup and the companion mobile app? Maintenance involves more than just replacing ink; clogged printheads and paper jams are common issues, so easy access for cleaning and troubleshooting is vital.
Understanding these factors will help you choose a printer that not only meets your immediate needs but also proves to be a reliable and cost-effective partner for years to come. You can see the full specifications for this model to evaluate how it measures up against these criteria.
While the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer is an interesting choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- Print, Copy, Scan: The PIXMA TS3720 is a true colour printer scanner copier all in one that is compact, versatile and easy-to-use with a 60 sheet rear tray that reduces the need to refill paper as...
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― No more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; each ink bottle set is equivalent to about 80 individual cartridges (2)
- FROM CANADA'S MOST TRUSTED PRINTER BRAND – The DeskJet 2855e is perfect for homes printing to-do lists, letters, financial documents and recipes. Print speeds up to 5.5 ppm colour, 7.5 ppm black.
First Impressions: A Compact Hub with Big Ambitions
Unboxing the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer, we were met with a device that feels appropriately designed for the modern home office. It’s compact, with clean lines and a matte black finish that resists fingerprints. Weighing in at just over 14 pounds, it was easy to lift and place on our test bench. The initial setup is guided by the 2.4-inch color touchscreen, which is bright and responsive. It walks you through installing the four initial T222 Claria ink cartridges and connecting to a Wi-Fi network. While the screen itself is a welcome feature at this price point, we did find the on-screen navigation could be slightly counter-intuitive, a sentiment echoed by users who noted that confirming a selection sometimes required pressing “OK,” and other times an arrow or symbol, leading to some initial confusion. The overall build is primarily plastic, and while it feels adequate, some components like the top cover of the ADF feel a bit delicate. It’s a device that clearly packs a lot of functionality into a small footprint, aiming to be the do-it-all machine many home users are searching for. You can explore its compact design and feature set here.
What We Like
- Comprehensive all-in-one functionality (Print, Scan, Copy, Fax)
- Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) for multi-page scanning
- Automatic 2-sided (duplex) printing saves paper
- Flexible connectivity with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and a robust mobile app
What We Didn’t Like
- Alarmingly high ink consumption and expensive proprietary cartridges
- Prone to paper jams and mechanical issues with the ADF
- Firmware updates may block the use of third-party ink cartridges
- Can refuse to print in black-and-white if a color cartridge is empty
A Deep Dive into the Epson WF-2960’s Performance
A printer’s value is determined not by its spec sheet, but by its performance under the pressure of daily tasks. We put the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer through its paces, simulating a typical week in a busy home office. We printed reports, scanned contracts, copied articles, and tested its connectivity to see if its real-world utility lived up to its feature-rich promise. What we found was a machine of profound contradictions—one that excels in convenience on one hand, while introducing significant frustrations on the other.
Setup, Connectivity, and User Interface
Getting the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer up and running is a mixed bag. The physical setup is straightforward: remove the packing tape, plug it in, and follow the on-screen prompts on the 2.4″ color touchscreen to install the ink. This is where we hit our first snag, and it’s a significant one. The initialization process, which primes the printhead, consumes a shocking amount of ink from the “starter” cartridges. Several users reported that their cartridges were nearly empty before they could even print a single test page, and our experience wasn’t far off. This feels less like a setup process and more like the beginning of a costly subscription.
Once past the ink initialization, connecting to our Wi-Fi network was simple using the touchscreen. The Epson Smart Panel app is also a highlight, providing a powerful and intuitive way to print, scan, and manage the printer directly from a smartphone or tablet. We found the mobile printing feature to be reliable and genuinely useful for quickly printing an email attachment or a photo. However, interacting directly with the printer’s own interface can be tedious. As mentioned, the navigation logic isn’t consistent, requiring different button presses to confirm actions in different menus. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s a persistent annoyance that detracts from the user experience, especially when compared to more refined interfaces from competitors.
Print Quality and Speed: Good, But Not Great
When it comes to its primary function, the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer delivers acceptable, if not stellar, results. Using Epson’s PrecisionCore Heat-Free technology, it produces sharp, legible black text that is more than suitable for reports, letters, and schoolwork. Color prints on plain paper are decent, with reasonably vibrant graphics for presentations or flyers. However, when we compared its output to other printers, we could confirm user reports of its quality being merely “decent.” One user provided a side-by-side comparison with a Canon printer, and the Epson’s output was visibly less saturated and less crisp. The quality is sufficient for internal documents, but we wouldn’t rely on it for client-facing marketing materials or photo printing.
