Epson WorkForce 1100 Printer Review

Using the Printer

If we were asked to describe this printer in one word, that word would be “big.” Even with the paper trays closed, the printer is massive. Figure 6 shows it next to a Lexmark All-in-One to give you an idea in the difference in size.

Figure 6: The Epson WorkForce 100 next to a Lexmark All-in-One.

Because the printer can handle such large paper sizes, the paper trays, by necessity, are also quite large. The back tray, shown in Figure 7, unfold in three stages.

Figure 7: The input paper tray.

The output tray, shown in Figure 8, is also quite large. It protrudes from the printer and when fully open adds about 13” (33 cm) to the depth of the printer. We placed the WorkForce 1100 on a 30” x 60” (76 cm x 1.5 m) desk and it took up a full one half of the width of the desk and the output paper trays when fully opened, hung ove
r the edge of the desk. If, however, you are not printing on over-sized paper, you do not have to open the input and output trays to the full length.

Figure 8: The output paper tray.

Because of the heft of this printer, you will want to find it a home on a sturdy desk or table. The printer is no louder than most and it does not shift or shimmy when used on a sturdy surface, but it is almost impossible to use on a flimsy cart or stand.

The WorkForce 1100 has no built-in network connectivity. The printer must be tethered to a computer via USB cable, which will somewhat limit its location. Of course, you can share the printer on a Windows or Mac network for access from other computers. In a business situation, the printer can also be networked with an external print server.

Using the printer is effortless. Epson even includes videos for first-time users in their User Guide, but most of you won’t need these.

In several weeks of constant use, we encountered no paper jams and the printer handled everything from envelopes to 13” x 19” (33 x 48 cm) posters.

Epson is marketing this printer as a business printer. It certainly would be great for everything from business cards to flyers, booklets and business brochures. We felt, however, that this WorkForce could also be very useful for many home users. You can use it to decorate your walls with large family photos, calendars, and customized posters. It will also print family photo books, invitations, and cards. Scrap bookers will find it delightful for many of their projects.