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Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Printer Review

Tested using Methodology v1.2
Reviewed Sep 11, 2024 at 09:10 am
Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 Picture
6.2
Family
5.9
Small/Home Office
6.7
Student
6.0
Black & White
8.4
Photo
7.9
Color Quality
7.0
Document Quality
0
Scanner
6.0
Speed

The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is a print-only wide-format color inkjet printer. It has a six-cartridge system with dedicated red and gray ink cartridges. It uses Epson's 312 Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow and Epson's 314XL Red and Gray ink cartridges. It's also compatible with high-yield 312 XL cartridges. Connectivity options include USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and support for Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. It's also compatible with two mobile apps—Epson iPrint for regular printing and maintenance tasks and Epson Creative Print for photo and design-based printing projects.

Our Verdict

6.2 Family

Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is passable as a family printer. Its wide connectivity options and app support make it convenient for every member of the household to access. Its photo print quality is also excellent, as photos look detailed and vibrant. However, its document printing quality is hit and miss; color documents look great, but black-and-white documents only print in grayscale and look visibly different from normal black-and-white printing. Page yields are also quite low, so you can expect to change ink cartridges frequently if you print a lot. Finally, as a print-only model, you'll need to be sure you don't need to scan anything if you buy this printer.

Pros
  • Wide color gamut.
  • Prints wide range of paper sizes.
  • Variety of connectivity options.
  • Great color document quality.
Cons
  • Prints black and white documents in grayscale.
  • Low page yields.
  • Slow printing speeds.
  • No scanner.
5.9 Small/Home Office

Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is middling as a small or home office printer. As a print-only unit, you can't scan anything with it. Its six ink cartridges all have fairly low page yields, and this printer uses color ink to print in black and white; this means you'll have to change black and color ink cartridges frequently if you print in high volume. Also, print speed isn't the fastest, as it only pushes seven black or eight color pages per minute. Printed documents are a mixed bag. Color documents look sharp, but black-and-white documents always print in grayscale, and fine details have some graininess to them. On the bright side, there are plenty of connectivity options, so it's easy to access.

Pros
  • Solid build quality.
  • Variety of connectivity options.
Cons
  • Prints black and white documents in grayscale.
  • Low page yields.
  • Slow printing speeds.
  • No scanner.
6.7 Student

Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is okay as a printer for student use. Its wide connectivity options make it easy to print from various devices, but its cost per print is just okay as its ink cartridges have low yields. You'll have to change them often if you print a lot. Document print quality is decent overall, but its speed is slow, so it isn't the best for printing out a long essay at the last minute. Finally, as a print-only model, there's no scanner, so you'll have to look elsewhere for your scanning needs.

Pros
  • Prints wide range of paper sizes.
  • Variety of connectivity options.
  • Great color document quality.
Cons
  • Prints black and white documents in grayscale.
  • Low page yields.
  • Slow printing speeds.
  • No scanner.
6.0 Black & White

The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is mediocre for printing black-and-white documents. Text print quality is legible, and fine details are sharp enough, albeit with some graininess. The major issue is that it prints in grayscale, which means documents have a colored tint. Page yield is quite low across the black and color ink cartridges, so you'll have to replace the cartridges on a regular basis if you print often. Unfortunately, this printer is quite slow, pushing only eight pages per minute.

Pros
  • High yield cartridges available.
Cons
  • Prints black and white documents in grayscale.
  • Slow printing speeds.
8.4 Photo

The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is a great photo printer. It produces detailed and colorful pictures, and thanks to its wide color gamut, it can reproduce saturated tones and hues, resulting in vibrant images. The cost for this vibrancy is only average color accuracy. Moreover, this printer does a better job than most at resolving fine details. It also has an impressively wide variety of compatible printing sizes; it can perform borderless printing on up to Supertabloid-size sheets of paper. The downside is that page yields are quite low; recurring costs can add up for photo printing as a result.

Pros
  • Wide color gamut.
  • Exceptional at reproducing fine details.
  • Prints wide range of photo paper sizes.
Cons
  • Much slower than advertised photo printing.
  • High cost-per-print.
7.9 Color Quality

The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000's color quality is very good. It has an exceptionally wide color gamut, so it can reproduce bright and dark saturated tones and hues. However, its color accuracy isn't quite as good, so despite printing detailed and colorful photos, it may not be the best choice for professionals who require accuracy above all else. Depending on the subject you are printing, there are different printing modes to help with color accuracy.

Pros
  • Wide color gamut.
Cons
7.0 Document Quality

The Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 produces decent black-and-white documents. The print quality of text is good, although fine details can be a bit grainy. The major issue is that it doesn't print in true black but grayscale; documents have a colored tint as a result.

