Things no one tells you about getting a Printer for your Artbiz | Epson EcoTank 8550 Review
Technical things that made me lose it…
EcoTank 8550
Last week I invested in my own printer, not only to create my own art prints, stickers, print files for shirts, and so on, but above all to minimize costs in the long run.
But that this shitty device would end up robbing me of my nerves, I really did not expect.
Of course, it’s like with all the tech stuff you buy—you first have to get used to it. And when it comes to printing, there are many settings, ICC profiles, formatting, and so on that I have to keep in mind—and that external providers have taken care of for me up until now. One of the things no one tells you.
Links altes Format - Rechts neues Format
i should have payed more attention in university….
One might think that during my time as a student, in which I had almost four exams on this topic, I would be well informed, and yes, of course I do know my way around it – at least purely in theory. Practice, however, is a different story.
Because when the printer starts acting up, doesn’t feed properly and you have absolutely no idea about paper thickness and so on, things get difficult. And I admit it – I skipped or doodled through exactly those classes at university very often because such theoretical things never really interested me – I’m a practical person – but that definitely did not work in my favor this week.
i actually wanted to print my oracle cards with these…
Since learning by doing seems to be my motto, that’s exactly how it went. I had picked up two samples of high-quality cardboard, photo paper, standard paper and so on, and when my EcoTank 8550 finally arrived, the excitement was huge to finally let my inner artist loose a little and print my own Ananthara prints.
At least in THEORY ….
One Week Chaos, Tests & Paperwork
The end of the story was that I had to throw away a lot of material, and I spent almost an entire week tinkering with paper, colors, countless Epson apps and settings, only to end up holding the letters for my Mail Club finished and ready to ship in my hands – with what felt like one functioning brain cell left, sore shoulders and a tired smile on my face.
This all probably sounds very negative now – but if you look a little behind the sarcasm – I won’t lie – there were a few nervous breakdowns here and there – but the joy of experimenting and finally holding finished letters in my hands – with all the goodies that I formatted, produced and printed myself – yes, for that, the battle on the battlefield and the resulting back pain were worth it to me.
Why i love printing my own stuff now…
When I sent out the letters today, on January 28th, 2026 – as well as all Mail Club shipments for the coming month – I was happy. It was hard work and cost me a lot of nerves, hours and days, but in the end it was really nice to send these letters out and know: “With this, I’m making someone happy.”
These are the small moments in which I realize how much I enjoy working with my hands and, above all, how proud I am of Ananthara – my stories and products – because I wouldn’t put in this effort if it didn’t matter to me.
Especially since the results were really great and after all that testing, I didn’t even use half of the ink. I am completely satisfied with the printer (EcoTank 8550), and I think this investment has more than paid off for me in the long run – not only to print my own prints, stickers and so on or to minimize costs, but also simply to watch Ananthara come to life through moments like these.
Here’s a glimpse into the February issue of the Mail Club and everything I got to print! - Except the Oracel Cards and Postcards
What's Next?
My next printer project will definitely be a shirt or a bag – maybe I can even brand my own packaging – it’s a beautiful feeling to know that you can do all of this yourself.
I will definitely report back on how the shirts turned out, and I also included a list of links for the materials I used for the goodies and branding of the Letter Club!
My Summary - Is this THE printer for Artists?
✅ Pros
🌈 Outstanding print quality, especially for photos and colors – vibrant, detailed results.
💰 Very low running costs thanks to the large ink tank system compared to classic cartridges.
📏 Supports large media formats (up to A3+) – great for creative projects.
📱 Versatile connectivity options (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB) and easy operation via display or app.
🖨️ Multifunctional: printing, scanning and copying (3-in-1 device).
Super easy setup through the app and step-by-step instructions.
Helpful on-printer guidance: the display can show instructions directly on the printer – for example how to properly set up the rear paper feed.
⚠️ Cons | Crucial Things that broke me
🖨️ Paper jams and tray issues happened occasionally for me – which honestly drove me crazy – but usually worked again after 1–2 adjustments.
Communication issues with the apps: sometimes only half of a print would go through, and I ran into occasional connection errors within the app.
This happened so many times i wanted to cry - a failed print a failed paper - costs of materials..
sometimes Stickers of characters would even miss their legs…
Formatting—Although the Printer had its own Apps where i could work with Collages and so on—formatting had me on the edge of crying and left me with so many failed prints…
I wanted a double-sided print for the thank you cards and the D&D mini-event cards, and I needed to format them in Canva.
Most times the Size was too small or the back print wasn’t on the same format as the front (for everyone getting such cards in their February issue—have mercy on me… it’ll get better)
Formatting, though, is no problem from the Printer,
but one i need to solve for myself…
a big mimimi con but still a con
🐌 Not super fast when using high-quality settings (photos take longer than simple text pages).
Conclusion
👉 For creatives, artists, small shops and photo print lovers, the EcoTank 8550 is a high-quality, long-lasting solution that saves a lot of money in the long run – despite the higher initial investment.
Oh, by the way…
Oh, and the Mail Club sign-ups for March are open!
February Issue <3
I’d be happy to print a sticker, a letter, an art print and a few goodies for you too – which means … subscribe to the Mail Club so I can head back onto the battlefield again!
See you in Ananthara!
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