Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

We have purchase over 200 of these printers (even here at Amazon) and they are pretty good - until you run out of ink. The Ink can print you about 2-3 months worth if used every other day or so. But our customers, including ourselves, have had nothing but head aches when it comes to changing Ink Cartridges. 47 Customers have complained it will NOT ACCEPT 'GENUINE' Epson Cartridges. We owned 4 of them and all 4 are currently wrapped up in their boxes ready to throw out or send to a recycling center. All 4 printers printed through 1 ink cycle - then they started rejecting all ink replacements. We bought ink here at Amazon - rejected. We tried the tech trick of pulling out the electrical cord, and the USB cord, and it did accept 2 or 3 cartridges, but eventually it started to reject all of them in time. Keep in mind this printer has gotten fairy good reviews the past year - some individuals are being successful with the printer but we suspect many reviews were written before their 1st ink cycle went dry. We noticed that (after installing the printers) The Epson software started accessing the internet (or at least trying to). This was to block any 3rd party Ink cartridges - because on one of the printers that WAS NOT on the internet - it actually acceptable 1 black ink 3rd party cartridge. The rest were rejected - even the "Genuine" Epson Cartridges. Its difficult enough to have to purchase expensive "Genuine" ink for these printers - but to have them rejected by your fairly new printer is appalling. We have over 46 "genuine" ink cartridges that have been returned to us (we no longer sell the ink). We used some of the "rejected" ink on our Epson R260 models and R280 model (those printers accepted the ink) simply because the R260, R280 and this model - "artisan" 50 use the same ink cartridge. Customers have explained to us this printer model has difficulty on accepting new cartridges - no matter where you purchased them. We have contacted Epson by email, phone - even writing them a letter, but they yet to even try to return our messages. Customers who have purchase this model, and have not been subjected by the cartridge problem are very fortunate and we are happy for them. Overall, Epson has made this printer so INK CARTRIDGE RESTRICTIVE that it has made us impossible to recommend to anyone or even give out for free. While printing through its first ink cycle, it did produce fine photos and fairly good text docs, but after the ink was done - it seems so was the printer. Update: We installed a CISS system on one of the printers on Feb 1 2011: rejected. On January 20th, the same model rejected "Genuine ink" from a major store front. We were fortunate to receive a refund on both occasions. We aren't trying anymore. Epson keeps ignoring our calls. Daniel J. Tyler (WJGroup)