Pros
  • Text is clear.
Cons
  • Prints black and white documents in grayscale.
0 Scanner

The Epson Expression Photo XP-15000 doesn't have a scanner.

6.0 Speed

The Epson Photo HD XP-15000's printing speed is unremarkable. It can print eight black and seven color pages per minute. However, it prints much slower than its advertised photo printing speed, taking almost a minute to produce a 4 x 6 borderless photo.

Pros
Cons
  • Much slower than advertised photo printing.
6.3 Recurring Costs

Recurring costs for the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 are decent. Page yields are quite low, but ink cartridges aren't overly expensive.

Pros
  • High yield cartridges available.
Cons
  • Low page yields.
  • 6.2 Family
  • 5.9 Small/Home Office
  • 6.7 Student
  • 6.0 Black & White
  • 8.4 Photo

Performance Usages

  • 7.9 Color Quality
  • 7.0 Document Quality
  • 0 Scanner
  • 6.0 Speed
  • 6.3 Recurring Costs
  1. Updated Sep 11, 2024: Review published.
  2. Updated Sep 03, 2024: Early access published.
  3. Updated Aug 29, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Aug 27, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  5. Updated Aug 19, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000. There are no variants, and you can always verify the label of our unit.

Compared To Other Printers

The Epson HD XP-15000 is a print-only wide-format inkjet printer. It produces detailed and colorful photos with a much wider color gamut than most printers in its class. However, it doesn't perform as well for document printing, as black-and-white documents print in grayscale, resulting in a colored appearance. Also, it can only accommodate Tabloid and Supertabloid size sheets in its rear paper feeder and has a more limited 50-sheet capacity. 

See our recommendations for the best office printers, the best 11x17 printers, and the best photo printers.

Epson EcoTank ET-4850

The Epson EcoTank ET-4850 is a better printer overall than the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000. It features much better page yields, document printing quality, and print speeds. It's the superior choice for all-around use. However, if you need to print tabloid-size sheets or primarily print photos, then go with the XP-15000. It features an exceptionally wide color gamut, so photos look detailed and vibrant and can print up to 13 x 19 size sheets. Just know that its page yields aren't great, and black-and-white documents are printed in grayscale, so they have a colored tint to them.

Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550

The Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 is a much better wide-format printer overall than the Epson Expression Photo HD-XP-15000. As an all-in-one device, the ET-8550 is more versatile, with a flatbed scanner that can accommodate up to Legal size sheets. Moreover, its supertank ink system yields exponentially more pages and offers superior document printing quality. That being said, the XP-15000 offers comparable photo printing quality for a fraction of the price, so it may be the better choice if you only print photos.

Canon PIXMA TS9520a/TS9521Ca

The Canon PIXMA TS9520a/TS9521Ca and the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 are both wide-format printers, although they have complementary strengths and weaknesses. The Canon is the better choice if you need an all-in-one device for an office or home setting. It produces much better-looking documents, has an ADF-equipped scanner, and yields better page yields. By contrast, the Epson performs better for photo printing quality. It has a much wider color gamut, so pictures look more vibrant and detailed (although the Canon is more color-accurate).

Epson WorkForce Pro WF-7840

The Epson Workforce Pro WF-7840 and Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 are both wide-format printers. The WF-7840 is the better choice for office settings, as it produces nicer-looking documents and has much faster printing speeds. It also has an ADF-equipped scanner. By contrast, the XP-15000 is the superior choice if you print photos. It has an exceptionally wide color gamut, so photos look detailed and vibrant.

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
7.5
Design
Build Quality
Type Printer Only

This printer is well designed. You can access its internals by opening the top of the printer to reveal the cartridge bay and via the rear by removing the rear input tray. The top lid has good dampers that lock it in place, so you won't need to engage in a battle of wills with the lid as you attempt to change the ink cartridges. Changing the ink cartridges is straightforward, given the large access to the cartridge bay; however, the printer needs to be powered on, and you need to navigate to the menu to the "Replace Cartridge" option for the cartridge tray to become accessible. There's also a user-replaceable maintenance box that's easy to service and a detachable power cord, making it convenient to replace in case of damage. Not everything's perfect design-wise, though. For example, although the output tray features a motorized system that extends it according to the size sheet you're printing on, you can also retract it by simply pushing on it (although there's some resistance). Similarly, while the printer generally feels solid, not all parts are properly aligned. The plastic also feels cheaper than other Epson printers, and the tape used to secure moving parts during transport leaves a residue that needs to be cleaned.