Speed is another area where the printer is adequate but won’t win any awards. The advertised speeds of 14 ppm for black and 7.5 ppm for color are optimistic, representing draft-mode printing. In our real-world tests with standard quality settings, speeds were noticeably slower. As one user aptly put it, “If I stand there I would go crazy on the slow speed.” The automatic duplexing feature, which prints on both sides of the paper, is a fantastic inclusion for saving paper and creating professional-looking documents. It works reliably, though it slows the overall print time down even further. This printer is built for patience, not for speed. While its print features are extensive, they come with performance trade-offs.
Scanning, Copying, and the Temperamental ADF
The true “all-in-one” appeal of this printer lies in its scanning and copying capabilities, especially the 30-sheet Auto Document Feeder (ADF). In theory, the ADF is a game-changer, allowing you to load a stack of pages and have them scanned or copied automatically. When it worked, it was fantastic. We scanned a 10-page contract into a searchable PDF using the Epson ScanSmart software, and the process was smooth. The resulting digital file was clear and accurate.
Unfortunately, the reliability of the ADF is a major point of failure. Our testing confirmed numerous user complaints about its performance. We experienced several paper jams with standard, non-creased copy paper. On multiple occasions, the rollers simply failed to grab the paper at all. One user described a complete breakdown where the top cover fell off and the rollers stopped functioning entirely for faxing, printing, or scanning. Another simply stated, “After several paper jams or it just not even pulling it thru I was completely over it.” This inconsistency turns one of the printer’s key selling points into a source of immense frustration, making it difficult to recommend for anyone who relies heavily on multi-page scanning.
The Elephant in the Room: Ink Consumption and Crippling Costs
This is, without a doubt, the most critical aspect of our review and the biggest flaw of the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer. The business model for this printer appears to be selling the hardware at an attractive price and then profiting immensely from ink sales. The T222 series cartridges are small and expensive, and the printer consumes them at an astonishing rate. We were shocked by how quickly the ink levels dropped, even with moderate use. This aligns perfectly with a flood of user feedback, with one user stating the cartridges “dry up faster than any spirit” and another lamenting the “cartridge constantly needs refill even when not used.”
The problem is compounded by two infuriating design choices. First, the printer will often refuse to print a simple black-and-white document if any one of the color cartridges is empty. This forces you to replace a cartridge you may not even need, just to print a text document. Second, Epson has actively worked to prevent the use of more affordable third-party ink cartridges. As one user warned in an update, a firmware update caused their printer to stop recognizing non-genuine ink, with support confirming there was no way to bypass it. This locks you into Epson’s expensive ecosystem. The initial savings on the printer are quickly obliterated by the exorbitant long-term cost of ink, a fact that turns this “budget” printer into a potential money pit. It’s a critical flaw that anyone considering this printer must be aware of, as the ongoing cost of ownership is far from budget-friendly.
What Other Users Are Saying
Our findings are strongly corroborated by the broader user community, which presents a very polarized view of the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer. On the positive side, some users find it to be a capable workhorse for their specific needs. One user who makes over 50 copies a week for their work praised its reliability and found the ink consumption (using XL cartridges) to be manageable, getting about six weeks per set. They also highlighted the convenience of the mobile app for printing directly from their phone.
However, the negative feedback is overwhelming and centers on a few key themes. The most prevalent complaint, by far, is the exorbitant ink consumption. Users repeatedly describe the printer as a “money grabber,” with cartridges that run out with shocking speed, even when the printer is idle. The second major issue is reliability and build quality. We saw numerous reports of parts falling off, constant paper jams, and scanner lights failing. Finally, Epson’s policy on ink is a source of major frustration, from firmware updates blocking third-party cartridges to the printer’s refusal to print in black-and-white when a color cartridge is empty. One user summed up their disappointment after months of issues: “Disappointing! Out $100+ in ink after 3 trials of ink to finally determine that the yellow ink dispensing jet must not be working.”
How Does the Epson Workforce WF-2960 Compare to the Alternatives?
The Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The home office printer market is crowded, and several compelling alternatives address its key weaknesses. Here’s how it stacks up against three other popular models from Epson’s own lineup.
1. Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless All-in-One Supertank Printer
- Innovative Cartridge-Free Printing ― No more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; each ink bottle set is equivalent to about 80 individual cartridges (2)
- Dramatic Savings on Replacement Ink ― Save up to 90% with replacement ink bottles vs. ink cartridges (1) – that’s enough to print up to 4,500 pages black/7,500 colour (3)
The Epson EcoTank ET-2800 represents a completely different approach to printing costs. Instead of cartridges, it uses large, refillable ink tanks that you fill from affordable bottles. While the initial purchase price is higher than the WF-2960, the long-term savings on ink are astronomical. A single set of replacement ink bottles for the ET-2800 is equivalent to dozens of cartridges for the WF-2960. This model is the ideal choice for users who print regularly and want to escape the high cost and waste of the cartridge system. It lacks the ADF and fax capabilities of the WF-2960, making it less of an “office” machine, but for families and students focused purely on printing, scanning, and copying, its cost-effectiveness is unbeatable.
2. Epson Expression Premium XP-7100 Wireless Photo Printer
- Epson strongly recommends the use of genuine epson inks for a quality printing experience non epson inks and inks not formulated for your specific printer may cause damage that is not covered by the...
- This printer is designed for use with epson cartridges only, not third party cartridges or ink; cartridges described as compatible, re manufactured, refilled or refillable may not work properly or at...
If your printing needs lean more towards high-quality photos and creative projects rather than office documents, the Epson Expression XP-7100 is a superior alternative. It uses a five-color ink system (including a dedicated Photo Black) to produce lab-quality photos with much better color accuracy and depth than the WF-2960. It still includes office-friendly features like an ADF and duplex printing, making it a versatile machine. However, its primary strength is photo output. It’s designed for the hobbyist photographer or scrapbooker who needs a printer that can also handle day-to-day office tasks, whereas the WF-2960 is purely focused on document productivity with mediocre color quality.
3. Epson EcoTank ET-2850 All-in-One Cartridge-Free Printer
- Innovative cartridge-free printing high-capacity ink tanks mean no more tiny, expensive ink cartridges; epsons exclusive ecofit ink bottles make filling easy and worry-free
- Dramatic savings on replacement ink save up to 90% with replacement ink bottles vs ink cartridges (1) thats enough to print up to 7,500 pages black/6,000 color (2), equivalent to about 90 individual...
The Epson EcoTank ET-2850 strikes a middle ground, offering the best of both worlds. Like the ET-2800, it features the incredibly cost-effective supertank system, freeing you from expensive cartridges. However, it adds a key feature that the base model lacks: automatic two-sided (duplex) printing. This makes it a much more practical choice for home office or school use where saving paper is a priority. It still omits the ADF and faxing found on the WF-2960, but for the vast majority of users who primarily print, scan, and copy double-sided documents, the ET-2850 offers a nearly perfect balance of features and phenomenal long-term value, making it a much smarter investment than the WF-2960.
The Final Verdict: A Feature-Rich Printer with a Fatal Flaw
The Epson Workforce WF-2960 Wireless All-in-One Printer is a tempting proposition on the surface. It offers a complete suite of home office features—ADF, duplex printing, fax, and excellent wireless connectivity—at a very low initial price. For someone who prints very infrequently but needs the versatility to scan a multi-page document or send a fax once in a blue moon, it might seem like a bargain. However, our extensive testing and analysis of user feedback reveal a critical, disqualifying flaw: its business model is built on selling astronomically expensive ink.
The printer’s voracious appetite for proprietary ink, combined with its tendency to jam and its firmware locks against third-party alternatives, transforms it from a budget-friendly tool into a frustrating and costly liability. The initial savings are quickly erased, and the user is left with a machine that costs a fortune to operate. We cannot in good conscience recommend this printer for the average user. Your money is far better invested in a model from Epson’s own EcoTank line, which may cost more upfront but will save you hundreds of dollars and immense frustration in the long run.
If, despite the severe drawbacks regarding running costs, you feel the specific feature set at this low entry price is the only option for your very specific, light-use needs, you can check the latest price and availability online. But for most, we strongly advise looking at the alternatives.
Last update on 2025-11-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API