Design
Dimensions
Height 6.1" (15.5 cm)
Width 18.7" (47.6 cm)
Depth 14.4" (36.7 cm)
Height When In Use
15.7" (39.8 cm)
Width When In Use
18.7" (47.6 cm)
Depth When In Use
31.5" (80.0 cm)
Weight
18.6 lbs (8.5 kg)
7.0
Design
Expected Maintenance
Ink Related Maintenance
Expected
Drum Unit
No Drum Unit

You can expect to perform a fair bit of maintenance on this printer if you print regularly. The ink yield is quite low across the six cartridges, so you'll have to replace them often if you print in high volume. Replacing the ink cartridges requires the printer to be on, and you must navigate through the menu to the "Replace Cartridge" option. There's also a user-replaceable maintenance box; it stores ink that gets flushed from the system during print head cleaning. You'll need to replace it once it gets full, but this is pretty straightforward; just unscrew a plastic panel at the front of the printer and remove it. There are several points of access to the sheet rollers in case of paper jams. You can remove the front cassette tray, the rear input tray, and also lift the top of the printer for access. All three provide good access to the printer's internals, but know that if the paper gets stuck behind the ink cartridge tray, it can't be moved out of the way to access the jam. Finally, like all inkjet printers, there's a risk of clogging if the printer sits unused for long periods. Thankfully, there are built-in maintenance tasks to help, including printhead nozzle check, printhead cleaning, and power cleaning. Other tasks include printhead alignment (vertical and horizontal), checking the maintenance box's remaining capacity, and cleaning the paper guide.

6.5
Design
Display Screen
Display Screen Yes
Display Screen Size
2.4" (6.1 cm)
Touchscreen No

This printer has a decent display. This color LCD display is a non-touch panel that offers good visibility whether you're sitting or standing in front of it, but it's harder to see from the sides. The display is housed on a panel with the rest of the controls that can tilt up to 90 degrees for better visibility. Finally, its 10 physical buttons are easy to use to navigate the menu.

5.6
Design
Cartridge
Technology Inkjet
SuperTank
No
Photo Cartridge
No
Color Yes
Number Of Color Cartridges
5
Black Cartridge Model
Epson 312 Black
Tested Black Page Yield
10 prints
Estimated Black Page Yield
190 prints
Color Cartridge Model
Epson 312 C/M/Y + 314XL Gy/R
Tested Color Page Yield
11 prints
Estimated Color Page Yield
234 prints
Third Party Cartridge
Not Found At Time Of The Review
Ink Type
Dye
High Yield Cartridge
Yes

This printer has a six-cartridge system. It has low ink yields across its six cartridges; however, some colors have higher yields than others, so depending on what and how often you print, you may need to replace some cartridges far before others. This printer is compatible with Epson 312 XL high-yield cartridges for Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow—their advertised yield is 500 pages. The Red and Gray cartridges are only available as XL cartridges (Epson 314XL).

You receive warning messages when ink is low and when you are out of ink. You can continue to print in black when one or more color cartridge is empty, but only temporarily. The printer requires ink from each cartridge in order to prevent air bubbles from entering its permanent printhead and causing damage.

0
Design
Scanner Features
Scanner
No Scanner
ADF Capacity
N/A
Scan Speed
N/A
Duplex Scanning
No Scanner
Max Flatbed Scan Size
No Scanner
Max ADF Scan Size
No Scanner
Flatbed Hinge Adjustability
N/A
Fax
No
Copy
No
OCR Included
No Scanner
0
Design
Scan Quality
Max Scan Resolution
N/A
Max Scan Color Depth
N/A
Design
In The Box

  • User documentation
  • Cleaning sheet (to clean the rear paper path)
  • Power cable
  • CD-ROM (user guide and software)
  • Set of starter ink cartridges:
    • Epson 312 Cyan
    • Epson 312 Magenta
    • Epson 312 Yellow
    • Epson 312 Black
    • Epson 314XL Red
    • Epson 314XL Gray

Design
Battery
Advertised Battery Life
N/A
Tested Charging Time
N/A
Document
7.0
Document
Black & White Documents
Color Ink Needed For Black & White
Yes

This printer produces decent black-and-white documents. Text is legible, and fine details are clear enough despite some graining. The main issue is that this printer cannot produce true black-and-white documents; instead, it prints documents in grayscale. This means that black-and-white documents have a somewhat purplish tint to them. Printing using the High Quality mode produces the same results. If you only print a text document, the tint is still noticeable.

8.0
Document
Color Documents

Color documents look great from this printer. Text is clear and legible, and colors are vibrant and saturated. There's a good amount of detail in fine lines, like lines on a graph; however, there's some graininess in larger blocks of color, producing a textured-like appearance.

6.3
Document
Cost-Per-Print
Black Cartridge Price
10.99 US$
Color Cartridge Price
76.98 US$
Black-Only Printing Cost
0.058 US$/print
Color Printing Cost
0.329 US$/print
Photo Printing Cost
0.875 US$/print
Ink Subscription
No

Our estimated color cartridge costs only apply to the Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow cartridges. As the color codes for the Red and Gray color cartridges aren't advertised, we're unable to perform our ink yield tests on them. These two colors are used when printing photos to enhance the gamut range and are sold separately from the other cartridges; we've included their cost as part of the total color cartridge price.

6.0
Document
Printing Speed
Black Only Text Document
7 PPM
Color Document
8 PPM
Photo Printing Time
50.7 s
Single Page Out Time (Black Only)
26.0 s
Duplex Printing
Automatic
Input Tray Capacity
250 pages

Photos print much slower than the advertised time of 27 seconds. The cassette holds 200 sheets of plain paper, 50 Legal size sheets, or 50 sheets of photo paper, while the rear tray holds 50 sheets of letter or legal paper, or 20 sheets of photo paper. The output tray can hold 100 sheets of plain paper or 20 sheets of photo paper.

Document
Document Printing Sizes
Letter (8.5" x 11") Yes
Legal (8.5" x 14") Yes
Tabloid (11" x 17") Yes
A6 (105mm x 148mm) Yes
A5 (148mm x 210mm) Yes
A4 (210mm x 297mm) Yes
Max Paper Weight
300 g/m²

The Epson 15000 printer's front cassette can only accommodate sheets up to Legal size; for Tabloid or Super Tabloid sheets, you must use the rear feeder. Similarly, you must use the rear feeder to print on card stock. You can also print on CDs using a tray that slots under the main cassette. You can read more about printing on a CD in the User Manual

Photo
9.0
Photo
Color Gamut

The Epson XP-15000's color gamut is superb. It can reproduce a wide range of colors, and it handles color transitions well, with no banding and minimal grain. It struggles a little with very dark, saturated reds and greens, but it's better than the vast majority of office or home printers.

6.8
Photo
Color Accuracy
Average Color dE
6.49

The Epson XP-15000 has reasonable color accuracy. It mostly struggles with blues, oranges, and yellows because the printer oversaturates these colors. Skin tones are also off but not to the point of appearing unnatural. There are various color correction modes to enhance the printed image depending on the subject. For example, the People mode enhances skin tones while the Landscape mode enhances the colors of the sky and greenery . There's also Gray and Black and White Photo modes, which, as you may guess, convert color photos to grayscale and black and white, respectively. Black and White looks and performs better, with an average dE of 3.07 for the 6 grays used by this mode.

9.5
Photo
Small Details
Max Print Resolution (DPI)
5760 x 1440

The Epson XP-15000 is outstanding at reproducing small details. Fine lines appear sharp, and the contrast is fantastic. Even minute background details, like the skyline on the horizon of the city photo, are easily differentiable.

10
Photo
Photo Printing Sizes
Glossy Paper (4" x 6") Yes
Glossy Paper (5" x 7") Yes
Glossy Paper (8" x 10") Yes
Glossy Paper (8.5" x 11") Yes
Glossy Paper (13" x 19") Yes
Borderless Printing
Yes

This printer can perform borderless printing up to 13" x 19" (330.2mm x 482.6mm).

Mobile App And Connectivity
8.0
Mobile App And Connectivity
Connectivity
Ethernet
Yes
USB Input To Computer
Yes
Wireless
Yes
Bluetooth
No
Wi-Fi via Router
Yes
Wi-Fi Direct
Yes
External Storage Support
No
Apple AirPrint
Yes
Mopria Print Service
Yes
10
Mobile App And Connectivity
Mobile App
Mobile App Yes
App Name Epson iPrint
iOS Yes
Android Yes
Photo (JPEG, PNG)
Android and iOS
PDF
Android and iOS
Microsoft Office Files
Android Only
Text Files (TXT)
Android Only
Webpages (HTML)
Android Only

This printer is compatible with the Epson iPrint app. You can use the app to initiate printing and use the camera on your device for 'Document Capture,' which converts photos to scans. You can also check ink levels, order ink, perform maintenance tasks like head cleaning and nozzle check, and update the device's firmware.

There's also a second compatible app, Epson Creative Print. This app focuses on creative projects like photo collages, printing on CD/DVD, making coloring book pages from your photos, printing stationery (lined paper, calendars), and printing design paper.

Mobile App And Connectivity
OS Compatibility
Windows Fully
macOS Fully
Chrome OS Fully

You must manually install drivers on Windows devices to use this printer, but you don't need to on Chrome OS or macOS. You can download the drivers from Epson's website.